If they are also going outside and having some kind of physical activity and not just all screen time i think it’s ok. Not so much how much they watch but what they’re watching i guess.

It depends on what other activities they do. As long as there is plenty of outdoor fun, with physical excersise and indoor brain stimulation activities 15mins here and there when you need to do something isn’t a bad thing.

i think 2 hours spreaded out in a day is ok

I absolutely limit the amount of television my kids watch….. I’m afraid it will ruin their imagination, don’t get me wrong they still watch movies etc, but not too much ususally an hour a day max

I only allow the tv on for 3 sessions of about 1/2 hour day. I think too much screen time is bad for them.

We are guilty of having the tv on most of the day, but my kids do not sit glued to it so I’m not too concerned. They might sit for a few minutes and watch if its one of their favourite shows or if they are having a snack, then they’ll get up and play or go outside etc. You could always have it on for a couple of hours, then put a CD or the radio on for a while. I try to do that on the days we are at home, and sometimes we look up songs on Spotify to listen to. I wouldn’t be too worried as long as they don’t sit staring at it for hours, and they do other things like play in their room or outside.

To be honest I wouldn’t get too hung up on it. My girls like to watch tv too (as do hubby and me). I make sure I screen what they are watching. Usually more educational shows like Dora, Blues clues, team umizoomi etc. I also try to balance it out with time outside or other activities. There are times I will turn it off with no discussion – at meal times, when we have visitors etc. I don’t leave it going all day so we choose which shows we really want to watch and go from there. I find that my girls don’t just watch tv most of the time. They will also be playing with dolls, constructing block towers, role playing at the same time. They move around a lot while the show is on. Now that my 2 have started kindy I am cutting back on tv. They are getting more independent and choosing other things to do anyway. As they get older I will be more strict on how long they watch for as they will also have homework and other committments.

Some great answers, i think what every you are comfortable with.

A controversial question to ask! It depends on quality of what they are watching.

Great lot of mixed answers here. I would agree though that it is not a bad thing if its not 24/7 they are watching it and as long as it is age appropriate.

Hi! So I found this great article on tv and kids on this site, ‘Turning children’s television time into learning time’. Might be easier to enter this title in the search field for the article.
Personally when they’re young (maybe under 5) telly time is not really a problem as long as the viewing is all appropriate an generally I turn it on whilst doing chores and once they’re done then the telly is switched off and it’s play time. My 12yr old on the other hand has more restrictions now then he had when he was younger. He just wants to watch everything, all the time! Lucky the telly hasn’t been moved into his room. It’s always important for kids to get time outside but in this day and age television is a vital part of growth and learning, it’s a form of communication and technology is just getting a bigger part of society. Stay connected!

To be honest, I never thought about how much was too much. As long as our child had other activities as well and a good dose of fresh air the whole TV issue wasn’t one for me. Growing up I think I spent a fair amount of time in front of the TV watching Humphrey, Andy Pandy, Mr Squiggle, Skippy and the like – didn’t do me any harm. Too many experts telling us what to do these days and making us feel guilty about our choices – your child, your call.

I think sitting in front of the TV for over 1 hr is too much on a daily level. Maybe break it up with some other activities.

I have a 2 yo and 4 yo. I try and limit screen time (TV, tablets etc) to an hour per day. I do this because I hope to encourage them to explore their environment, to do physical activity and have social interaction. I am not against TV. I believe it has some educational benefits, not to mention it’s a distraction when i need to get something done ;).

I dont mind if my 4 years watching tv 3-4 hours as long as not the hole day.

My TV is nearly always on at home. The little one doesn’t really ‘watch’ it though. I grew up watching a lot of TV and I survived.. So just let them watch as much as you are comfortable with.

Im really not into this ‘one size fits all’ kind of thing.
Every child is different and as long as your kids are not watching such things as ‘The chainsaw massacre’ and you see no negative effects from their tv viewing then i wouldnt worry.
If you tell them that you are going out for a walk do they want to come with you or would they prefer to sit in front of the tv? If they want to come with you then thats good.
If you suggest turning the tv off and baking a cake are they happy to turn the tv off?
If you ask them about what they are watching do they tell you stories of whats been going on in the show?

I think its fine and i dont think its how many hours but what they are watching that matters.
My 3 kids could watch tv whenever they wanted and for as long as they wanted and they have all turned out to be great citizens of this earth.

My kids watch only about 3 or 4 hours a day give and take but I really don’t mind as they are young and keeps them occupied it’s OK.

A Half hour here and there is okay, when some quiet time is needed , but it should be a treat. There are so many other things they could be doing .Outdoor play is great no matter what the weather is, a coat and boots are great for colder weather. Home made play dough is wonderful, costs little and kitchen bits and pieces can help be creative. Shaving cream is also loads of fun on an outdoor table , keeps them busy for ages , just add a bit of food colouring. Hope that helps cut down on t.v watching

Who really knows, they keep changing the rules the parental police. I say as long as its not all day, age appropriate, and they do lots of other things I would relax.