Tips on cutting/ reducing screen time

Keep in mind my toddler is 3 so yours might not be ready for this level of conversation. But after my youngest was born my toddler got obsessed and we've had to walk it back. It's a work in progress but it's much better now. For my own sanity, I try not to focus on reducing screen time but on increasing other things. Mine likes to be a little helper so I increased his responsibility around the house. I also increased our outdoor time goals and got serious about taking him to more things. I also got a Yoto box and that's helped loads for those times when I need him entertained. I don't really watch much TV but on days when I know the TV is gonna be on a lot (like if we're sick) I tell him the TV belongs to everyone and everyone gets to pick something and then I put on a documentary or something so he's watching TV but he's also maybe learning

Mine is about the same age, and we had a tough time in December when the whole family went through a string of viruses and we were just surviving. Tv helped, and my 1.5 year old probably watched at least 3 hours per day that month. I've resolved to keep her under 1 hour per day unless we're sick or otherwise in survival mode. Here are a few tips: - independent play is great!! Let your little one enjoy their toys by themselves if they're content and safe to do so. - I don't watch any of my shows while the toddler is around. Those only go on when she's asleep - try to control the quality of the content. Choose slower toddler shows, like Ms Rachel or Sesame Street rather than Cocomelon - when it's not TV time, the TV is off. Choose music or podcasts for background noise - I feel like 1.5 years is much too young to stop napping, but I might be wrong about that. Maybe something to ask your healthcare provider. But even preschoolers who don't nap usually do quiet time with books and independent play.

We don’t have the TV on while our toddler (17 months) is awake. If we want to watch anything, it’s during nap time or after she goes to bed. We have had the occasional movie day when she’s sick or to watch a Christmas movie as a family, but otherwise the TV does not exist to her. If it’s become such a big issue for your son at such an early age, I’d cut it out cold turkey and reintroduce it when he’s much older! Screen time is soooo hard on developing toddler brains - especially in excess!

If you have subscriptions rather than regular tv, or maybe just good tech connectivity, can you watch your shows on a laptop on the kitchen counter out of his view while you cook and wash dishes? Ultimately, you just turn the tv off and keep it off during the day. If your kid wants to play independently that's fine, but also try to fill that time with reading books to him. Developing a love of stories from books will turn into a love of reading when he gets older. If he gets that need filled from tv, you'll have a much harder time getting him to learn to read. Plus, it's sweet to have that time with them before they get too tall to comfortably read on your lap. 🥹

I'd cut it out completely. I have a 3 year old and 18 month old, luckily neither of mine are obsessed with it but its always on during the day for background noise and if they've had enough of playing/want a cuddle they will watch it for 20 mins or so at a time but they are not bothered by it. On the other hand, my 3 year old over Xmas became obsessed with her tablet playing games and would sit on it all day and wouldn't even talk to me. So I've hid it and told her it's at nanny's house so she can't play on it (also her behaviour got bad so it's helped!) she hasn't had it in about 10 days but when she does get it back, I will be setting 1 hour alarms on it so she only has it for 1 hour and not after dinner/before bed. Maybe if you need to get housework done just set a timer for you to do what you need to do (or just put it on whilst you are doing your chores) and let your little one watch tv and turn it off once you finish so you control how much screen time he is getting x

I want to say my twins (16 months) aren’t obsessed, but I leave the tv on for them when they’re awake. They don’t always necessarily pay attention to it it’s just on. Also I had to make a play area for them out in the living room because they prefer to play where I’m at not in their room where all the toys are at lol I agree with someone who commented here. Control what you have on show that are not over stimulating which cause that addiction per say. I don’t get a chance to watch my shows until they nap or bedtime.

Only have the TV on as part of the schedule! I'm having to reset our schedule a bit after some serious family drama/sickness/my miscarriage/the holidays. I only have the TV on for about 20 min while I watch the news in the a.m., then I'll put something on for about half an hour in the afternoon so I can prep dinner. If it's on, he's aware of it in some way. The rest of the day we have it off, but I'll put on music, and he loves that.

Thank you all for your responses I’ll try and give them a go and hope it helps xx

I watch my shows while he’s at school, 30 weeks preggo so when he’s home we usually watch something he wants to watch. We also play outside a lot and go for walks or the park. With this baby I am planning on limiting screen time but I’m sure he will be into whatever brother likes.

I got my daughter a tonoes box it comes woth figurines and a box kn which it tells stories to the kid so let's say 30 mins plus so sometimes I keep it high enough for my daughter not to touch, put no TV on and let her hear her and my favorite characters talk and have stories they got from paw patrol to Angelina ballerina, Disney and classics they do have these black tonies in which u can put content on these figurines and they are also bilingual and in the beginning she didn't like it and now she wants to play, change characters and she takes it with her in cars and other people house as of well. So it may take time but she loves it tonies creative adventures for boys and girls ages 3 and up but i started using it when she was a year and 2 months and now she can't be away from it. So yeah it may take time and effort but it's actually worth it https://www.amazon.com/stores/tonies/Homepage/page/DB0BE5D3-FE30-4012-95B1-D4808BE46575?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_ast_store_XRZ0BXXNPKVVA3KP6CFB

We set timers.. so they know to expect the tv to go off when the timer goes off. After a while we’ll turn it back on if they’re playing nicely or whatever the case may be. All throughout the day in increments. Just so they have independent and stimulate play that is not the tv.

I know this might not be realistic, especially if there are older siblings, but only use the TV when the baby is not around. We do that and he is just not interested in screens.. I’ve taken 10 hour flights and he doesn’t even care about other people’s screen. I’m sure it won’t be easy but hopefully he’ll lose interest in screens. Good luck!!

When the TV is on, our nearly 4 y/o just has to deal with it if it's not what he wants to watch. He can either watch it or go play. (Right now, Bluey is big for him.) We have set timers and have said "when the timer goes off, we are turning off the TV." I'm not a big TV watcher in general, so my husband and I watch our shows after our toddler has bedtime.