Do parents really limit TV?

Question

When I talk to other moms they say they limit they're children TV watching to only 1 hour a day. Now I live in area where it rains half of the year or is cold or too hot. There are maybe all together 3-4 months you can actually go out and play. Sometimes I wonder if these mothers are being actually honest or maybe lose track of time. I mean I interact with my child quite a bit through out the day and he even plays outside for a few hours but I can never get him to watch less than 2 hours (sometimes up to 4-5 hours). He has the TV on a lot but he doesn't actually sit right in front of it staring at it he plays with his toys and every few minutes looks up to see what's going on. He's 2 1/2.

I guess a lot of people missed this - MY SON IS 2 1/2. I can't give him chores or any housework really yet, or have him play video games. A lot of you are responding according to your children and they are all school age. They can actually do things for longer than 5 minutes

Answer 1

I am raising 2 grandchildren and I watch a third grandchild. They are all 2 years old. I have the T.V. on all the time but only have it tuned into Noggin, Disney or Nick Jr. There is hardly ever a time when all 3 watch the T.V. at the same time. It is usually that one will get interested in something and the other 2 will be playing with some toys. It switches between the 3 all day long and none of them get into a show long enough to sit through the whole thing.

We go outside for several hours every day and we have several parks nearby that we go to. We never sit in front of the T.V. for hours but it is always on.

Answer 2

I have two little ones at home and I try to limit the TV, but sometimes it gets excessive. During the school year, I am really good about limiting TV/computer to 2 hours or less during the week, and usually more on weekends (morning cartoons, plus an afternoon video).

There are some studies that say excessive TV watching can cause attention problems in school. Why don't you try turning on some music instead of the TV sometimes to provide the background noise while he plays.

Remember, you are the parent here. He is only 2 1/2. He can't MAKE you keep the TV on for him. Sure, he may have a fit for a while, but he will learn limits and learn that you are in charge. This is a great time to start learning that lesson, while he's still small enough for you to pick him up and put him in time out.

Answer 3

I have the opposite, and during the summer it's too hot to go outside except in the mornings and in the cool evenings the mosquitos come out. I do limit my children's TV and video game time with actual time limits. They have a timer that they use for video games, and since tv basically times itself...I have also used a method of setting a time limit for the week and it is their responsibility to use it wisely and spread it out, teaching them self control.

Homework comes first, and during summer it's chores that come first. I want my kids to get into the habit of taking care of their responsibilities before enjoying luxuries. I don't strictly limit them except on school days/nights and of course there are always the exceptioins where they can watch more. But children are capable of so much more. I implemented these limits when my kids got grounded from electronics and pouted miserably claiming they were bored and had nothing to do, and had 'forgotten' how to play with one another and just use their imaginations. When there isn't a set time limit (usually the summer) I have the rule of 1 hour on, 1 hour off during which they have to go outside or do something active.

TV isn't necessarily bad, it just can teach kids that the only way to be entertained is if somebody else tells you what is entertaining. If you're making sure your son is read to, and plays as well as a wide variety of activities, then you're doing a great job.

Answer 4

I grew up in the northeast, where it is cold for much of the year, but my father (who ironically owns a tv and computer repair business) disconnected our cable when i was about 9 years old to cut down on our tv time. I did not have a lot of option of what to watch (2 or 3 channels) so i maybe watched between 1-2 hours per day. I did however, do a lot of reading, and playing games and the sort. I hated him for it then, but i have since realized that it was probably one of the best things he ever did for us, as i am in my early 20's and in college now, and i am not dependant on the television for entertainment. I feel that I am much more well read and otherwise well adjusted than i would ever have been if i had been able to zone out in front of the tv every afternoon, use your imagination, remember tv has been around for much less time than children have, good luck

Answer 5

Only you are qualified to decide how much TV is too much for your child. To answer your question, yes many of us do limit it to an hour a day. It is easy to do when you also limit the programs your children can watch. That way even if you would be tempted to let the children watch longer, there often is not anything appropriate on.

I completely understand the weather problem. I do bundle kids up and take them out in the cold weather though it is not much fun for me.

Answer 6

I 100 % love this question. Thanks! I live in AZ and it's well over 100 degrees on a daily basis. I have a two year old and six month old and when I first started staying at home, it was so easy to just turn on the TV. My oldest didn't even watch it, like yours she ran around and played. But I found the TV was mostly background sound for me... (I can't deal with prolonged silences. :)) and also, if I needed a break to feed the baby or step into the other room for whatever reasons, my daughter became so used to having the TV on, it didn't really interest her anymore unless it was one of her favorite shows. So, I've turned the TV off and we have a couple shows we watch a day at the same times and we have a video time for when daddy gets home so that the adults can have a 20 minute break while the girls' can watch baby einstein. It's surprising that your child can still play with themselves or you w/out the TV on. It's not easy to turn it off, I'll admit, and you will be super-tempted to just turn it on for "one more" day, but you'll see after a week or two your child will play just like they did with the TV on. I turned on music in the background that was fun (I made a mix CD of disney songs) so we could run around and sing together.
Also, (sorry this is long, but I sympathize with your situation, totally!) to keep my daughter busy, we always have books out for her to pick up and read or puzzles, and she loves those giant Lego blocks. She also "helps" me do little things around the house like pick up toys and she even stands next to me and hands me plates, bowls and cups out of the dishwasher. (No silverware). It goes really slow, but she gets a kick out of it and loves the positive reenforcement I give her. I also give her an ever so slightly damp cloth and she helps me wipe down tables and glass doors. It's definitely harder with a boy, I'm sure, to keep the attention span in check but, Good luck!

Answer 7

It really depends on the individual. Some parents may not keep track and underestimate while others may strictly follow a time limit.

Cold or not there was a time when there was no tv and somehow people managed to raise their kids.

Keeping kids amused depends on a parents creativity and how involved they want to be with their kids and their ability to cope.

Having the Noggin channel or shows like Sesame Street helps dampen the effects of dumbing the children down, but is not a cure all.

Answer 8

Reality is I think most of us let the tv babysit. When my kids were the same age as your son they would walk over and turn the tv on if I had it off -- just for the noise I think. Like your son, they didn't really pay it attention, they just wanted it on. They are now 6 and 8, and just fine. Some days during this last summer vacation they would watch cartoons and other days they would not even turn the tv on at all.

Answer 9

Yes, we limit our children and control what they watch. Just because it's a cartoon or on a kids station doesn't mean we want them watching it. When we have had to ground our kids from the t.v., they have come up with very constructive ways to stay entertained. They play games (board games) with each other, draw, color, write stories and read. It seems that they use their creativity more when the t.v. is off.
I have been very tempted to remove it all together but they (and I) enjoy watching some of the shows.
It sounds like your son is using it for background/filler noise. Try turning off the t.v. and turning on a stereo. Get a puzzle or coloring book out and see what happens.

Answer 10

If their children are only watching an hour of TV a day they are not getting anything done (house work, bills, free time). I hate to say it but the TV saves me on days I have a lot to do.