[StarsInHerEyes]

I think that it really depends on what kind of screen time is occuring. When I have kids I will definately limit the screen time that they will experience. Maybe 1-2 hours a day. I am not really sure. I want to make sure that they aren't just sitting passively watching tv, but playing video games too as this is more social and mentally challenging. I also want to make sure that they play outside and be active as well.


Its difficult because ABC kids runs for 2.5 hours straight after school. This is the time when i would want my kids outside being active. What does everyone else think? I might read everyone's comments and formulate my ideas a bit better.

[SarahBelle48]

DF and I were just talking about this the other day actually. Its a tricky thing to deal with as it does depend on age as well as what they do during the rest of their time. If its 1 hours TV, plus 2 hours computer games and a few hours of a nintendo DS or something, thats a bit different than 2 hours outside, 1 hr imaginative play inside with non-electronic toys, 30 mins reading books and an hour of TV. I also don't think its a simple answer of x amount of hours is too much. Its more about the behaviour of the child as well. DF's nephew (FBIL's child) is just over 2 now yet his mother was bragging on facebook a few months ago that the toddler grabs the remote as soon as he comes home and instantly switches the tv on to ABC Kids. Now, to DF and I, that just seems so wrong that a not quite 2-y-o (he was maybe 20-22 months at most at the time of the post) is that into tv that its automatic for him to come home and switch it on, plus the fact that FSIL sees that as a thing to be proud of was indicative of a problem to us. So, clearly he has been fairly regularly watching lots of tv for quite some time. DF and I are both adamant that our kids will spend most of their time outside and playing, not watching TV or playing computer games. And that they certainly will not have any 'regular shows' they watch every single day or have any control over the remote until at least 3 years old. I'm not naive enough to assume it will turn out 100% like that, I understand that there are cases where TV can help to keep kids amused etc. But we don't want to to raise kids who are addicted to TV at such a young age. We would rather them engage in imaginative play, playing outside and reading books for entertainment, not TV or computer/video games. The other factor is, I don't want to be in a situation where our schedule for the day is framed around when a TV show is on for the child. The same FSIL also posted a whinge about ABC moving some show to a different time as now its ruins their daily schedule. You should not rely on a TV show to get a 2-y-o to sleep or ready to eat dinnner or whatever.

[Perlissima_8]

As a mum of two adult children who watch a fair bit of TV (more than 1 hr a day), they have turned out fine. The are very academic and both at Sydney Universidy, one graduating in law this year.

Mind you, they are now 22 and almost 20 so they did not play hand held games and they were not that interested when they had Nintendo.

I am a Nanny now and find different families have different amounts of TV time they allow their children from 30mins a day to 4 hours. I actually think "good" age appropriate programs teach kids situations outside their home environment and they can also converse with other children about they same show they watched. Just like we do, they find a common topic such as what show they like.

As far as I am concerned, as long as they get a balance of all types of activities, indoor and out, we should not be so worried. TV is part of our lives and so are all the digital technology.

[livingindarwin]

I just have the one. We decided to keep the TV off in front of her, except for when DH watches the news or sports. We don't watch a lot of TV, but generally we watched pre-recorded stuff or DVDs after she was in bed. Now if the TV's on, DD (19mo) glances at it but pretty much ignores it. She has no interest in ABC kids. She will watch video clips and dance a bit if I put them on, but that only lasts a few minutes.

She's in full time daycare, though, so I'm glad she's not interested in watching TV. I want the time we have to be mummy-daughter time, not ABC Kids time.

That said, she was really hard work to entertain for a while there, and I had a period of wondering whether perhaps this would have all been easier if I'd just let her watch TV from the start. Then she started talking and doing block puzzles and things, and it got much easier. Only time I've used a screen babysitter is when I skyped my mum and left DD to chat with her while I went off to chop some veggies, but that was more for my mum's benefit. Otherwise if DD wants to be close I stand DD up on a chair and she 'helps' by pretending to chop the veggies or eat them.

