TV Time?

[hlkeck]

How much do your kids (I'm thinking elementary age) watch TV? I'm fighting with my kids right now and have the rule that the TV stays off until homework and reading time are done after school, but I catch them upstairs sneaking into my room to watch TV instead of reading.

How much is too much TV time? I'd love to hear from working parents who still have to bring their work home with them sometimes on how to stay engaged with your children to ensure they get their homework done, have a little down time to themselves, and yet still get to all the afterschool activities (girl scouts, boy scouts, soccer, etc) AND get to bed in a timely manner. My kids are 6 and 8, and pretty much still need 10 1/2 - 11 hours of sleep at night.

I just feel like my kids watch too much TV but they assure me that their friends watch more.

 

[bartleby1]

Well, I am currently a SAHM so our schedules are probably different since you are a working mom, however, I really don't set a time limit on TV. I have 3 kids (11yr, 8yr, and 6 yr). It seems that we are so busy most days that the kids really don't have a lot of TV time anyway and I don't mind them watching a little to unwind after homework and the running around to activities are done.

It sounds from your post that your kids are busy with homework and activities also, so I'm not sure how they have that much time for TV? The biggest problem I would have with your situation is the kids sneaking into your bedroom to watch when they are not supposed to. THAT would be a HUGE issue for me because sneaking around and breaking rules would not be tolerated and would definitely get my kids banned from watching tv for a day or two (maybe even a week or more if it continued).

I don't know what time your kids get home or whether they go to day care after school. Can they start their homework at day care or with whoever watches them after school? Then you would only need to check it over and answer questions they might have? Maybe if you posted a few more details about your daily schedule someone here would have some more suggestions?

 

[hlkeck]

Oh, our schedule is different every single day.

I'm looking for an overall feel for time - minutes/hours a week just to see how close we are or are not.

 

[Vijoge]

My granddaughters are a bit older than your kids, but they actually watch very little tv. They still turn on cartoons in the morning while they're getting ready for school and they each have a couple of programs they like to watch during the week. Other than that they don't watch tv at all. So I'm guessing maybe 3-4 hours a week.

 

[Kies99]

Even though our kids (7 & 9) are active in activities throughout the week (dance, gymnastics and karate), lately we noticed they were spending more and more time using electronics (TV, iPod Touch[games/movies/apps], DS, etc...).

We instituted a new rule that they have to earn time on electronics. It's all based on their chore charts and reading charts. For every 30 min they read or for every $0.50 they make, they get a 15 minute certificate to use towards electronic time. They bank whatever they make "this" week to use "next" week. They can only use the certificates prior to bed-time, but after they've done homework, had dinner, etc...

This is teh first week we've been doing it and so far so good. They seem to have no issues with it and chores are getting done around the house without argument!

 

[mrudman]

My dd's are 8 and 10, and like yours still need a lot of sleep at night.

I try to get them into bed by 8, asleep by 8:30 (usually not till 9, lol), and they're up around 7:45 to get ready for school.

My one rule is that they are not allowed to turn on the TV in the morning... that cuts down on a lot of the fighting/griping when I'm trying to get them to get ready.

Then as far as schedules go and TV time goes.. this is usually how it works here...

Mondays they have piano lessons from 5:30-6:30, so they usually watch about 30-45 minutes while I make dinner.. eat.. go to piano.. come home and do what homework they didn't get done in the 30 free minutes at piano (each girl goes for 30 minutes).. then 30 minutes TV this night (they're addicted to House of Anubis, a 30-minute show that we DVR for them), then off to bed.

Tuesday is their free night, so they do homework, and I usually let them watch about 90 minutes TV this night (includes their 30-minute DVR'd show).

Wednesday, they have PSR from 6:30-8, so by the time they get home from school, maybe watch 30 minutes TV to unwind.. eat.. and do homework, that's all the time they have.. they go to bed almost immediately after getting home from PSR.

