If your toddler doesn't care for TV you'll get a giggle...

[AFWife]

We went to a family reunion for DH's family this past weekend. There was a little boy (I) who couldn't even be quite 5 yet. When we were getting ready to leave DS walked into the family room where the TV is and this convo followed:

I: If he stays in there we can watch cartoons!!
Me: He doesn't watch cartoons.
I: Oh, what does he watch?
Me: He doesn't really like TV...
I: What does he do? Just walk around????
Me: *trying not to laugh* We have toys at home that he plays with and we go for walks outside.
I: *gets up and walks away*


It was really cute. He was so surprised that my son didn't like TV...

[crunchy_mommy]

cute! "What does he do?" I can't even figure out when my DS would have time to watch TV!! He is just way too busy!! lol

[Megan73]

Yikes, that's kinda sad.
I am glad that DS (26 months) just plain isn't interested. His granny tries to get him to watch those "educational" videos when she has all three grandsons but DS barely looks at the screen.

[AFWife]

Like, I have videos on the computer from time to time (okay, a lot lately because of pregnancy crap) but he really doesn't care unless he's tired or just in the mood to sit with me. I try to put music on and he LOVES that... We even go to ILs and they always have the TV on (the old one had to "warm up" so it was left on all the time and they developed a habit) and DS will stop and look if it does something loud or if there's music going...but all it's takes is us calling his name and he snaps out of it and goes back to playing.

I can't get him to sit still long enough to flip through a book, let alone watch a whole TV program!!

[crunchy_mommy]

DS is the opposite, he will sit through HOURS of reading books (not exaggerating). I think that's what he's so busy with all day. But he has no interest in TV. We often have it on at night before he goes to bed, or when we go to my parents' or a friend's house, and he could care less. I'm not complaining lol. He likes computer games though. And he'll occasionally watch a youtube video with me if there are animals in it. One time I was seriously sick and I had to FORCE him to watch TV for an hour so I could rest. He just wasn't interested and kept grabbing books for me to read to him.

[ellemenope]

Oh, man. DD must be genetically predisposed to want to watch TV then. She is TV free in the home, but we don't stress when we go out. I remember when DD was not even 12 months old visiting my parents, who have the TV on all the time, and she was watching the TV and loving it. She would catch things on the screen. I remember she signed 'bear' and 'dog' from a commercial. And, once a news article came on about a dinosaur and she started roaring.

Just a couple of weeks ago she saw a full episode of Caillou and she is still relating the plot to me.

[babygirlie]

Mine will knock you over to watch tv. She's obsessed. I once saw her laugh so hard at the same cartoon she's seen 50000 times I coulda swore she slapped her knee before falling over, still cracking up got back up and walked in circles laughing her butt off. She hates toys. :/ I try to read to her and she throws the book away. Oh well. She'll probably be like little I at 5.

[mommy_to_2angels]

My daughter(5 year old) was very exposed to the tv from the time she was a baby because Ex-GMIL would babysit while I was working and my ex sat on the pc all day. So now, I am trying to wean her off of it. She only watches for an hour or so before bed.

My son(16 months), pfft.... he couldn't give two... about the tv. He's too busy climbing on the tables and chairs and giggling and making a ruckus to watch tv. Lol

[MamaChicken]

My first was very TV obsessed, my second didn't care until well past two years old and still only watches 30 minutes and she's done. The twins are somewhere in the middle.

[mommy_to_2angels]

Anyone have trouble weaning a tv-holic off the boobtube?

[Abraisme]

My DS is another kid that didn't care for TV until he was over 2yo. After that he could willing watch hours a day like a zombie (not that I let him). From my experience 18mo is still on the young side to care about tv (although some like tv from day one) and I wouldn't be surprised if it changes in the next year or so.

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by mommy_to_2angels

Anyone have trouble weaning a tv-holic off the boobtube?

Nearly EVERY toddler I know asks to watch tv about 100 times a day. My friends and I were just talking about this and reassuring another friend that it's totally normal, even if you've hardly ever let your kids watch TV. Simply set some tv rules and stick with them. Your kid will probably ask again and again and again, but if you're consistent he/she will learn eventually.

[physmom]

Originally Posted by mommy_to_2angels

Anyone have trouble weaning a tv-holic off the boobtube?

YES! We're really working on this now. DD's driving me insane about TV so I'm cutting her off. I found an article (sorry, no clue where it is now) that says the most important time not to let them watch TV is first thing in the mornings because then they'll want to wake up early to watch it. That is so DD!! The last two mornings I've cut it off completely. Yesterday was pretty rough but today she asked but wasn't crazy. I think put on a Book on tape CD and she ate her breakfast listening to that OVER and OVER and OVER again, but was really happy!

We still use it close to bed time because we're getting DD to drop the naps (she sleeps about 3 hours more a day total without naps!!!) but sometimes she wants to go to bed too early so we'll let her watch a half an hour to make sure she doesn't get to sleep before 5.

But she's insane about it. She loves to participate with the shows, she'll dance right along and answer all the questions. It doesn't help that the weather has been bad so going to the park hasn't been an option.

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

DS is the opposite, he will sit through HOURS of reading books (not exaggerating). I think that's what he's so busy with all day. But he has no interest in TV. We often have it on at night before he goes to bed, or when we go to my parents' or a friend's house, and he could care less. I'm not complaining lol. He likes computer games though. And he'll occasionally watch a youtube video with me if there are animals in it. One time I was seriously sick and I had to FORCE him to watch TV for an hour so I could rest. He just wasn't interested and kept grabbing books for me to read to him.

DD's the exact same way about books too. I think she's just obsessed with stories in general. If I'd let her she'd spend her whole day reading books and watching TV.