Seeking advice regarding screen time.
This is about screen time! So I and the kid’s dad do not agree with the amount of screen time the kids get. So I think an hour of EDUCATIONAL stuff. Because I want them to play and do board games. Read books. Stuff like that. I do allow more on Wednesday’s when the oldest gets out of school early. They get a hour each PLUS a movie they both agree on. I do make exceptions if I’m sick (which happens a lot since I have reoccurring migraines) Or they are sick. Or if they are having s rough day. Their dad thinks that they should be able to watch as much TV as possible. When they do that. They are glued to the TV and will not play. We were talking last night. And he said that I should let them watch TV today after school. I said I was gonna have them clean their room (which is way over due- it looks like a tornado went through) then take them to a park. I also stay at home with them all day if that matters. He’s with them on weekends and a couple hours before bedtime on week days. Because he works. What’s everyone’s opinion on screen time?
Please no bashing others opinions
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My daughter will be 2 soon and she watches her tv for a few hours at night and then plays with all her toys while I put my grown up tv on. She likes Friends and Vampire Diaries though lol. Her favorite is Coco, and I’ll put that on so I can get stuff done around the house because she literally will not move when I put that movie on lol. I think as long as they still play that’s all that matters.
This younger generation is going to be much more technologically advanced than we were, because of what is available. Just like we were more technologically advanced than our parents were. I believe that if we keep raising our children exactly the way we were raised, and our parents, and their parents, there would be no advancement in society at all. I do make my children read and play, but if they get done what they are supposed to, and they want to watch tv I let them.
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Clean rooms, set time if done quickly and to your satisfaction. Tv for maybe hour. Then park
Or family movie after dinner
An hour of educational stuff seems a little harsh. Their kids, let them watch a couple hours. You can still do the educational stuff, but let them branch out a little and enjoy other programs out there.
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My boy is allowed screen time after he gets out of school. They’re in school for so many hours and I feel deserve a little down time after school. My boy loves learning but he’s a kid and his whole life shouldn’t revolve around education. So he watches his shows and plays his games.
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My children had chores. If they were done daily, then they could watch tv or play Nintendo for an hour or two, but they had to take turns.
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Why don’t they do educational stuff or cleaning during the day while you all are home?
I couldnt agree with you more, they will sit in front of a tv all day if you let them.
You are doing a wonderful job and in the long run they will appreciate you keep up the good work.
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As long as chores & homework are done, I let them do their thing for the most part. I like to use it as a punishment more than anything. No tech for getting conduct marks, below average grades (my kids are pretty bright, so bad grades= laziness, not so much struggling), forgetting homework, poor behavior at home, fighting with each other, etc. So maybe it balances out a bit?
Mine are active anyway for the most part. We’re running around doing baseball, dance, music lessons, etc. They get tired of sitting around and actually choose to run wild in our backyard or out front. I send them outside if they start bouncing off the walls while on their tech too.
Mine are 11, 8 and 6 just to clarify
When they were younger tho, I guess I didn’t set rules. Nick Jr, PBS, Disney Jr. we actually kinda kept them on all the time.
But we read books, played Barbie’s, legos, board games and played outside plenty. Idk.
I feel like the difference is YouTube and tablets… while my kids are still kind of young… those things weren’t such a big deal for us back then, or maybe we were just too broke to have a ton of devices?
As long as my kids’ rooms are clean and the house is clean they can have screen time. But we are a very busy sports family so we are very rarely home as it is.
They do A LOT of stuff. Maybe your kids are glued because you make it seem like some magical special thing since it’s so limited?
If you are with them and they are playing and going to parks a majority of the WEEK then letting them have more time sounds fine to me
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We have a 6 year old who gets half hour a week (we only have him half the time) on a tablet and 2 episodes of a show on Netflix at night before bed.
He’s gotten to the point where he doesn’t even ask for a tablet anymore because he would rather build legos or play outside than get into a video or a game on his tablet just to have to shut it off for the week.
Every family is different and I believe you and your spouse get to make that decision based on what works best for you guys.
I also have a 1 year old who gets to watch tv throughout the day, but he doesn’t really watch it. It’s more on for background noise as he plays or follows me around the house while I’m doing stuff
It will be a combo of reward and family time for us bc dad’s a gamer and there is a few games that you have to read to play also help hand eye cordination TV shows and games are after dark or rainy day activities though so they still get outside and play
My parents would allow one favourite programn of our choice per week. Books, games and playing outside were always the preferred option. And homework must have always been done and completed prior to anything being watched at all.
My husband lovvessss movies and thus when he’s bonding with the kids, he watching movies with them. There are days my daughter and him would spend half the day watching their favorite movies. Is it possible that this is also how he bonds with his kids ? I mean it drives me crazy BC I , like you, want to limit screen time. So on his days off I make exceptions and then when he’s at work I limit screen time to hardly a thing to even it out lol.
I use the tv as background noise and for rest time. I have the tv on most of the time but I’m also coloring reading and playing with toys with my daughter. Then during rest time we watch a movie.
I dont allow my children to watch all that they want…but I wasn’t allowed to watch tv as a kid…and felt left out of a lot of conversations and events, that the other kids were all talking about. Everything in moderation. Mix some brainless tv, educational, and play, so they are well rounded.
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My kids play games on non school nights only, other times if they are especially good/special occasion. I hr of screen time before bed usually a movie or something to get them to sit and chill a bit before bedtime. Been like that since they were little. They are high school/ middle school now.
If theyre with you all day during the day, why are you trying to shove all this in after their dad gets home? Lighten up
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Dad is too tired or lazy to play with the kids, so parks them (and himself?) in front of a TV? Or am I reading this wrong?
See if you two can reach a compromise on screen time. Tablet games, calling Grandma or other relatives and friends, videos/shows that get the family moving or singing are all good use of screen time. Build it into the kids’ down time.
My daughter gets 1 hour of screen time during the week and 2 hours on the weekend. Sometimes more or less depending if I’m sick. Otherwise she plays, we go to the park, the zoo…etc she will be 3 on the 23rd. There is no reason to glue them to the TV unless absolutely needed. We work closely with our wic program to ensure she stays on track. Each month they text me to see if her screen time is still low or if they need to help me with ideas on what to do. Each visit they give her little toys to play with to help her stay active. We got a shovel, and kids dust pan and broom, and her center gave her a little golf set. They only recommend an hour a day. We try to stick to that most days! I don’t personally watch a lot of tv, so I don’t want her glued to it either. Good luck!