Baby TV

mrsmags16

I am feeling terribly guilty about leaving the baby (5mo) watch Baby TV. He sits in his bouncy chair and laughs and kicks the legs watching it. it is the most repetitive rubbish of songs and colours etc but he loves it and recognises the songs. Meanwhile... I get stuff done!
He watches it for maybe an hour each morning before we go out for our walk or to meet people and another hour in afternoon between naps.
To be honest I am feeling bad about not entertaining him enough (and was relieved to read this about eyesight as I am short sighted myself) but he just isn't old enough to sit up and play with toys himself etc. We have a playpen ready for when that comes, but for now the TV is my saviour.
If we have no TV I have to hold him up while singing to him and playing with him etc as he refuses to sit (unless in bouncy chair) and my arms are worn out after ten minutes.
I have no idea what all the TV is doing to his brain but am hoping at least he can count to ten after watching that stupid numbers song day in day out for the best part of two months now.
What does everyone else do at this age without a TV?

Anne_cordelia

mrsmags16 wrote: »

I am feeling terribly guilty about leaving the baby (5mo) watch Baby TV. He sits in his bouncy chair and laughs and kicks the legs watching it. it is the most repetitive rubbish of songs and colours etc but he loves it and recognises the songs. Meanwhile... I get stuff done!
He watches it for maybe an hour each morning before we go out for our walk or to meet people and another hour in afternoon between naps.
To be honest I am feeling bad about not entertaining him enough (and was relieved to read this about eyesight as I am short sighted myself) but he just isn't old enough to sit up and play with toys himself etc. We have a playpen ready for when that comes, but for now the TV is my saviour.
If we have no TV I have to hold him up while singing to him and playing with him etc as he refuses to sit (unless in bouncy chair) and my arms are worn out after ten minutes.
I have no idea what all the TV is doing to his brain but am hoping at least he can count to ten after watching that stupid numbers song day in day out for the best part of two months now.
What does everyone else do at this age without a TV?

Have to say that I think 2 hours a Day of tv is excessive for a 5 month old. Floor time, sling and music is how I entertained my pair at that age. Floor time is really important so playmat and toys scattered around is mostly what I did. Jumperoo aswell.

mrsmags16

Yeah, I get a lot of whinging with floor time and he can't play with much as he can't sit up i.e. I try to get him to grab and play with stuff lying down but he flings them aside. He plays with stuff more when out on walks in the pram. Used to love the sling but he is 8.5kg so it's not a goer round the house bending down etc. I have tried both soft and the sturdy one which are fine for walking upright outdoors but my back is in bits using it around the house.
We got a jumperoo that attaches to a door lintel, but none of ours are suitable as they are sloped.

shesty

Honestly, I put the baby on a mat and let it play!!!
Where are you getting this idea that he has to be 'entertained'?Babies don't need entertaining.In fact the more practice they have at amusing themselves, the better they get at it.
Now you have to accept that you aren't going to get an hour here and there to get stuff done, you might get 20 mins here and there, but you have to work around that.He's five months, he should be on the floor learning to roll around, pick things up,banging things together etc.He is more than old enough to be left to lie with toys.

If you haven't already got one, go get a playmat, and let him lie on it with a couple of toys within reach.And don't go running everytime he squeaks or squeals.Just let him at it.Watching tv at five months is not a great idea.The better thing to do is teach him to entertain himself without 'being entertained' ie the tv.He's not going to sit in a playpen and play when older, as you suggest, if he's had a tv all along....he's just going to want the TV to be turned on for him. And you cannot entertain him all day long, that's not practical.So let him down to move around and explore.It's what he needs to do.

mrsmags16

shesty wrote: »

Where are you getting this idea that he has to be 'entertained'?Babies don't need entertaining.In fact the more practice they have at amusing themselves, the better they get at it.

Well I've never done this before, he is my first, hence why asking for advice. Thanks for that, will persist with the floor play.

fits

Do you have a baby gym type thing. Mine found that pretty amusing at that age. We put the to away. There are days I could wish for it alright but it's too easy.

shesty

Sorry, I came across a bit harsh, but what I meant was it's ok to let him do his own thing for a time every day.

mrsmags16

fits wrote: »

Do you have a baby gym type thing. Mine found that pretty amusing at that age. We put the to away. There are days I could wish for it alright but it's too easy.

He has the overhead attachment with hanging toys etc on his bouncy chair alright but not an actual baby gym. We are stuck for space so try to minimise the equipment! We have a Lamaze floor mat with loads of stuff attached but i need to hold him sitting to interact with it all.
Saying that he is partial to a spot of ceiling gazing lying on the floor...I just thought the poor child was deprived leaving him do that!

tevey08

The nursery rhyme videos on youtube I find educational for my son. He has actually learned a few words and movements from it. He get's to watch it for about an hour in the evening when he gets home from creche and it's his relaxing time. Once you're making an effort throughout the day to entertain and play with your child, I wouldn't worry to much about it. Of course there's going to be negativity around it, but at the same time you need to get stuff done around the house with regards to cleaning and feeding both of you. Don't feel guilty and enjoy every minute of them being so small because they grow up fast
.

fits

Nope not at all. It's actually good for them to amuse themselves. They will pick up on things in the mat etc in their own time.

mrsmags16

Ok well TV is off and already he is trying to roll over on the mat and gazing at me beseechingly as the other arm is trapped under him...it's all very pathetic...but one small step etc!

