TV "Detoxing" a 21month old

[brennan]

Dd right now is watching tv. We've been watcing it for 2 weeks (we were tv free since she was born). I hate that we do but honestly this is what I need to do right now or else I am going to go insane (too hot outside, small town with nothing to do unless you go outside see too hot, moving, very small living space, etc etc).

I was wondering if anyone had done this, where they started watching tv for a short period (3 weeks total, one more week is what we're looking at right now, until we move to a bigger house in a cooler area so we can play outside) and then stopped, did you notice any changes in your child for the negative? And what you did to counter act that? I've noticed a change in her behaviour all around, whininess, stopped using the potty etc etc. What about what happens after you stop, did this behaviour change/stop as well?

I am not here to justify what I am currently doing I'm just looking for suggestions for how to deal with the "detoxing" from tv! Thanks so much! Dd is 21months old for reference!

[Nazsmum]

I feel for you. It has been a hot summer.

Can you try to limit it now? Then just keep it off after you move?

[canadianhippie]

im a not tv-free but just learning on the threads, how about instead of television, go the library and pick out dvds/vhs on either childrens shows your approve or nature shows, things like that. Can you download shows or movies? Probably a bit more variety. Its the commercials that sends me off, mute them? find commercial free channels?

[suziek]

You and your daughter will survive. If you really "need" the tv right now--and only you can determine that--and have an absolute end date in mind I think there will be no harm done and the transition will last three days and all will be well.

The risk is that once you get to your new place you'll tell yourself, "well I just need to unpack the boxes and then we'll ditch the tv" or "we don't know anyone here to hang out with so we'll keep the tv for a while" or "just until the bedroom is painted".

I've found that times of great change are good times to change habits too. When we moved two years ago, we got rid of the kids' hand-helds. They had been given them a few weeks before the move, and grew obsessed. As a die-hard screen free-er I hated them. But I let them have at it because I knew they would be handy to keep them busy on the long flight and long drives we would be making. Once we got to our new home (with it's lovely back-yard and nearby beaches and clean playgrounds and active sports leagues) we stuffed them in a drawer--my underwear drawer now that I think about it--and that was that. They have asked for them exactly once.

Kids do fine giving up tv. It's usually the adults who struggle with having the kids give up tv. But if you stay true to your date certain, I think everything will be okay.

Good luck!

Are you bringing the tv with you?

[brennan]

Originally Posted by suziek

You and your daughter will survive. If you really "need" the tv right now--and only you can determine that--and have an absolute end date in mind I think there will be no harm done and the transition will last three days and all will be well.

The risk is that once you get to your new place you'll tell yourself, "well I just need to unpack the boxes and then we'll ditch the tv" or "we don't know anyone here to hang out with so we'll keep the tv for a while" or "just until the bedroom is painted".

I've found that times of great change are good times to change habits too. When we moved two years ago, we got rid of the kids' hand-helds. They had been given them a few weeks before the move, and grew obsessed. As a die-hard screen free-er I hated them. But I let them have at it because I knew they would be handy to keep them busy on the long flight and long drives we would be making. Once we got to our new home (with it's lovely back-yard and nearby beaches and clean playgrounds and active sports leagues) we stuffed them in a drawer--my underwear drawer now that I think about it--and that was that. They have asked for them exactly once.

Kids do fine giving up tv. It's usually the adults who struggle with having the kids give up tv. But if you stay true to your date certain, I think everything will be okay.

Good luck!

Are you bringing the tv with you?

Thank you for this! Yes we are bringing the TV with us, but we haven't had any channels on it (we've been watching dvds) for years. Also, a reason that I think that we can give it up easier is in our new house we will have a seperate room for the tv, other than the living room (which will be our play room) so the room will only be for dh and I in the evenings