Let's talk about screen time

[jewel441]

I know we have talked about this before but I don't remember when and now that the littles are getting older I am curious what people are doing. I know this must be different for people with older kids too...

How do you feel about/what do you do with:
1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)
2. Specific kids/baby shoes? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time?
3. Other screens, phones, etc?

Thanks!

[jewel441]

How do you feel about/what do you do with:
1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)

This one I really don't like. At home LO gets almost no background TV. A little more on Sunday, when we have football on, but even then I try and keep it at a minimum. We are home right now at my dads and I feel like I'm constantly asking him to lower/shut off TVs hat no one is watching.

2. Specific kids/baby shoes? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time? We recently started letting LO watch a little Sesame Street, so far it's the only show that remotely holds her attention. She has no interest in any cartoons. She never sits still, like for a second, so it's nice to sit down for like 10 minutes. She can't make it through a whole episode yet but she does like it, especially the songs.

3. Other screens, phones, etc? We do a lot of FaceTime since are far from family. She also love to see her face in the camera. We don't have any special apps or anything. She does love to eat the phone though.

[chatterbox]

1. I try to keep background tv to a minimum, but I usually watch a show in the late afternoon so I don't lose my mind waiting for DH to get home. When he's home, the tv is almost always off unless there is a game he wants to watch. I've noticed that my kids only pay attention to the tv when the commercials are on! Unless it's a show I've put on for them.

2. With DD we waited until 18 months to watch tv. DS has been watching since he was born. He LOVES Mickey Mouse. It's the only show that really hold his attention. However, he doesn't get to watch it much because his older sister is obsessed with Thomas the Train.

3. The only other screen time he gets is FaceTime with the grandparents every Sunday, which he gets really excited about!

[Deleted]

How do you feel about/what do you do with:
1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background) When I'm not working I turn on the tv in the morning for a little while. Sometimes we watch the news in the evening. That's about it.
2. Specific kids/baby shoes? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time? Nothing really holds his attention for longer than a few minutes at a time. We do PBS kids in the morning for a little while.
3. Other screens, phones, etc? No, not yet. He likes to play with our phones, but the screens are off when he does.

[halfahippy]

How do you feel about/what do you do with:
1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)
When DH is home he insists that the tv is on. I hate that it's all the time. I'm fine with occasionally. I'm trying to have the radio on or something instead sometimes.
2. Specific kids/baby shoes? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time?
DS watches more than I would like, but sometimes I just need a break from the constant fighting between him and his cousin, and tv is the only way I can find to stop it sometimes. So A gets some. She stops and pays attention to it for a few minutes at a time. But I don't specifically put it on for her, just for the toddlers.
3. Other screens, phones, etc? She facetimes with my grandparents a few times a week. I also flip through my phone pictures sometimes and she watches.

[peachesncream]

1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)
If the TV is on and the kids are awake then it is kids programming that is on. Occasionally on the weekends we will watch some sports but usually we are just watching The Little Mermaid seven times a day.
2. Specific kids/baby shoes? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time?
I need to get DD2 started on Baby Signing Time, we started with DD1 at 6 months and by 9 months she knew a few signs. I am not strict on time, especially if it's something educational.
3. Other screens, phones, etc?
Around age 1 we will probably introduce the iPad for car trips, waiting rooms, etc. Neither kid ever really uses our phones.

I am pretty breezy with the screen time. DH works weekends and I usually have LLR to do so the TV is my lifesaver.

[sunshineshades]

1 The TV is often on. If I'm just home with E it's always on. When DD1 is home it depends on what we are doing. Lately it's been on less because after school she wants to play more.

2 no shows for E. With dd1 we didn't watch kid shows until she was 2. Obviously that'll be different for E since she has a big sister who watches TV. But right now she has no interest in TV and I don't encourage it.

3 very little screen time otherwise. Dd1 rarely gets to use my tablet. Like every few months, usually long car rides only. I have been talking about her getting to use it more and downloading apps now that she's in kindergarten and they use them there. She's probably actually a little behind in being able to use electronics.
But she can get very focused on it and then tantrums happen, so we'll see how that goes.

DH and I are both not huge fans of tons of screen time. Yes the TV is on more than it should be, but I'm talking more her not playing on the tablet in the grocery store, out for dinner etc. Or sitting on a tablet all day long (which is why she really just doesn't get it, because then that's all she'd do).

[rachelilly23]

1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)
We don't do this. If it's on, someone is watching, otherwise I turn it off.
2. Specific kids/baby shows? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time?
K seems to like the Baby's first TV on Netflix. My 4 year old likes that stuff too. TV is mostly on for my autistic 4 year old. It keeps him calm and he learns a lot from what he watches. He likes Sesame Street, Bernard (Netflix), Storybots, Curious George, Mickey Mouse, and Octonauts. K will glance for only a minute at a time really, and then she has more important things to do.
3. Other screens, phones, etc?
K tries to steal my phone all the time, but I don't let her have it. She doesn't get any other screens other than TV and her new BeatBelle (if that even counts.)

[zombiesquad]

1. Background TV? (Like programming not for kids that is just on in the background)
TV is not on unless we're watching it and if kiddos are around, we're usually watching something kid-friendly. For background noise, we usually like to play music.

2. Specific kids/baby shows? Do you do any? Any favorites? How much time?
My 3 year old watches shows on Nick Jr. (Bubble Guppies, Shimmer and Shine, Paw Patrol) or Disney Jr. (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins) and it's usually reserved as a treat for doing something well. Although, I have also reserved screen time for when I need to focus on my 10 month old or other things, I'm starting to encourage her to play with all the other crap she has to keep her occupied. Fortunately, there is no TV at daycare so I don't feel too bad when she wants to watch something at home. We haven't really exposed our 10 month old to TV yet.

3. Other screens, phones, etc?
My 3 year old has her own tablet, but again, it's pretty much on lockdown and reserved for a treat, road trips or if I really need to get something done. She does not get to play with our phones. That stopped when she accidentally called 911 somehow. The 10 month old just wants to eat our phones so we pretty much keep those away from him.