2 year old in charge of the Channel Changer

[SNylund]

Anyone else having this problem? My 2 and 1/2 year old has completely tried to take over the channel changer. Not a problem for me for I have my big screen in a seperate room, but for the others they are dealing with her and her demands to constantly watch tarcoons. (This is how she pronounces cartoons.)

She screams for hours if the TV is not continuously on either Max and Ruby, Spongebob, Wonderpets etc. And she screams when they go off and explanations that they are no longer on TV at that time, do no good at all. I say well I can personally call Nickalodean and demand that they re-air Max and Ruby for you but they probably won't listen to me, this does no good.

Anyone have any solutions to this? Thanks.

 

[golfgal]

Put her in her room until she calms down??? You can't reason with a 2 year old. Who are the others and why aren't you helping?

 

[KAMLEM]

Why are you letting a 2 1/2 year old rule your house?

 

[mthds]

I may be on the strict side but I would explain to her if she has tantrums whe her shows are finished then she will not watch them at all the next day. You need to set firm TV watching limits now. It is harder to break the too much TV habit of an older child. Let her pick one or two shows she wants to watch that day and that is it.

To make it fun let her give you "Tickets" to watch her show. When she is out of tickets she is out of TV time. At the start of each day give her the number of tickets you feel is appropriate for the number of shows. Keep it small. When behavior has been good she may get rewarded with an extra ticket. But don't use TV as a reward. Find other things to reward the good behavior.

Good Luck! I've been there. I still sing the Max and Ruby theme song in my head all the time. My husband thinks Max could use some serious time out with his behaviour.

 

[EthansMom]

Do you have a Tivo? I love Tivo for the kids for a few reasons... it has a "Kids Zone" with only shows approved by Mom and Dad. If one of the kids turns on the t.v., it automatically opens up in Kids Zone and keeps the kids from watching shows I don't think are age-appropriate. Also, it allows the kids to watch shows that are aired during the day while they are at school. And it allows the kids to watch their shows without DH and I having to miss ours (which might be recording while the kids are watching something from the Tivo).

I totally LOVE that our kids are watching shows that are more educational in nature (lots of PBS cartoons in this house) instead of some of the junk (I can't stand SpongeBob) on t.v.

It also sounds as if you may need to put a foot down about DD's behavior... long term screaming should result in a few minutes of quiet time instead of getting the remote back.

Good Luck!

 

[Scurvy]

I'm with the other posters so far - I think the best thing to do is to just say "No". Don't let her have the remote (ever) and send her to her room if she starts throwing a fit. Make her earn TV time rather than letting her expect it all the time. It might be a difficult adjustment at first (there will probably be lots of screaming), but this is the sort of thing that you have to stop as quickly as possible or it will just get worse.

 

[NMAmy]

Time outs and no television at all would be my solution. I'm just baffled that tantrums would be rewarded with cartoons.

 

[BuffettFan]

I think you have a bigger issue than your toddler controlling the remote.....
Why doea she get so upset over TV ??
At 2 1//2 mine weren't even watching TV, let alone demanding certain shows.
You need to get her interested in doing other things !!

 

[disney1990]

Sounds like your need to call Super Nanny. Your 2 year old needs timeout until the tantrum is over and no television.

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes. You need to take the remote away from her and take control of the situation. If that means putting her in timeout in her room and letting her scream herself exhausted once or twice, then that's what it means.

She's 2. She should not be controlling ANYTHING in your household.

 

[Magic Mom]

Discipline her. It works.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Anyone else having this problem? My 2 and 1/2 year old has completely tried to take over the channel changer. Not a problem for me for I have my big screen in a seperate room, but for the others they are dealing with her and her demands to constantly watch tarcoons. (This is how she pronounces cartoons.)

She screams for hours if the TV is not continuously on either Max and Ruby, Spongebob, Wonderpets etc. And she screams when they go off and explanations that they are no longer on TV at that time, do no good at all. I say well I can personally call Nickalodean and demand that they re-air Max and Ruby for you but they probably won't listen to me, this does no good.

Anyone have any solutions to this? Thanks.

I think I'd start by unpluging it when she wasn't looking.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

Why are you letting a 2 1/2 year old rule your house?

Amen... nip it in the bud. you are the parent.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Turn off ALL of the TVs and do something else. Go outside and play ball, take a walk, go for a bike ride. Stay in and have a tea party with her, read books. make some easy cookies, fill the sink with water and play together, get some age appropriate craft materials. Sing songs, color pictures, play with all of her toys--together.

This is about far more than TV. This is about discipline, control and a 2 year old that is bored and watching way to much television.

 

[Pollito916]

I have a 2.5 year old son and anytime he acts like that for any reason, including wanting to watch cartoons, I put him in time out until he calms down. I'm mean like that. If the issue is the TV, I will turn it off.

 

[LindyN]

Add me to the 'mean mom' camp.

Its time for a TV Detox for a week or two. Read books, play games, make cookies, color, go outside and play... just don't use the "babysitter in the box" for anyone for a while.

You're the parent, and should be in control. Put the kid in time out. When my kids were little and misbehaved we did time out while they sat on the bottom stair. After the bad behavior stopped and the child regained control of him or her self, the child could then rejoin the family. Screaming and being loud was just not accepted here.

I didn't think that sending my kids to their room would do much good because that's where a lot of the fun stuff was located: dolls, legos, toys. Sitting the child on the stair, with us close by (but not too close to interact) worked pretty well.

Also remember that for a tantrum to be a tantrum, it must have an audience. Ignoring tantrums can often work wonders for most children.

 

[MM27]

my niece is boss when it comes to TV too. It's not my place to say anything at their house, but if anyone else is watching TV she will say that she wants to watch a "kids show" and they (my brother and sil) will change the channel for her.

She was a little shocked when she stayed with me for a week and that didn't fly at my house. I will not let a 3 year old control what I watch.

 

[MaumeeMom]

PARTIAL
I didn't think that sending my kids to their room would do much good because that's where a lot of the fun stuff was located...

Yep, same here. My DS hates to hear "Go to the stairs," because he knows he has crossed the line.

I have to agree that it sounds like the OP's child watches way too much tv. One or two (educational) shows a day is pretty reasonable IMHO. Let the child help pick which ones she wants to watch & time it to be sure to turn the tv off right after the show. If needed, place a sign on the tv letting the child know that it is "Closed" so the child knows not to even ask for tv.

I understand that sometimes you just have to get something done and it is easy to plop the kid in front of the tv. I bet if we were all honest that most of us have done it. If you limit it to one or two shows a day, you still have time to get your shower, fold the laundry or whatever. I'm not judging because I do it. Occasionally, I will let DS sit on my bed with a few toys and books with Disney on tv while I get a quick shower. He is close so I can keep an eye/ear on him and he is entertained so there is a good chance that he will stay out of trouble for 7 minutes. Yes, I have timed it.

Take control of the remote now before it gets any worse.

 

[Pollito916]

Occasionally, I will let DS sit on my bed with a few toys and books with Disney on tv

Well, as long as it's Disney.....

 

[Boxley]

I havn't read all the posts here except for the OP's, so let me be blunt.

How about being a parent? Take the remote away, give the kid something to do and if she has a tantrum put her in time out. You are letting a 2 year old run the house and while that is laughable, what is going to happen years from now when she pulls that crap when you don't let her use the car.

Discipline the kid. Or reduce the television because if she is having an attachment to those shows then something else is going on.