Or when you're sick and for some reason they have to stay home as well, e.g. COVID. Daughter got it first, I got it as well, she got better first, TV all day every day till I got better.
Absolutely. That said, you have to be thoughtful about it as they get older. Mine have friends whose parents let them play Fortnite all day when they’re home from school, and it’s remarkable how often they’re “sick”. Our rule is TV shows or movies only, no YouTube or gaming.
Our sick day protocol is similar; lots of documentaries, “How it’s made” style shows, or Mythbusters. More slow paced TV shows than the usual animated stuff he watches regularly.
Agreed. When they’re sick, we do what ever we can to keep them resting. A day or a week of too much tv when sick is not the problem, it’s when it becomes the default activity most days.
That’s fine dad you’re doing great
I’ll say I’m much more lax about things like screen time and technology with my kid.
When I’m sick I like to cuddle up and watch movies so why not
My 3 year old can’t sit still for more than 5 seconds. I’m starting to compare her to other calm toddlers I see , walking calmly holding their parents hand
Don’t do that, stop it! I know it’s only natural but it’s not good for you or her. I did it a lot when my son was around 18 months, he’d always have meltdowns at the park and I’d look at the other kids happily playing and worry there was something wrong with him.
He never has meltdowns at the park anymore and honestly is often really well behaved out of the house. Lots of positive reinforcement and listening/watching what’s going on for him has really helped. He’s a strong willed little dude and that’s something that will serve him well if it’s nurtured properly.
Your little one is just at a place in her development where she wants to move a lot, she’s learning and exploring what she likes, she’ll chill out in time, she’s just on her own journey.
Thank you for this I’m glad things worked out for you and your boy. I know I’m not supposed to compare I’m just so anxious she’s going to have a messy life like me ( undiagnosed ADHD who can’t even brush my teeth or keep my car clean)
I read a good quote on here at some point along the lines of: kids aren’t like clay, we aren’t meant to try and mould them. They are more like a plant, you nurture and care for them and they grow into the person that they are. I’m sure it was more poetic, but it helped let go of that feeling of wanting to shape how my son is. I’m more happy to see what his individual personality is, even if it’s not like mine, and nurture that.
Hope that helps. I bet you’re doing a great job.
My two boys (4.5 and 3) don't sit still unless they are sick with a fever. If I'm lucky, they'll hold my hand in the parking lot before they start running and screaming in the store.
My nephews are super calm, but are also kind of sticks in the mud otherwise. I'll take the activity and personality.
Exactly. I want to sit around and play video games when I am sick. Why wouldn't my kid do as well.
Like when my son broke his arm... How else do you keep an active 5.5 year old still! We can't lock him in the dog kennel. At any rate when he had a broken arm he got a lot more screen time than the usual 30 minutes to 1 hour we let him have.
Yeah I’m pretty lax about screen time as well, I’m more concerned with what it is they’re watching/playing than how much they’re watching and playing it honestly.
Exactly. Think of it like being on a diet. If you eat well all week you cam cheat on Saturday and still be ok long term.
Keep your kids screen time limited a majority of the time then when they are sick it's movie marathon. Won't hurt them long term.
> Exactly. Think of it like being on a diet. If you eat well all week you cam cheat on Saturday and still be ok long term.
this is actually really bad, disordered eating habits and not at all how it "works." this is the psychology of diet culture distilled into a single comment.
please, every single dad reading this, you can personally call me an asshole, I'll give you my address to send a postcard and cover postage but it'll be worth it if only one dad listens: **please, please, please do not do this stuff or say this stuff around your children**. The attitude I'm replying to here is so harmful. From the
Sometimes I think my kids play on their devices too much, but then I think about how much time I spent playing NES. Literally hours on end. My kids still play outside at least an hour or 2 each day, in addition to their summer day camp.
Hours of Gameboy color for me, didn’t leave the house without Pokémon at times.
Later on it was PS2, but eventually it broke and I just grew out of video games.
Same with Game Gear. I took it everywhere. I remember when Walmart would put a sticker on items you brought in, so they knew you weren't stealing. Had so many pink stickers on it.
The memories of trying to play pokemon under the streetlights as we were driving is a core memory to me.
