At least every other week a movie on Sunday and a 30-minute show on Saturday. I had to cut out weekday TV, not because of any particular views on TV. I love TV -- it's a great time for me to play with the gas stove and the sharp knives. However, the kids were like mean addicts in withdrawal when they watched weekday TV. It was just easier to say no.

We don't have a tv. So none. Occasional movies elsewhere or on the laptop. No games, they drive me berserk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much for honesty.

I don't think people are lying--the thread just attracts people who feel they have something to brag about. I opened it because my 2.5 year old hardly watches any. He watched none until 2 and now watches about 10 minutes once or twice a week, usually on my smartphone when I need to distract him. If the thread said, "Be honest, how much sugar does your child eat?" I would not have been as inclined to answer because my child (and my DH and I) eat a ton of sugar.

I don't think it's bragging to tell the truth, especially when the OP (and quoted PP) seem to be in the camp of people who love to believe every family must be like their family and therefore lying ("let's be honest," "so much for honesty") when they report a different practice. I posted because I dislike that premise and OP asked, not because I think this (or any family choice) is something to brag about. I truly don't care what other people do and we have plenty of friends with different habits than ours. They don't push TV on my kid and I don't push pork (or whatever) on theirs. Different strokes.

I don't think they are all lying but I also think they are not being honest with themselves. These kids have never watched a movie. If they said 20 min a day (of course I don't know any shows that are 20 min) and a movie once a month that would be more honest. I think they would like to think their Kids watch that much tv but I don't really believe them. Nobody's going to fess up to the kid watching Lion King for 90 minutes.

Honestly, 4-year-old goes weeks and weeks at a time without watching TV. She has no favorite TV shows or characters. She could really not care less. She does like nature shows, so every couple of weeks we will watch one.

We do not have a TV in the main part of our house, and DD does not know any better yet. TV is just not part of our lives. It is very easy, and I recommend it. I do spend too much time on my laptop throughout the day, so we all have our vices. But, I love a nice quiet, calm house. (I grew up in a house where the TV was always on in multiple rooms, and they were always turned up so that you could here multiple TVs at a time.)

THis summer I was pretty bad about enforcing TV and video game rules, because my kids were home more than usual and I work at home.

However, nowt hat the school year is started, we've gone back to the "no tv during the week" rule and I have to say, it is heaven. I think they are better behaved, get more things done, the house is more peaceful, they are playing outside ....

Next summer I'm going to be more restrictive about it.

short answer: most of the day


my almost 5 yo with special needs has little to no ability to entertain herself. when not directly engaged with another adult or child, she is disruptive and destructive, both for the purpose of getting attention and because she lacks the skills needed to play well independently. she will climb on and/or jump off furniture, hang on curtains, throw things, hit the window with a hard object, clear tables, rip up books and papers, attack her siblings or sometimes just lie down and stim or masturbate. our home is still babyproofed with gates and latches b/c we also have a toddler, but its really for the 4 year old. One solution to this is to put her in a time out by strapping her in her high chair, where I can continue to help her siblings with homework, cook a meal, change her sibling's diaper, etc. Occasionally, I can put her in the high chair and she will "play" with us, but it usually only lasts 10-15 mins. I will never put on TV directly after misbehavior occurs, as it is too rewarding. But I will often put it on when I know I can't give her my undivided attention (which, lets face it, is most of the time) and just leave her in front of it for hours at a time and sometimes all day, because with 4 kids, I just can't give her that much focused attention. Honestly, it is also the only way I can get a break while she is awake (as a result of her diagnosis, she also has a sleep disorder that causes her to wake several times during the night, thus, I am in a constant state of exhaustion). When my dh comes home or on weekends one of us or a sibling will play with her but it can be very draining and cannot be sustained by anyone for a very long period of time. Of course, watching tv hardly helps develop the skills needed to play independently and I realize this is probably a vicious cycle but I'm really at my wits end and don't know how to get out of it with the energy and resources I have right now.

22m and she is not interested despite my best efforts.

7 yo is allowed 30 minutes of screen time (that includes tv, iPad, iPhone, computer, wii) per day on school days. We don't place restrictions on the weekend, but we/he are frequently so busy that he forgets about electronics. If a friend comes over and they want to play Mario on the wii for an hour, that's fine. Over the summer we were out of town for about a month and he only had screen time on the plane. But when we were home over the summer and it was too hot to be outside, he watched tv and played video games A LOT. No restrictions for the most part, but his electronics privileges were yanked many days as a disciplinary measure. Most days he had sports camps, so screen time was wind-down time in the afternoon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much for honesty.

I don't think people are lying--the thread just attracts people who feel they have something to brag about. I opened it because my 2.5 year old hardly watches any. He watched none until 2 and now watches about 10 minutes once or twice a week, usually on my smartphone when I need to distract him. If the thread said, "Be honest, how much sugar does your child eat?" I would not have been as inclined to answer because my child (and my DH and I) eat a ton of sugar.

I don't think it's bragging to tell the truth, especially when the OP (and quoted PP) seem to be in the camp of people who love to believe every family must be like their family and therefore lying ("let's be honest," "so much for honesty") when they report a different practice. I posted because I dislike that premise and OP asked, not because I think this (or any family choice) is something to brag about. I truly don't care what other people do and we have plenty of friends with different habits than ours. They don't push TV on my kid and I don't push pork (or whatever) on theirs. Different strokes.

DD is 2 and watches none. She sees a few 1-2 minute home videos on the iPhone maybe twice a week now that she's learned they exist.

Honestly? I have a 3.5yo and it's just me and him.

During the week, 30-90min/day. He's obsessed with Mighty Machines and it gives me time to cook dinner and straighten the house. Whether he gets to watch one episode or 3 depends on how exhausted I am and how cranky he is to be honest.

Weekends, he usually watches a 90min Disney movie in the afternoon and 90min of Mighty Machines scattered throughout the day. (that 30min in the morning so I can drink coffee and catch up here is heaven)

He doesn't nap, so a movie is the only way to get him to sit quietly for more than 20min.

It was easy when they were young. Now teenager son does not watch TV, but spends >10 hour/day online playing games with friends in the summer. These are A-students at top private schools. I worry about his physical and mental health, but DH thinks it is fine as long as the grades are good I am looking forward to school next week.

My 3 year old watches about 45-60 min on weekdays (he's in daycare from 8-3 so that's after we get home) and more like 2 hours on the weekends. That is all on Netflix streaming because I hate commercials.

Anonymous wrote:So much for honesty.

I don't think people are lying--the thread just attracts people who feel they have something to brag about. I opened it because my 2.5 year old hardly watches any. He watched none until 2 and now watches about 10 minutes once or twice a week, usually on my smartphone when I need to distract him. If the thread said, "Be honest, how much sugar does your child eat?" I would not have been as inclined to answer because my child (and my DH and I) eat a ton of sugar.

PP here -- also if it is super-rainy we do more TV on the weekends.