Thursday is gymnastics from 5:00-6:30 (for younger dd but older dd goes along).. so usually 30 minutes when they get home from school while I fix quick supper.. eat.. and out the door. Then homework afterward, and usually 30 minutes DVR'd show, then to bed.

Friday is girl scouts for older dd... so that's right after school (i'm the co-leader so take younger dd along too).. get home around 5:15, eat, and usually this turns into movie night, so couple hrs at least on this night...

Then over the weekend, depends on what season it is.. been watching way too much TV over the weekends last couple months since it's been bitter cold out.
But once it starts warming up, they usually only do a couple hrs per weekend.


So, adding it all up, probably about 6 hrs per week (not including saturdays and sunday, which can add up to few more hrs at least).

 

[Hardy]

I'm a SAHM but my kids who are 7 and 9 watch ZERO television monday-thursday. I think kids today do not know how to entertain themselves without ipods, tv, etc 24-7....instead they must read, play doing something creative (legos, house, puzzles, board games, whatever) or go outside. I do make exceptions now and then but that is pretty much the rule. They have plenty of activities, homework, and stuff other than electronics to keep them busy during the day. Then, on the weekend there is no official limit, but they are usually busy enough that they aren't watching tv all day, and I don't stress if they watch tv for 4 hours straight b/c that was it for the entire week. Honestly it is a non-issue and they don't argue about it, it's just the way it is in our house when school is in session. And btw, even though I stay at home, I am busy so it's not like I am sitting there entertaining them the whole time. They are expected to do their own thing

 

[HM]

I think it would be fair to let them have a little TV time (or other 'down' time) after school before starting homework. It's difficult to get them to concentrate on homework and reading when they've been 'thinking school' all day. How about a snack and 1/2 hour of TV before starting homework/reading?

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Our rule is no TV/video games Mon thru Thurs. They can use the computer for homework only. Friday, Sat, and Sun. we allow 1 to 2 hours a day.

I figure they are busy enough with school, homework and activities during the week. They get on the bus at 8:00 AM and get home at 4:00 pm. That only leaves a few hours to entertain themselves.

During the summer I do allow 1 hour per day, but only after chores and an educational activity has been done.


Oh, and I'm a work at home mom. Sometimes I would LOVE to just put the TV on to keep them occupied, but I resist!

 

[IdesOmarch]

Its a problem with my 4 year old, she has become addicted to "tarcoons" cartoons. Sponge Bob, Wonder Pets, Max and Ruby etc., we have to turn it off, but she does not like it. Its somewhat of a problem to get her to want to do anything else, but we're trying.

 

[smb6]

We only have 1 television and no cable- movies only. No television Monday-Thursday is my rule. Actually it is a no electronic rule: no video games and no computer (unless needed for homework). Friday's after school and Saturday & Sunday- I don't have any real limits- on the weekends if I notice they have been on the computer or watching a few movies for a long time- I will tell them to give it a break for a few hours. My three younges- elementary age usually spend a couple hours max on the computer/tv over the weekend as they prefer playing outside. My two middle schoolers spend quite a bit of weekend time on the computer, but like I said I don't really put limits on the weekend.....

 

[Mixie]

Newer tvs have a parental lockout code - if yours does, use it.

And personally I would impose a small punishment for 'sneaking off' to watch tv. Like loss of a favorite toy for the rest of the day.

 

[Liberty Belle]

They don't watch it too much, really.

My 17 year old will watch Netflix movies and tv shows, but some days he watches none and others spends quite a bit of the day watching.

My 8 year old likes a couple of the PBS shows and I usually let him watch tv or play, etc after school before homework, but that was a trial and error thing. If he didn't start homework right away and without complaint, it ended and had to be earned back.

 

[Hannathy]

Our TV is on constantly. There are no regulations in our house both my kids watch it all the time. and both are very good students. However 90% of the time the TV is on to the militarily channel, or the history channel, or discovery, or Nat Geo. My son is a history nut so he watches the military or history channel almost all the time. My DH is a news nut so the other TV is almost always on Fox or the science channels. My kids always do their homework with the TV on in the background. My DD especially can't work when it is quiet.

