On Mondays, I usually have children’s television on for longer periods (I LOVE ABC 2). And you know what? I don’t feel at all guilty! It’s an intentional decision I’ve made and I feel comfortable with it. Understand, I don’t endorse watching television all day, every day, and my young children rarely sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. Instead, they sit in front of the television for a time and then potter and play, and after for sitting for a period, they go outside (so on, so forth). After lunch it’s rest time and the television is usually off for the day.
You see, on Mondays I’m at home. I like to potter. I like to anticipate and get ready for the rest of the week. I wash the sheets and clean the bathroom. I catch up on washing and scrub the sink. Monday is my ‘regroup myself’ day.
On every other day, my children watch little television. Every afternoon, after school, it’s ‘outside time’ (unless there’s a cyclone), the mornings are busy and I’m out and about a fair bit. Ahhhh, but Mondays, are TV days. Believe it or not, I like Mondays.
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Make an informed decision. Read this article from The Royal Australasian College of Physicians: Paediatrics & Child Health Division: Children and the media:Advocating for the future
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I used to leave the abc on for the kids at times as well..its amazing how they pick things up (like learning abc’s etc) in their background hearing..lol…they didn’t sit still to watch it all that often..but it was running in the back ground while they were busy making playdough things and playing other things. I didn’t mind letting it run in the back ground as at least it was educational!
Toddlers rarely sit still for long do they???
we have it on all the time. My kids are clever and well adjusted. They only watch childrens shows on ABC2 or educational dvds They come and go. Play come back I dont mind at all. We spend hours outside, do crafts etc. Sometimes they need a rest. They usually colourin while watching it anyway.
It’s interesting to hear about how other parents treat TV. Many blogs talk about minimisig TV and how many hours etc but I think this is a little misguided. It depends greatly on the situation, the children and the parents.
Good on you Kelly for writing about this. I must say I have an increadible amount of guilt about the TV, especially since the guidelines were published last year recommending no TV at all for under 2s. My kids watch 30-60 mins a day, but they are only 9 and 23 months.
I’m just not sure about the ‘guidelines’. What really do they base it on? Because I have four children, of course my younger children have watched television before two. I understand the worries the government (or whoever) have in relation to television but somtimes I think people need to be equiped with common sense rather than tackling a problem from the top (like a band-aid system).
Thanks for writing your thoughts Julie. x
I like to hear real stories about TV in families with children. I often use extra TV when we have had a very busy running-around week or if someone is sick. Plus I don’t really restrict how much we watch – my sons (mostly my 4 y.o., 18 mths is a bit young to care) just prefer to do more active things most of the time (lucky for me).
My children love to do active things too. It’s great isn’t it. I also like to hear about how parents use television. It can been seen as a ‘bad’ thing but, in balance, it can be a positive too as well. It’s all about balance.
I often feel guilty about the amount of TV that my 2 year old watches so thanks for this post. Monday is also my day at home to do housework etc as the rest of the week is fairly busy. My son will watch a bit and then go off and play so its not like he is just sitting there all day or anything. We have austar and usually he will watch that but now ive realised ABC 2 runs all day (only just found that out the other day as we couldnt get any signal for austar). Love your blog by the way!
Thanks Ella for your comment. It’s great to sit down and actually think about how we feel about television and what your own family ‘rules’ are. Each family will be a little different. I think guilt can arise when we don’t have a plan or haven’t thought about the situation. That’s often what it’s like for me.
Oh I completely understand! I used to let mine sit and watch one show every morning while he ate his breakfast. It started when I worked full time and I just let it continue when I cut back my work hours. It helps me get a start to my day. And do you know what? Now he’s a very well adjusted almost 13 yr old. I say all things in moderation….even the TV. Thanks for confessing the unmentionable! And thanks for stopping by to visit me today. Hope you have a great week!
Thanks Alicia. I’ll pop back soon to see what you are doing. It is a bit of a taboo subject isn’t it?
I recently attended a music workshop with a renown cellist, who suggested that one practice ‘tool’ was to let your child play in front of the tv! You keep the tv down low and the child practices for as long as he wants to watch tv. I’ve used this technique since – and while Wills (8) doesn’t totally like it, as it distracts him, I can see how it would work to ease the monotony of certain activities. See my related post on Coaching Your Child through Suzuki Violin. In recent years, I have tried to ensure I personally don’t get ‘addicted’ to tv. I have very often watched a show and have forced myself to get up before watching the end to either respond to a child or do something around the house. But … that’s just me. Now to see if I can prise myself away from the computer! Colin
I don’t watch much Television myself (and never have time during the day). Ahhh, but the computer. lol. Yes, self-discipline. I’ll pop over now Colin and read your post.
