THIS is why going tv free blows up in my face

[Psyche]

My kids will not stop picking on each other and screaming of inane things. Jon will try to tick Caden off by playing with the trains Caden is actively playing with. Then he'll try to wrestle with him and Caden starts his shrill screaming rather than asking for help. Then the questions start about things they truly don't care about complete with screaming in my ear.

Then Caden does his annoying train whistle impersonation or the fire siren sound. And Jon is trying to get in the fridge where he doesn't belong.

Then they antagonize each other some more.

:ph

[StrangeTraveller]

:hugheart How long have you been TV free this bout? It usually takes awhile for my kids to unwind and learn to play again when I cut back or take it away.

We also don't go completely free. Mine get a little bit in the mornings to wake up and get it out of their systems. You do what works :shrug

[RedHeadMom]

Aargh! :D I was just reading an article today about how hard it is to follow the AAP's TV guidelines. A few moments of peace versus brain jellifying electronic stimulation- not such an easy choice in the moment. Are you not letting them watch at all or just limiting, just out of curiosity?

[Codi]

I was going to ask how long its been too. Its hard at first. :hug

[swimming with sharks]

The longer you do it, the easier it is. Really if they're fighting over stuff, you can put them to work. It helps keep you busy as well.... :ducking :hug

[Lady TS]

When I've done the TV-free thing around here, it was like a detox: it would get worse before it got better, but after a few days they re-learn how to play.

Speaking of which...I think I need to do a "screen-time-free" week.... but dh said that ds' planets would die if I did that. :rolleyes



It IS hard going off cold-turkey. :hug

[Firebird Rising]

separate, separate, separate.

Sometimes that's all I do all day. :hugheart

[Psyche]

I need to be consistent with a schedule :sigh

I want to separate them but they act like its torture to be in their room. Completely nuts.

They're coloring right now. Jon keeps screaming he wants to give his picture to papa over and over and over and over and over. Seriously.

[swimming with sharks]

make a mailbox for daddy....take a cardboard box and decorate it to the teeth, then EVERYTHING for daddy can go in that box and daddy can sort through it when he comes home each night *insert evil laugh here* It worked here for quite a while. :tu

[Codi]

We aren't COMPLETELY TV free...but I would say they watch on average 4ish hours a week total? Usually that includes a family movie night.

When I get lax on limiting tv (they watch it at grandma's, Im feeling really tired and turn it on, etc) I notice a HUGE difference almost immediately in their behavior. And they ask for MORE MORE MORE. :doh It usually takes us a good 2 days of our normal routine for them to quit asking and get back to their normal routine again.

Hang in there. :hug It's worth it!

[PrincessAnika]

send them outside to run in the yard? if its raining, put boots and raincoats on, if its cold, bundle up....

[Autumn]

We fight the same battle here. Totally stinks. :hug

[Aerynne]

They're just detoxing. :hug2 Keep on going- you're on the right track.

Quiet play time for 90 minutes every afternoon makes my kids behave so much better. They don't like it, but they don't complain a whole lot because it's every afternoon after lunch, so they expect it.

[ThreeKids]

TV has these insanely stimulating commercials. I wonder if they're addicted to that and are creating the jamming a fork in your eye level of stimulation themselves.

I can see how it can feel worse than having the TV on in the background, but, if I'm remembering October TV correctly, is it worse than having OCTOBER TV on in the background?

[Close2MyHeart]

You can't take away something that has been so much a part of their lives w/out replacing it w/ something or else you are going to get a lot of bickering. They don't know what to do w/ their free time, yk?

I find that TV-free days usually require A LOT more "mommy-time" and activities on my part. Getting outside helps immensely. In fact, we tend to watch more TV in the winter months than summer.

[Cookie Momster]

I found it really hard at first to limit TV. It was very much a babysitter for me. I find lots of outside time really helpful especially for my boys. So most days my 5 and 3yo boys spend the mornings in the back yard, after lunch play inside with their toys and then they go back oustide for a bit before dinner. After dinner they either go back outside again or I let them watch some TV. Days when they have less outside time are the days that I want to put the TV on more so I try to be diligent especially about morning oustide time. Also, we only let them watch DVDs or movies. They do not watch regular TV so they see no commercials.

[Psyche]

When the weather cooperates we spend hours outside. Rainy and cold here and they do not have suitable clothes for this weather. I am going to have to invest in rain jackets and boots for days like today though