TV Time

Here are some excellent articles on why too much tv is not good for little ones...

http://www.creativityinstitute.com/index.asp?PageAction=C...

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/231249_television05.html

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4100.htm

Hope this helps. My son who is now 2 watches about an hour a day.

My kids, 3 1/2 and 21 months, typically get up to an hour in the morning, and another half-hour to an hour in the afternoon so that I can prepare dinner. However, there are occasional days when they get 3 hours because I'm just too tired to think of another activity! And in the first several months after my son was born, there was a lot more TV going on. Don't feel bad about it and know that you can reign it in when you're not pregnant or don't have a newborn! Soon your son should be able to maneuver a computer mouse and play independently with some simple, educational computer games. Our daughter likes to go to seasameworkshop.org and starfall.com as well as use some preschool software. The My First Leappad is also a good alternative to TV when you feel like there's been too much tube time.

By all means get some rest and put on the movie first thing! The only reason to get fun movies is to watch them anyway, even if it is 100 times. If you need to get a break, let him watch another short show during the day too. This seems to work in my house.

Whatever works do it! My son will be 3 this month he will get up in the morning and turn on the TV and watch it, so I can get an hour or 2 of more sleep, it keeps him occupied. I just make sure he is watching educational shows on Noggin he has learned a lot from watching them believe it or not! As long as hes getting playtime in other environments he will be fine!

Girl, whatever works, do it!! Please, especially being pregnant, be thankful he can entertain himself!! You will be glad he can once you have that little one!

My son is 3 and he watches TV/cartoons quite a bit, but he also gets out and plays, has Playgroups, does MDO twice a week and is fine! You will have more important things to worry about coming down the road!!

Once they watch something, they will for over and over again. Honey, I have seen Polar Express numerous times, the wiggles, Maisy, Dora...........they do that...now is it Cars......

He is fine!

Gladys

That is so funny! My daughter did the same thing. She gets into out car which has a DVD player and will yell for Momo as she calls it until I turn it on. I have never really seen the whole movie but I can resite it word for word. I feel the same way you do about raising a TV junkie do I try to mix in something educational. Good luck if you find out what to do let me know.

Our son loves Dora and Oobi (Noggin shows). He sounds like your little guy in that he walks around saying TV and can turn the one on that it at his height level. What has worked for us is we record episodes of his favorite shows on our DVR and he gets to watch one of those at a time. It keeps him occupied while I shower or do other chores, but stills allows us to keep control of how much he watches. This is an issue that I am constantly concerned with, but don't worry over it. Good luck and congratulations on the new one.

I used to think that there was no way I was going to be a mom that let her kids watch tv, but boy have I changed my tune! Like Gladys says, whatever works, especially if your son is an active child. My 21 mo. old twins have shows they love, Oobi, Jack's Big Music Show, Wonder Pets, Sesame Street, the Wiggles before that, and since Christmas "Cars" and "Nemo". I don't keep track of how much they watch every day, but I do know they have learned a ton from certain shows(contrary to what they say research shows), and they usually aren't just sitting in front of the tv watching, it's kind of on in the background. I think you can probably tell if your kid is becoming anti-social due to his tv watching, and as long as you have him doing a lot of things besides tv, I personally don't see anything wrong with him watching it a little. Trust your instincts as to when you think it's too much and you should be fine! Good luck with your pregnancy...

I agree with Gladys also. Both of kids really like TV, but they also love playing outside, and doing other things. I have some friends who wouldn't let their kids watch alot of tv when they were younger and now they have "tv addicts"! Mine were exposed when they were young and it's never been a prob!

I second everything Gladys has said!

I'm with everyone else. So long as it isn't a constant thing with your son sitting in front of it all day, you are fine. If you're lucky he may even find a show he likes that you enjoy too. I often think I'm the luckiest mom in the world because my 1 year old loves to watch JAG on USA every morning. I guess he likes the planes or something!

Hey S.,
We are totally in the same boat! My son is 23mo and I am due in May (sex to be known tom. as long as we get cooperation!) We have a DVD player in our car and keep the movies in there and I hear "nemo,nemo,nemo" all the time when we are in the house and as soon as we get in the car. And the t.v., t.v., t.v. chant. I agree with the other moms, moderation is key, and if you do other things together (playground, read books, see friends) it's just another activity. My son probably gets the 2hr max a day (1 in the a.m. and 1 in the p.m. after nap) I also keep his fave programs on dvr for easy access. I think my son has learned things from his shows but know that other stimulation is needed too. You sound like an involved parent that isn't letting (or going to let) the t.v. babysit the kid all day so stop beating yourself up. It took me awhile, and lot's of assurance from friends, that my kid wouldn't fry his brain if he watched some cartoons. Good luck!!

Hi,
I understand your concern...all the magazines and professionals say 'TV is bad'. However, we watch it in moderation. Our kids (3 1/2 & 2) watch 30-45 minutes at night while going off to sleep. I think if you make sure that isn't his only form of entertainment, and you get him outside running around, he should be fine. I would't worry too much about it. At that age my son developed an interest in puzzles and geo trac's trains...So that might be another way for him to get used to entertaining himself.

By the by...get ALL the rest you can now, b/c it is an adjustment when you have two little ones to take care of. :-)

S.,
Don't sweat the small stuff. He's only 21 months,

It' s good that you are thinking of these things early on.
I only turn on the TV if it is requested. Most of the time my kids forget to watch their favorite shows when they are on. We also have very strict TV/media rules that I have had in place since getting married (My DH would watch it all day if I let him).
No TV's or computers in the bedrooms. The living room must be clean before the TV can be turned on (same with the computer unless it's being used for school ; my living room is a mess so TV gets turned on very little!)
No Tivo or other recording service is allowed. I also won't allow cable, Satellite, or Fios. Too expensive and encourages TV watching.
We do subscribe to Netflix and my DH and kids order their favorite shows when they come out on DVD.
When the TV is on its mostly educational stuff or my DH watches two of his favorite shows a day .
In all our TV is only on about 2 hours a day. Though weekends sometimes it is on for 4 hours.
Surprisingly, I don't get many complaints about not having
the TV on or not having cable ect.
The kids like to read, talk on the phone with friends and just play with each other.
RPocai