I prefer not to have the TV on for long periods of time because my toddler is one who does like to sit there and watch and watch and watch. Maybe that is because we don’t have it on a lot or maybe it is her personality, I don’t know, either way, less TV seems to be better for her. You have to do what is best for you and your child/ren and what sits well with your own beliefs – whatever the parenting question!
Good for you Christie! I love it that you know your daughter well enough to know what she needs. It’s just so important: to get to know your own child; how they tick.
I love this. There’s too much guilt attached to occasional tv watching – but I think if you blend it in with a whole lot of other stuff it should just be taken into the mix and accepted. Love that you’ve been able to lose the guilt.
It’s all about the balance isn’t it? I think we (mothers) carry guilt far too much. I think it’s counterproductive. If I make a mistake, I learn from it and move on.
Thanks for your comment. Love hearing from you!
I agree, we are not going to create out of control or stupid children from letting them watch ABC2! Young kids dont have the concentration span to sit for too long anyway. Good for you, whatever keeps you sane and a good mum I say.
It’s all about balance hey? And finding what works for your family.
I am not a fan of loads of TV for little kids…. but I am also not one to ‘ban’ anything all together. I think it depends so much on what is on the TV, your individual child(ren) and how you use it. We use TV as a tool for entertainment and information…. and occasionally I choose to let my kids watch a big chunk of TV like you do because it works for us.
I think being aware of the negatives of TV for children goes a long way towards making an informed and positive choice for your family
Well said Kate
Thank-you so much for stopping by my blog
I’m Australian too.
You sure have moved many times, haven’t you. I moved a year ago. And prior to that i had lived in my house for all of my sixteen years of life {Yes, i am only 16
} But my parents spilt, and we had to move away, and i left my dad behind, and it was just a big mess. Ah well, it’s all sorting itself out now, i as i said.
Thnak-you again, for your comment. I hope you continue to visit my blog, i know i will visit here again
Have a wonderful week.
K xx
I’ll be back hon. I’m sorry it’s been tough for you — you sound brave and insightful. Yeah, and moving is the pits!
My kids do the same thing, watch, potter, watch, potter. I generally have ABC on until 10am of a morning, long enough for me to get my morning emails/work done and to wake up a bit, before we switch it for music and outside time. Or, if I’m having a bad day, I leave it on in my bedroom and encourage a book reading type day.
Watch, potter, watch, potter. That is a perfect way to put it!
Sounds a lot like my Monday routine when I was home with little ones … pleasant memories … treasure it because this time will pass all too quickly!
Thanks for that perspective Janet. It’s easy to forget.
Mondays are definitely my “recover from the weekend day”!! I do about 3 loads of washing (1 dark, 1 light, 1 towels) because I have a holiday from the laundry over the weekend.
It’s funny, I was just thinking about the TV thing today. I was debating with myself about whether I was going to put on my twitter that my 3 year old was watching Aladdin while I took a quick 20 min power nap (I’m twittering about my goal to go to bed early and go to bed late as motivation). I decided to tweet it because that was the truth…just like you decided to tell the truth with your blog.
That’s great! It’s amazing when you are truthful that you find there are a lot of people out there like you and they sigh with relief knowing they are not the only ones! I’m off now to pop over to your blog.
I love this post, thank you – and you just inspired me to write this post too:
http://yourcheekymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-feel-so-much-better-now.html
Thanks for reassuring us its fine to make time for ourselves too! xx
Thanks for linking back to me Monique.
Thanks for a fantastic post, Kelly. I often wonder what the guidelines are based on as well. Monday mornings are my ‘regroup/cleaning mornings’, and I let the kids play in the lounge with ABC2 on. My kids are 3 & 4, and rarely do they actually sit in front of it staring, they are either colouring in quietly or playing cubbies or something else that makes a huge mess & noise!! I have friends who have made me feel bad about this routine, although I believe my children are well adjusted, and as you say, it gives you the time to do some things that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. I recently attended a Triple P Parenting Program, and they suggested that kids respond better to spending small amounts of time with them more regularly than spending large amounts of time with them less often. Sometimes the kids will come and help me with the cleaning and other times I will go in to see what they’re up to. I try and do this every 30 mins or so for a few minutes. It also gives me a break from the cleaning
Thanks again for a refreshing article!
Thanks for this lovely comment Leah. That’s interesting about the little bits of time. I’ve always thought that Quality Time is not the time you spend craming in before bedtime. Rather, it’s the little things, shopping, helping etc that make a big difference.
@Kelly Be A Fun Mum, Yes, I tend to agree. Plus, they’re learning little things along the way.
Thanks again for a fantastic post.
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