I have to do some big plane trips with her soon, though, and am feeling a little bit nervous about how I'll entertain her in the seat. It probably would be good if videos on the iPad would pass the time.

When she gets older, we'll allow a small quantity of TV but not in her bedroom. I think I am going to be strict on the quantity but relatively liberal about the content.

[Nathan Willow]

That is one of my problem with my kids, they both want to be in front of the tv after school. But one thing that I'm proud of them is that they both love to cook, so I make sure that we always bake together so that they will forget to watch the tv anymore, it's our bonding moment together.

[stevestella]

I think three or four hours of television and video games are enough but better than it used this time to play outdoors


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[SarDonik]

As a mum of two adult children who watch a fair bit of TV (more than 1 hr a day), they have turned out fine. .

That is a ridiculous argument. My kids watch lots of Tv + my kids are smart = TV does not have an adverse effect on kids.... My great grandmother smoked like a chimney and lived to 92...

Too much TV is bad. There is too much evidence out there to dispute it. Aside from the adverse effect it has on kids intellectual development there are the direct links to childhood obesity. Kids watching too much TV are living a sedentary life. And Australia has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the world. I think a lot of parents use TV as an extra parent, they can't be bothered taking their kids to the park or the beach or swimming pool. Or they can't be bothered encouraging their kids to read, play etc The easy option is to stick on the TV. I totally understand and sympathise with parents who are under the pump, stressed etc and need to use the TV just to get a break. But I think there are way too many lazy parents out there who use TV as an easy option.

[SarDonik]

I'm very ashamed about how much I used to have the TV on formy eldest. I used it as a babysitter. It was on constantly, & not always on shows appropriate for a baby. After he turned 2, I switched it off. To be honest, I don't think it made any difference to his behaviour, but my secret fear is that his tv watching has led to slow speech progression. I feel like I broke my baby with my laziness. (He doesn't have a speech delay as such, just a bit slower to speak than the norm.) Just my own theory that I haven't shared with anyone. I just feel like if I interacted with him more, his speech would be more advanced.

It's great that you are so honest. And I do agree with you regarding the link between TV and speech development. I remember the first time my eldest watched TV, she was transfixed and sat there like a zombie staring at the screen! And within a week was begging for TV constantly! We didn't really have a plan for how much TV our kids would watch, but just seeing them become almost addicted within a few weeks made me not want to have them watch too much TV. And then you start hearing parents go on about how educational programs like Dora the Explorer are and it really makes me not want to have TV on! And that show is definitely banned in our house!

[RillyBilly]

My son used to watch Dora the Explorer. You're not the first one, SarDonik, I've heard criticise it, but I honestly can't see the problem with it. Several friends' children have learned some spanish through watching it - not a bad thing in my books, *shrug*.

He doesn't watch much tv (and what he does is monitored) and never sits still whilst watching it - he's always dancing or jigging around in some way - it's the ipad is the problem here! I'm currently limiting that severely, but unfortunately my dh doesn't see the problem with him having it almost constantly. I just want him to make use of some of the other therapuetic toys he has (which he did do when I took it off him recently).

[SarDonik]

My son used to watch Dora the Explorer. You're not the first one, SarDonik, I've heard criticise it, but I honestly can't see the problem with it. Several friends' children have learned some spanish through watching it - not a bad thing in my books, *shrug*.

And that's the worst thing - kids learn one or two Spanish words and suddenly their parents are cooing about how educational Dora is, their kids are speaking Spanish etc. But being able to say 'si' or gracias' isn't speaking Spanish. How many hours of Dora would they have watched in order for them to say two words in a foreign language? It would take you 10 minutes to teach them how to say 'si' or gracias'.

"Si, Diego, the bridge has a pink elephant on it"

I'm sorry, but that is not teaching someone how to speak Spanish. It's a con to get gullible parents to buy into their "Dora is educational" philosophy. I don't really have a problem with programs like Dora, as long as kids watch them in moderation, I do have a problem with them being regarded as 'educational'. In comparison to reading, writing, interacting with people, it is not educational.

This post has been edited by SarDonik: 26/03/2012, 11:47 AM