Patricia, mum to 2 ½ year old James, is concerned about how much TV is appropriate for her son.
“Before I had James I spent a lot of time researching and reading about how bad TV is for kids and so far I’ve been really strict with him and hardly let him watch it at all. I have friends who let their kids watch hours of TV and say I’m being completely over the top by not letting him watch it and recently I admit I’ve been tempted to turn it on.
I’m pregnant with my second child and am just exhausted! It would be such a relief to just stick James in front of the TV for an hour while I lie down on the couch or got dinner started or something, but I’m worried I will stunt his development by doing so. I’ve been reading a lot of studies which say any TV at all before 3 years old is bad for kids social and language development but my friends’ kids who watch TV all seem absolutely fine.
Am I being overprotective? How much TV do other parents let their toddlers watch? I would really love some honest answers from other mums who let their kids watch TV. Are they worried it will affect their children developmentally, or are they completely comfortable with the idea?”
Do your children watch TV? If so, how much? Whatever your thoughts are regarding your toddler’s media use, please let us know and help Patricia decide how much, if any TV is right for her son. By taking a few minutes to answer some questions, you can help other parents make a more informed decision as to how much TV is appropriate for their child. Thanks, Shona x