Bunnyslippers

My 11 month old watches TV for about 15 mins in the morning while I sort dogs/chooks/fire etc out, then again in the evening while I sort out supper or do laundry etc. I don't think anymore would be very good for a youngster under 2yrs, they need stimulation, preferably from you or toys and their environment not TV, especially before bed as their brain is switched on too much so harder for them to wind down to bedtime.

I find sitting baby in the high chair while I'm cooking is great, I give him utensils and all sorts of objects to play with and explain what I'm doing as I'm doing it so he hears my voice and gets used to the whole repetitive nature of words etc. The washing machine is also highly entertaining!!!;) I had a bouncer as well and a play gym was brilliant as I just kept rotating different toys and things for him to grab. A sling was great too when smaller as I could do lots and get some work done while he snoozed on me if he wouldn't in the cot or he'd be riveted watching what I was doing! Leaving the radio on while on the mat is also good sometimes just so they stop and listen and get a bit of music!:)

scarepanda

We had a soft play mat that you hooked two over lapping bars into. Easy to fold away when your not using it. Also my LO didn't like the play mat too much when she was younger, but the more you leave them on it the more they get used to it, especially at your LOs age where they are starting to move about a bit. You could always set up the playpen and put him into it for times when you need to do something where you won't be able to keep as close an eye on him. At least you know he can't roll himself into trouble! He's also coming to the stage where you will be able to put him into his high chair when you are pottering about in the kitchen. My LO loves being in the highchair when I'm getting food ready. She usually gets bits if veg etc and loves nibbling away!

Personally I dont think its a great idea to actively entertain them all the time. I let my LO off to do her own thing and let her come to me when she wants interaction. Of course we actively play with her, but a lot of the time we encourage independent play. She was a very up in arms baby till 5/6 months and then started to get a lot more independent. Now at 14 months she's as happy as Larry playing with her toys when I have to put her into the playpen and only cribs when her daddy is about because she knows he's a big softie with her!

smaoifs

shesty wrote:

Honestly, I put the baby on a mat and let it play!!! Where are you getting this idea that he has to be 'entertained'?Babies don't need entertaining.In fact the more practice they have at amusing themselves, the better they get at it. Now you have to accept that you aren't going to get an hour here and there to get stuff done, you might get 20 mins here and there, but you have to work around that.He's five months, he should be on the floor learning to roll around, pick things up,banging things together etc.He is more than old enough to be left to lie with toys.

shesty wrote:

If you haven't already got one, go get a playmat, and let him lie on it with a couple of toys within reach.And don't go running everytime he squeaks or squeals.Just let him at it.Watching tv at five months is not a great idea.The better thing to do is teach him to entertain himself without 'being entertained' ie the tv.He's not going to sit in a playpen and play when older, as you suggest, if he's had a tv all along....he's just going to want the TV to be turned on for him. And you cannot entertain him all day long, that's not practical.So let him down to move around and explore.It's what he needs to do.

Totally agree, playmat is our saviour. She's 8 months now and will use the playmat as her base to roll off from. When lying on her back when she first used it, she couldn't reach the hanging toys but that's what encouraged her to roll and start stretching for things. She'll now travel all around the sitting room floor for things just out of her reach.
Don't feel bad, we're all just learning as we go along.

catrionanic

mrsmags16 wrote: »

He has the overhead attachment with hanging toys etc on his bouncy chair alright but not an actual baby gym. We are stuck for space so try to minimise the equipment! We have a Lamaze floor mat with loads of stuff attached but i need to hold him sitting to interact with it all.
Saying that he is partial to a spot of ceiling gazing lying on the floor...I just thought the poor child was deprived leaving him do that!

My wee boy is 8 months, and we are super short on space too. My boy at 5 months liked to bounce in his doorway bouncer, lie under his baby gym (we have the fisher price kick and play piano one... it comes apart and I store it under the sofa). He also used to really like sitting in the highchair (it’s supported) and playing with toys on the tray. And lying/sitting on a mat on the floor with a few wee toys to reach for.

Definitely lay off the tv. I try not to have it on at all. I’m not sure what you read about shortsightedness, but studies have found that at least two hours a day of outdoor activity for children, and limited screen time. Too much screen time is most definitely increasing the prevalence and rate of progression of shortsightedness.

shesty

mrsmags16 wrote: »

Ok well TV is off and already he is trying to roll over on the mat and gazing at me beseechingly as the other arm is trapped under him...it's all very pathetic...but one small step etc!

But that's ok, that's how he learns to roll!! He might need your help every now and then to get straightened out, because it gets frustrating for him and they do get tired quite quickly, but sit and watch him do it over and over each day and eventually figure out how to do it all by himself.That's how they develop quickest, giving the free space and time to move about on their own and learn how to work their bodies.It's actually amazing to watch if you just sit there and see them working it out.He'll keep getting stuck and then all of a sudden one day he'll flop over and be completely surprised (and then delighted!).It's lovely.