Ds1 hardly watched any tv as a young toddler, maybe just a Sesame Street now and then while I recovered from a night of no sleep. By the time he was 4 or so he had a few favorite DVDs (Thomas or Baby Einstein) that he would watch every now and then, and I was fine with this. I've always been an "everything in moderation" kind of gal.
Well, since ds2 was born he has been exposed to tv, just through ds1 watching it. I don't know if this is the cause, but now he is 2.5yo and begs me nonstop for tv. And when he's having a hard time, like being tired but won't go down for a nap, putting on the tv is the only way to keep my sanity. Like today. I have been trying to put him down for a nap since noon. He begs me to go lay down, we nurse while I fight off his pinching and hitting, then I finally can't stand it anymore, we get up, play, and then start all over again. I know he's tired, but it's been two hours and he just won't fall asleep. So after another nursing session that made me actually scream, I finally gave up and let him watch the video he's been asking for all day. And now he is happy as a clam on the couch. But until the tv went on he was whiny and clingy, throwing toys, hitting ds1, and wanting to nurse every 5 minutes.
I don't want to use the tv so much, but I am just at a loss with him. He is just all over me when he is upset, and nothing I can do helps until the tv goes on. I can't just sit with him all day while he works through it because my older son is here too, and he wants me to play with him, or read to him, and I have to fix lunch and the such. Plus there's the issue of clinging on to what is left of my sanity.
It doesn't help that we specifically didn't go to the local homeschool park day today because we were late getting ready and I figured we would only have a half hour before having to leave for ds2's nap. So we stay home, and now he doesn't nap. And now we can't go anywhere or he'll fall asleep in the car.
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I'm frustrated about the nap issue, but I am really upset that tv is the only thing that comforts him when he's tired or upset. I try to read and he just knocks the book away. I try to dance with him and he screams no. I try to go for a walk but he refuses to let me get his shoes on, and even if I do, he'll just whine and cry for me to pick him up and nurse the whole time.
I don't know what to do. I don't want to get rid of the tv altogether, because even though we only watch a little, we enjoy the little that we do. Dh and ds1 really enjoy watching PBS documentaries together. And baseball. And dh and I live for the opportunity to watch a movie after the kids go to bed.
I just feel really sad that I have a toddler who is hooked on the tv.
Well, since ds2 was born he has been exposed to tv, just through ds1 watching it. I don't know if this is the cause, but now he is 2.5yo and begs me nonstop for tv. And when he's having a hard time, like being tired but won't go down for a nap, putting on the tv is the only way to keep my sanity. Like today. I have been trying to put him down for a nap since noon. He begs me to go lay down, we nurse while I fight off his pinching and hitting, then I finally can't stand it anymore, we get up, play, and then start all over again. I know he's tired, but it's been two hours and he just won't fall asleep. So after another nursing session that made me actually scream, I finally gave up and let him watch the video he's been asking for all day. And now he is happy as a clam on the couch. But until the tv went on he was whiny and clingy, throwing toys, hitting ds1, and wanting to nurse every 5 minutes.
I don't want to use the tv so much, but I am just at a loss with him. He is just all over me when he is upset, and nothing I can do helps until the tv goes on. I can't just sit with him all day while he works through it because my older son is here too, and he wants me to play with him, or read to him, and I have to fix lunch and the such. Plus there's the issue of clinging on to what is left of my sanity.
It doesn't help that we specifically didn't go to the local homeschool park day today because we were late getting ready and I figured we would only have a half hour before having to leave for ds2's nap. So we stay home, and now he doesn't nap. And now we can't go anywhere or he'll fall asleep in the car.
:I'm frustrated about the nap issue, but I am really upset that tv is the only thing that comforts him when he's tired or upset. I try to read and he just knocks the book away. I try to dance with him and he screams no. I try to go for a walk but he refuses to let me get his shoes on, and even if I do, he'll just whine and cry for me to pick him up and nurse the whole time.
I don't know what to do. I don't want to get rid of the tv altogether, because even though we only watch a little, we enjoy the little that we do. Dh and ds1 really enjoy watching PBS documentaries together. And baseball. And dh and I live for the opportunity to watch a movie after the kids go to bed.
I just feel really sad that I have a toddler who is hooked on the tv.
:
).
And I even buy DS a little snack there if he wants it. 
: Those places can keep DS busy for quite a while.
