How much tv does your 3-5 year old watch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My firstborn has seen 20-30 mins 3ish times a week since age 20 months (I kbad mommy). If I’m having trouble getting the baby down at night, I put a video on my phone. I hate it bc she’s always reluctant (to put it mildly) to give it back when the baby is down so I’m really trying to cut back even from this amount. We don’t have a tv in the bedrooms or main level so she never gets background tv. I’ve told my husband he isn’t allowed to show her media and that the screen is only for me in an emergency when I’m managing them both. Other than those restrictions, I’m not sure how else to limit it if the baby needs some coaxing at night to sleep. Ideas welcome!

As the mom of tweens, this isn’t worth your angst. Allow her episodes of educational/curated by you shows, and when they go off, the TV gets turned off. As pps noted, if you are doing all of the other things “right”, this will not matter.

Thank you for this. We read to our oldest every day and she has 2-3 hours of outdoor play during each weekday and 1-2 on weekend days. I think we are doing things “right” but the guilt really sneaks up now that I have 2 and have to divide my attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None.

We don’t need the childcare and my son is only 4.

Same. None. Kids are four and two.

[Anonymous]

Why does someone post this same question virtually every week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None.

We don’t need the childcare and my son is only 4.

Same. None. Kids are four and two.

Your kids are about the same age apart as mine (I posted upthread that I use screens maybe 2-3 times per week for 20-30 mins if I can’t get my baby down and the almost 2 year old isn’t settling with any books or puzzles). Did you regularly have that situation and if so, how did you handle it? It’s only an issue on some nights when I do bedtime alone, although I can’t even remember the last time she saw a screen so maybe it’s not as bad as I think). I don’t think I’m damaging her but am always up for learning new tips and tricks!

[Anonymous]

I found the amount ticks up considerably once it actually entertains them for longer than 15 minutes. No one shows a 1 year old tv, because after 5 minutes they are walking around wrecking things. I felt like it was a great milestone when my 4 year old could actually sit through most of a movie. Yes this was during the pandemic, but it meant I could get 90 minutes solid of no-child-care.

Now that they are in school full time, we watch less. Maybe 2-40 minutes before dinner each night. On the weekend, it's a movie instead. It's really still not that much.

If you don't like it, just stop putting it on. It's really not that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None.

We don’t need the childcare and my son is only 4.

Same. None. Kids are four and two.

Your kids are about the same age apart as mine (I posted upthread that I use screens maybe 2-3 times per week for 20-30 mins if I can’t get my baby down and the almost 2 year old isn’t settling with any books or puzzles). Did you regularly have that situation and if so, how did you handle it? It’s only an issue on some nights when I do bedtime alone, although I can’t even remember the last time she saw a screen so maybe it’s not as bad as I think). I don’t think I’m damaging her but am always up for learning new tips and tricks!

When our second was born, DH took over the older kid’s shower and books while I bathed then nursed the baby. I couldn’t do it alone back then. If DH was traveling, my mom came over or our nanny stayed late. Since about 3 and 1, I could do it alone by bathing them together, dress and do lotion together, and then have the older sit at my feet reading when I nursed the little one “quiet as a butterfly”. Then my older gets my full attention and books, cuddles, songs.