1 y/o hardcore watching tv....

[sosurreal09]

im trying to tell myself im not the worst mom in the world...we were going to be tv free but omg is my kid hard to handle and shes waaaaay to advanced to keep up with. Anyway i started putting tv on "in the background" a few months ago b/c she would get distracted by it if she was upset..now shes older and she will legit sit down or stand there and watch a movie from beginning to end. I dont let her watch any media...we do movies and pbs only. the movies are screened previously and its mostly veggie tales (we are christian) and some sesame st and Clifford.

now i know the AAP reccomends not letting a kid watch tv until 2 y/o...why exactly is that? what am i suppose to do? if the tv is not on sh points to it all day and says mama mmmmmmmmmmm mama like hello where is my shows. we do alot of one on one time and go out and everything too.

we dont do nick jr or dora or any of that. she still does play and everything its just if she feels like it i guess. like after her nap she will usually legit sit down and watch a movie.

so what do you think about all that?

i feel really guilty. i mean am i destroying her in some way?

[texmati]

No judging here. I feel tv is addictive (it's designed to be-- even for adults), and kids are really defenseless. I find I can spend hours watching the boob tube and not realize time has passed-- time that I could have spent actually living life!

If my kiddo was visibly upset by not having it on, I'd think real hard about getting rid of it.

DS used to get into a trance when watching tv at 2-3 months. He'd stop crying and just look at the lights.

In our house it's something that would be easily abused, so it's not allowed on during the day, anId we turn it off if I catch him staring in the evenings.

He's been 'watching the games' with DH-- but I"ve noticed that for now, he's not really interested in the tv part.

That being said-- I don't think you are destroying her. I just think that tv really can overtake a childhood, (I think it did for me, in some ways), and I don't want that happening to DS.

[branbran54]

My 7 year old was like that. He still is in some ways, but if I said "hey, noah, want to go outside?" he would turn it off in a second to go play. So no, I don't think you are destroying her in any way at all. You just have to make sure you balance it with outside play and things like that.

[sosurreal09]

TY for the replies. as of yesterday i am tying to cut down on her tv anyways (its been raining so we havent been able to go out) i didnt have it on all morning then after her nap she went and got the xbox remote and handed it to me and said ahhhhhhh ahhhhhh mama. i was like omg. (we use the x-box for movies) i just put on a short one and let he watch while i made dinner.

i think whats hardest is when its not on shes getting into trouble lol digging into plugs and all the "danger" areas

she loves to read though we probably read 10 books a day so thats a plus

and TY for not judging me i really appreciate it

[prescottchels]

Have you tried or considered covering the tv? like w/a sheet, tablecloth or batik sarong....? In lots of tv free or homes w/limited tv this is common practice especially if there's no cabinet to close when the tv is not in use. You know, out of sight out of mind...?
I'm essentially tv free at home. I don't have cable and since all the stations went digital I don't get anything anymore so I watch dvd's when I want my tv fix, but I notice that when I'm babysitting at other people's homes that have cable I want to watch non-stop. It's totally addicting for me and children don't have the will power or self control developed that will help them regulate activities that they can become addicted to so we have to do it for them in the beginning and help them figure it out as they get bigger.
Good luck!
PS I also notice behavior/attitude changes for the better in myself and others when tv and other screen time is limited.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by prescottchels

Have you tried or considered covering the tv? like w/a sheet, tablecloth or batik sarong....?

love this idea. if it's not out of site/out of mind, at least it would give me pause before just flopping on the couch with the remote.

[zinemama]

I don't think you should feel guilty, because life with a 1yo is tough and this makes it easier. If I had a tv, I would have been right in your shoes back then.

On the other hand, if you're looking for advice, and you are tired of hearing mamaaaaa all day long about the TV, I would suggest NOT keeping it on for background and establishing set times - like just after her nap - when she is allowed to watch it. She will quickly figure out the routine. And she will figure out other things to occupy herself with.

[sosurreal09]

thanks for the advice good ideas we actually cancelled cable b/c we are trying to live more minimally

[katelove]

Hi,

No judgement from me either but, you asked in your OP why it is recommended that TV time be limited for children so, here are a couple of links which talk about the problems associated with too much TV.

Cheers
Kate

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positiv...cts_child.html

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...c-success.html

[jenfl]

Just something to keep in mind -- if you intend to be TV-free in the future, it's easier to say no to the TV now than when she's 2 or 3 or 4. Kids have this habit of getting more verbal and more insistent.

[sosurreal09]

thanks