 

[mtemm]

honestly they don't have a lot of time to even if they wanted to. my kids are 9 and almost 7. they get out of school at 3, home by around 3:15. snack, homework, play, dinner, reading. by then its usually around 7pm. we have been sitting down as a family at around 7 and watch bobby flay's throwdown. they are obsessed with that show! lol. and my eldest loves jeapardy, so we will often switch over to that after throwdown. bedtime is 8pm. so I guess they watch an hour a day at the most?

my eldest often does get up a bit early so he can watch a bit of sports center with dh. dh puts it on from 6:30 to 7, I'll usually watch the first 5 minutes of the today show (gotta make sure the world isn't ending! lol), then the tv goes off and we put music on.

I'm okay with what they watch right now. once spring/summer hits it will go down because of baseball season and just being outside more with the warmth/daylight.

 

[LuvOrlando]

A couple of hours a night during the boring winter months but once green grass and sports come around much less. What else is there to do when you can't go outside? As long as the kids are pulling A's I have no worries. As an aside, our TV's are set to my parental control standards

 

[brockash]

We don't really set a "limit" on tv time at our house. We have sports going on at least 3 nights a week, almost year round, so on those nights he comes home, grabs a quick snack, we do homework and he gets ready for whatever he's going to. When we get home, it's a quick dinner, shower and if there's time maybe like 15 mins. of tv, before it's bed time. On nights that we don't have stuff going on; I let him come home and get a snack and watch tv for about a half hour. Then we do homework/study and if it's nice outside, he'll go out and play; if it's not nice than he watches tv and plays until dinner.

As long as watching tv isn't the only thing my kid does (besides goes to school,) than I don't see a need to set a limit on how much they can watch. -As long as all their responsibilities are being taken care of (homework/chores.)

 

[KadysMom]

I have no restrictions on TV time. DD9 has a tv with cable and dvr in her room. She likes the tv on all the time for noise. I am the same way though. I need some noise around me. It helps me concentrate. DD9 is very creative though. I will go in her room, the tv is on and she is making oragami, or doing crafts. Cant really play outside here because its freezing and this is her first week since her swim team ended. that had practice 5 nights a week and a meet every other saturday.

 

[princessnoelly]

I'm a working Mom- they call it part time but I average 40 hours a week.

We have a no TV during the week rule BUT DD7 loves Biggest Loser so IF she has done her homework and reading she is allowed to watch 1 hour on Tuesday night and the other hour (DVR) on Wednesday with DH.

Then they can watch a little over the weekend. It really depends on the activities and weather how much or little they can watch. Both girls are in ballet, basket ball or Soccer. Plus, we just started science club at school two afternoons a week. Our schedule varies greatly each day.

I did catch our DD's sneaking TV and wow- NO TV, NO Wii, NO computer for 2 weeks put an end to that. They also told my mom they could watch it at her house and they lost 1 week for lying.

We had the talk about being entitled after the deal with my mom. Apparently, MIL lets them watch it as long as they don't tell mom (whole other problem with THAT woman !). I got so mad I threatened to take the TV out of the house for 1 month after the deal with my mom. The look was priceless!

 

[indimom]

But, my kids have always been required to finish homework and reading first thing when they get home. When they were in gradeschool they did it at the kitchen table so I could monitor it and help as needed. Now that they are in 5th and 7th grade, they do their homework in their rooms. They are usually done by 5:30 p.m.
Between 5:30 and 8p.m., we all have various sports, workouts, girl scouts, choir practice, chores or other activities going on. But when they are not involved in one of those, they are welcome to use the television, playstation, computers or whatever else they would like to do.
DS occasionally gets up early (6 a.m.) and squeezes in another half hour or 45 minutes of play station in the morning. But, he knows the cutoff if 6:45 a.m. so he can finish his chores, get dressed, eat and brush teeth before the bus comes.
All electronics have to be OFF by either 9p.m. (DS) or 10 p.m. (DD) during the week. No limits on the weekend.