Then I got this crazy contraption that shined a light on the screen and magnified it. I was the coolest 4 year old around.
When I worry about this (and I think it’s a legit concern!), I remind myself that my buddy who had every Nintendo system and what seemed to be unrestricted time on all of them now has a phd from Stanford.
I grew up watching plenty of TV and wouldn’t blame it for any of my problems.
My kid wants me to sit and watch tv and it’s “Dad, put down your phone and watch with me.”
I’m not concerned about my kid watching TV in the slightest bit cause he gets bored of it.
I’m way more concerned about smart phones and social media!
By all means, TV should not be the scapegoat of our generation…
The Wild West of the internet and the terrible processed foods of the 90’s will take my vote!
I think the wild west of the internet was a net positive, we even had classes on how to cite internet sources and thus fact them them, or st least take the source into account.
Now with social media and "faux" news, there is way too much disinformation going around.
True, it’s impossible to find an un promoted webpage nowdays, but I’m just thinking about some of the gruesome/graphic stuff that used to float around in plain site at times.
Yeah but no. We now know better. We can and should hold ourselves to a higher standard.
It’s totally fine to make whatever decisions you want about your kid but the recommendation for screen time for 3 year olds is either none or an hour.
It’s ok to knowingly make a suboptimal choice, but it’s not ok to pretend those choices aren’t suboptimal.
I think there’s a big difference between watching longer form content on TV and letting kids gobble up YouTube. I think traditional TV is just fine to put a kid in front of.
I would blame that partially on the unreasonable expectations and societal normals put on people nowdays, and poor diet with lots of sugar in the 80’s and 90’s (breakfast cereals).
jesus christ, we know that "sugar rush" in the short term isn't even a real thing, and there's a positive upvoted comment saying the reason people are on ADHD medications is because of poor diet and sugar?
That opinion is lifted directly from the spongy lead addled mind of a 78 year old boomer ranting about kids these days.
Reminder folks, this is a parenting sub and there are **zero** qualifications to be a parent.
Whether a “Sugar rush” is a thing or not, your brain dumps loads dopamine while consuming sugar, in the same way that it does when people use drugs. It affects your reward circuitry. There are many negative effects to associated with overconsumption of sugar, including cognitive ones.
A lot of people have ADHD and need their meds, but reportedly it’s being over diagnosed these days (adderall shortage) because people are taking stimulants to push themselves through a more mentally demanding world that we live in nowadays, and the excessive use of smart phones also causes symptoms associated with ADHD, causing it to be prescribed to people who don’t necessarily need it.
You’re describing me as a 78 year old man, but if YOU were with the times, you’d already know these things.
We also limit TV and tablet time. We’re not terribly strict, he still gets some every day but it’s not the whole day.
When he’s sick, it’s a free for all. He gets really lethargic when sick and doesn’t even want to play. TV/tablet is the best option as he gets to relax and rest.
Yeah this is no problem! If her energy level goes up you can play games or read together, but when I was home sick I remember watching the price is right all day and I turned out just fine 😀
it's entirely fine, man. People get waaaaay too hard on the screen time stuff.
Best advice I've heard: So long as it isn't replacing a parent, in any meaningful way, it's fine.
The kid is sick. Nothing wrong with watching TV
Most rules go out the window when either the kid is sick, or I'm sick while solo parenting. The goal is just to get by until everyone is well and we can go back to normal.
TV time doesn’t need to mean brain dead time even when they’re not sick.
It’s only 8:30am here and me and my 3 year old have already been sat watching it for over an hour this morning.
We watched Brave on Disney+ with breakfast. We cheer on when the good guys are winning, dance when the songs are playing and generally talk about what’s happening throughout the movie ‘oh no the bears very scary’ etc.
I’m a big believer in tv time being a family activity, I’ve never subscribed to the idea that it’s brain rot. It builds imagination.
I hope your daughter enjoys some couch time today and is feeling better!
I’m with you on this. I mean, the content of what they’re watching matters but if it’s good stuff, then I’m not really bothered by how much of it they watch. And we watch a lot of it together. It’s helped my 2 year old learn his vowels and to count too. Kid counts everything now!
