Childrens tv time?

[Missy G]

Evening peeps,Im just trying to get some ideas on how much time you allow your children to watch tv per day.
Childrens tv just drives me nuts :irked:,we only have freeview, so are limited to stations,Im just wondering wether I should get Sky to add a bit of variation.
How do you guys work it so you dont go insane or am I not the only one?

 

[TracyS]

Hi Missy G,

I've got 2 kids, 5yr old boy and 8month old girl, obviously for the little 'un it's not really an issue although she does seem a tad obsessed with Zingzillas!! For Jack, our boy, he gets about 20mins in the morning after breakfast and before school and maybe an hour or so after school. Weekends varies, sometimes more sometimes less depending on if we're out anywhere.

We moved last year and had Sky in our previous house but just Freeview in this one and to be honest I haven't missed it at all for the kids channels (me missing the sport and Crime Network is another thing altogether though!). He watched about the same amount then as now.

He's never complained about missing anything, seems quite happy with Milkshake in the mornings and Cbeebies/Cbbc in the afternoons. We did get him more choice in DVDs last year and he does go to them quite often and I solved the insanity issue by getting him stuff I quite liked as well, Tom & Jerry, Scooby Do etc :o

I wouldn't get sky in just for the kids channels, but if you want it in yourself......

 

[brittone05]

We have the full hit with Sky and I can honestly say it isn't worth it hun for kids. You will know how obsessive kids get with programs - I have a 5 yr old boy who will ONLY watch Ben 10 and a nearly 8 year old girl who will only watch Spongebob. So we pay for every single kids channel and watch 2!!!!

The good thing thugh about the kids channels is that you get Disney Cinema which airs all the movies.

My kids get 15-30 minutes in the mornings only if they eat, dress and wash with no fighting! then they have half hour in the evening before tea and after tea, if they have done their rooms and homework, we watch a family film together Weekends I encourage them to do crafts with me or help in the garden etc but they do have a couple of hours Sunday mornings to watch TV - that is what Sunday's were for when I was a child

 

[Penners]

My kids watch too much!!! my son is 11 and my daughter 8, I try to place screen time limits but as its getting towards the cold weather - it gets more difficult and actually I prefer them to be downstairs with the rest of us rather than shut off in their own bedrooms, we have the internet downstairs in the living room as well, It gets more complicated as they get older ????

 

[kylieb]

My little boy is 8 yrs old. I find too much t.v puts him in such a bad mood and I don't know why. Trying to get him out of the door is a nightmare when the t.v is on. It's the same with his d.s. He has it on for about 30 mins before he goes to bed. A lot of it is a load of nonsense anyway!

 

[missymish]

It gets more complicated as they get older ????

Tell me about it! I have my 10 yr old 4 yr old and my b/f who acts like a child, they all argue about the TV, computer and PS3.

I have to try and placate everyone all the time, and what do I get antiques roadshow once a week and that new all about essex or whatever it is! So in total about 3 hours tv a week :irked:

The only thing I think sky is good for although we have virgin is recording and rewind.

I tend to record loads of films for my kids and then I can stop them from watching cartoon network and cbeebies and we all watch a film together.