OT: Is watching same movie over and over normal for a toddler?

[disney_dreaming_mom]

Hi! I am a little worried. My 2 year old son likes to watch the same movie over and over again. He gets very upset when it ends and keeps wanting to watch the same movie. The particular movie seems to vary by day but for the past 2 days it has been Pocahontas. He is a very energetic toddler who doesn't stop moving all day long and he is very social but he just wants to keep watching his movies over and over and over even when I suggest we go outside and play or some other activity. What do you think?

 

[Kae]

When DS was 2 all he watched was the Movie Babe this went on for a good month. DD never really did that she always watched different movies.

Kae

 

[fluffycow333]

I don't have kids but I remember watching Milo and Otis over and over and over......Maybe you should try to talk him into trying something else.

 

[jmb120]

I feel your pain! My 2 year old is into the Wiggles from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to bed. He does other things, but wants the tv on the Wiggles even if he is not actively watching it.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Yup... Repetition is a good thing for toddlers. They like to see that the same thing happens every time and it is predictable. My SIL told the kids that the characters were tired when they were watching the same thing over and over again.

 

[AliceinHalloweentown]

When I was young I would watch The Nightmare Before Christmas over and over and over.

My parents thought (think?!) I was (am) a freak xD

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

It seems like he just gets fixated on one particular movie. I took Pocahontas out today and tried to put on The Jungle Book and Oh. my. goodness. He just got sooooo upset. I decided to turn the tv off and give him and bath and then take him outside for a little bit to play but as soon as we came back inside he started demanding to watch Pocahontas again and then threw a tantrum. I am seriously thinking of getting rid of the tv for like a month!

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

Yup... Repetition is a good thing for toddlers. They like to see that the same thing happens every time and it is predictable. My SIL told the kids that the characters were tired when they were watching the same thing over and over again.

lol!!! I think I am going to use that one

 

[bumbershoot]

Definitely common.

Though when going outside is what's next on the agenda, I do find that DS will say he doesn't want to go out, but when I force the issue (get us both ready, turn off TV, leave the house) he's totally happy. It's just the *thought* of leaving the movie/show behind that's bad.

 

[jmb120]

It seems like he just gets fixated on one particular movie. I took Pocahontas out today and tried to put on The Jungle Book and Oh. my. goodness. He just got sooooo upset. I decided to turn the tv off and give him and bath and then take him outside for a little bit to play but as soon as we came back inside he started demanding to watch Pocahontas again and then threw a tantrum. I am seriously thinking of getting rid of the tv for like a month!

We did a no tv weekend a couple of weeks ago. It was like the world ended for my 2 year old a 5 year old. We did lots of fun family stuff, but they kept asking what was wrong with the tv (we unplugged it).

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

I feel your pain! My 2 year old is into the Wiggles from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to bed. He does other things, but wants the tv on the Wiggles even if he is not actively watching it.

Oh yes! The Wiggles are why I asked my husband if we could get rid of cable. He was obsessed with them for a while too. I just would rather us read together or learn fun math games, colors, shapes and things. Maybe I am crazy or one of those helicopter parents people talk about but never-the-less it is so nice to know this seems to be "normal"!!!

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

We did a no tv weekend a couple of weeks ago. It was like the world ended for my 2 year old a 5 year old. We did lots of fun family stuff, but they kept asking what was wrong with the tv (we unplugged it).

That would be DS

 

[PixiePlanner]

DS received his first VeggieTales movie when he was 1. OMG! When he was about 2, we started buying new movies and BEGGING him to watch them so we could have a break. "Oh where is my hairbrush..."

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

Definitely common.

Though when going outside is what's next on the agenda, I do find that DS will say he doesn't want to go out, but when I force the issue (get us both ready, turn off TV, leave the house) he's totally happy. It's just the *thought* of leaving the movie/show behind that's bad.

I am thinking that part of this has to do with the fact that we are leaving for WDW in 2 days...because normally he loves to go outside and play but today he was like, "Mommy I want to go see Pocahontas!!" Go figure!

 

[JUJU814]

so much so that I know the lines to several kids movies by heart! LOL

 

[puffkin]

Perfectly normal. Toddlers love repetition. It is actually good for them.

DS3 went through the following phases:
Wiggles Concert movie (good 6 months...but now I actually kind of miss it)
Monsters Inc. 2 months
CARS 6 months
Bolt 1 month
Wall-E 1 month

Right now he is watching mostly Christmas stuff but last night he watched Wall-E. He is in daycare FT though with no TV and plays extremely well independently, so we let him watch TV and veg a little at night since he is so active/busy at school. We just get used to watching the same things over and over and over

 

[disney_dreaming_mom]

Thank you so much everyone. I am so relieved to know this is normal.

 

[Zeebs]

As long as the movie isn't Nightmare on Elm Street or similar, you have no worries,

We have just moved on from the Wiggies (wiggles) to Jungle book. Wiggles lasted a long long long time, the things a 2 year old will find enjoyable.

Kirsten

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Ahhh, the thread makes me smile. I remember those days so much, mostly with DD15. She had one movie (Winnie the Pooh) that she wastched till she wore it out (VHS back then). We lived in wayyyyyy Upstate NY at the time, not much shopping around and no internet. It was tragic till we found a replacement.

YES, it is so normal (as many have told you) and someday you will look back and laugh!!! DH and I can still sing the Pooh songs word for word.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Ahhh, the thread makes me smile. I remember those days so much, mostly with DD15. She had one movie (Winnie the Pooh) that she wastched till she wore it out (VHS back then). We lived in wayyyyyy Upstate NY at the time, not much shopping around and no internet. It was tragic till we found a replacement.

YES, it is so normal (as many have told you) and someday you will look back and laugh!!! DH and I can still sing the Pooh songs word for word.

Sounds like my DD17 and 101 Dalmations, or as she called it then PUPPIES!!! NOW!!!, we finally had to get a second copy because the rewind(even with a separate re-winder) took too long for her. I think we wore out both copies, so glad to have DVDs now, of course no one in my house is that obsessive anymore.