I've always sworn that I would not raise children who watch TV all the time and eat their meals in front of the tube...and I still really dislike the idea of any sort of television "addiction". But, being a stay at home mom, I find myself watching TV a lot, with my son in the room. He's only 6 months old, so it's not like he's begging me to play with him and I'm ignoring his requests, but am I aiding him in developing a bad habit? He still seems interested in the world around him and he plays with toys and likes to be read to...but with the amount of TV I watch, I'm afraid it could become a pattern for him.

I've been known to let the tv babysit and I hate that idea myself. I'd recommend that maybe you set a schedule of when not to watch. Instead go to the park, read him a book, show him his toes. Plan certain times of the day where you teach and show your baby something new. Parentstages.com send emails that have great suggestions. Fisherprice.com actually allows you to sign up and enter your child/ren's ages and sends you toy and activity ideas based on their actual Month up to 2 years and then birthday and christmas suggestions. I really like the fisherprice.com link and would highly recommend it.

I don't think watching tv is the problem. I think programming is. My daughter was taught early that tv programming is not reality. We both enjoy it but she is fully aware that programming is just another way of telling a story and kids love stories. Even the evening news is just a collection of stories. Of course I supervise the stories I allow her to watch and explain her questions clearly to her. She knows that all stories have different angles and that to believe in something requires more than one angle. I should add though, that dinner time is dinner time, and the tv is OFF.

I have my kids in a routine. No TV in the morning before School and then 2 hours of TV between 4-6pm after School,but only on Children's channels to watch Dora the Explorer,Blues Clues,etc it has to have an educational value.This is also whilst I prepare the evening meal as a way of keeping them out of the Kitchen.So they don't get hurt.They have their meal at the Breakfast bar in the Kitchen as it is small and I get to watch the News from 6pm onwards.But I do withdraw this privilage if behaviour has been less than civilised.


Mark

My daughter is too busy for tv. now but we do watch tv when we get the chance. We don't have a routine structure for it. I do however have a strict rule of... if the tv is on...it better be getting watched. If you are eating then you are eating...etc. There is nothing I can't stand than for a tv to be on when nobody is watching it. Then it's just noise. There are a lot of things, even staged tv plots that Trinity has sparked questions from. It has brought a lot of things to the table to discuss in relation to what is going on in her own life. Questions that she might not of thought to ask if she didn't just see it on tv. I wish I had more time to watch it but I definitely don't see it as a harm. At all.

I don't think that it is harmful to let kids watch TV. I don't let my son watch too much TV, but he does watch and learns lots. He watches only shows geared toward children. A routine doesn't work in my home when it comes to TV. Sometimes we watch more and sometimes we watch less depending on what is going on. We have been known not to have the TV even come on in a day. It is purely a personal preference when it comes to things like this. If you personally feel that it isn't something that you want, don't let it happen. I encourage my son to draw, color, paint, play outside or even inside. Dinner time is for eating and catching up on the day in my house, not for TV. Just how I do things, but you have to make the decision that best fits your needs.

-Jennifer

I agree with the TV time not being a problem. I think choosing programs you feel appropriate is the key. At my house we have the tv on alot ( I grew up in a very noisy household and can't stand the silence). But we don't always watch it when we do it is almost always educational. We discuss the things we see on the TV and I use it as a learning tool. We watch a lot of the disney channel or PBS. By the way the disney channel has some great movies on as well- I sometimes find myself watching it when she's sleeping hehe.