Mom sparks heated debate over whether toddlers should be allowed to watch TV at home or whether screen time should be banned for children under two
- Aussie mom asked a simple question about screen time for kids
- Guidelines state that children under two should not be allowed to watch television
- But many parents used screens as a distraction for their children.
- Others were adamant that time spent watching TV did not affect them
An Australian mother has sparked a heated debate over whether babies and toddlers should be allowed to watch TV at home, with some parents saying they need it to soothe their tired children while others say it is a dangerous habit.
The discussion began after a mother named Melissa shared her thoughts in a parenting Facebook group on January 1, wondering whether she should allow her children to spend time in front of a screen.
“What does everyone think about babies and television? The WHO says there is no screen time for two hours. Is it even realistic? What are you doing at home? No judgment please, everyone is entitled to their opinion, ”she said.
The discussion began after a mother named Melissa shared her thoughts in a parenting Facebook group on January 1, wondering whether she should allow her children to spend time in front of a screen.
Hundreds of comments filtered under Melissa’s post with different opinions on the topic, some voicing harsher than others.
“My son is nine months old and our television is always on in the background. I find he barely notices it; he only watches the credits of shows that have music and a lot of movement, and then once the show starts it’s back to what he was doing, ”one woman replied.
“Our bubs are screenless and it works well for us. Kids never ask or need it, so we love our screenless life. They play independently and never get bored so it’s been great for us, ”said another.
“My 14 week old kid loves to watch TV, I noticed he already has favorite TV shows or movies. I’m going to put on a cartoon or something while I clean the house and it gives me time to do what I need to do and he’s entertained. Last night he was tough and we tried everything … bottle, burp, change, hugs, everything, put on his favorite movie and it calmed him down right away and he fell asleep within minutes, “said a third.
Hundreds of comments filtered under Melissa’s post with different opinions on the topic, some voicing harsher than others
Others were happy to use the television as a short-term distraction, but did not encourage heavy use.
“Our little one rarely watches TV, but if she’s a bit unstable and I’ve used all my tools, she loves watching Disney songs on YouTube and sensory clips from Hey Bear. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the occasional five or 10 minutes for a break. There is no crime in this, ”said one mother.
“We throw wiggles for my 11 month old when we can’t worry about parenting and when he is too tired and very difficult. Wiggles seems to be the only thing that catches his eye, ”said another.
A third added: “We have it on all day, it plays with the background noise. Even when it is off every now and then, it will still play the same way.”
In Australia, national guidelines state that there should be no screen time for children under the age of two, no more than an hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 and no more than two hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day for children and youth aged 5 to 17 (excluding homework).
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