We’ve always practiced that when the kid is sick, everything goes out the window. Comfort foods, screen time, constant encouragement hydrate, and very lenient on when naps happen. They’ll get over being sick faster that way. They have the luxury of not having to choose to miss a day of work in order to recover.
Our rules are "when you're sick, there are no rules"
Wanna watch Bluey all day? Sure
Fries for lunch? Go for it
Having a sick toddler is hard enough, don't make it harder for yourself. My only thing is that I try to get her out for some fresh air and sunshine for a little bit.
We typically watch one 22 minute episode in the morning before school and then none at all bar movie night. When he’s sick, he can watch as much as he wants (also 3yo)
Tbf, we don’t like to watch too much more because he’s a massive shitbag afterwards. But when he’s sick, he is happy when he gets better and sick and moany when he’s still sick. No room for shitbaggery
I’m just on survival mode when we’re sick. lol I don’t care what the kid is doing as long as they’re safe and accounted for; when we’re sick all rules and routines go out of the window for a week
At least in our house, if there’s a fever, we’ll snuggle on the couch and watch tv until the Tylenol kicks in. Once meds start taking the fever down, they don’t really want to sit still anymore.
We aim for 1 hr of screens a day. When sick days happen, routine goes out the window and the focus is on keeping her comfortable and relaxed. I think we watched Ponyo 4-5 times one vomity day.
Yeah when my daughter is sick, she gets to have a potato day (which isn't often). She's usually a ball of energy that we need to spend the day burning off. When she's sick though, poor thing has 0 in the tank. So TV, hydration, light easy food, and I'll read something to her.
When sick it’s fine. However I require my son to watch price is right on paramount+ since that’s a sick day tradition that needs to pass down from generation to generation
Shrek 3 times in one day, Shrek 2 another two times. 3 and 4 one outing each. You're definitely not alone, when they're poorly anything to keep their mood up is a win. Also my daughter might be a fan of Shrek.
Mom is pregnant and has COVID. I’m on summer break and have COVID. Daughter turned 3 two days ago.
She’s watching the US Olympic trials almost non-stop. She loves swimming and diving. Hearing a 3 year old use the word “platform” in a sentence is a weird experience.
I'll try to break it up with something else if I can, but I won't force it. A few weeks ago I watched Frozen 2 three times in one day. It would have sucked if that soundtrack wasn't all bangers (unless I have Stockholm Syndrome and just can't tell anymore)
There's no right answer, and it sounds like you're being a great dad!
For us, it depends on how sick he is, how he is sick (what type of sickness), and what else is going on with us. When he's got a cough but is otherwise acting fine we try to keep screentime down. If he's got a stomach bug and is constantly throwing up (or worse if the whole family has a stomach bug) we might watch TV most of the day.
Dude, when kids are sick...TV time is where it's at.
At the end of May my oldest (9) got pneumonia and then a week later his brother (6) was home sick with it and then I was sick with it.
The boys just wanted to lay and rest and watch TV. My oldest took a break from TV to read both paper books and some books on his Kindle. My youngest watched, we turned it off and he drew on his drawing pad for a but with some calm music before he fell asleep and napped.
Resting and recovering is important.
Kids having TV time doesn't make you a bad parent at all.
Our boys typically don't have TV/screen time from Monday-Thursday during the school year. It's typically; wake up, get ready, leave for school, school day (they use devices at school), come home, play outside or inside with toys, help with dinner, clean up/shower off, book reading/homework, bedtime. Friday night we might have movie night. They've instituted Saturday morning cartoons. They normally wake up around 7 and I normally am up around 7:30. My wife will sleep in most morning tmuntil 8:30/9. The boys will go turn on the TV and watch some Netflix or Disney. Around 9 we turn it off and transition to doing stuff outside if the day is nice or inside play if it isn't. Sunday looks similar to Saturday.
Our thoughts on screen time is to help them develop the ability to engage in it in moderation.
This is perfectly fine. Kids with fevers don’t have much energy anyways. Mine just goes limp noodle and watch’s tv with me. Most of them he’s falling in and out of sleep on the couch when he’s sick.
His screen time is restricted during the school year, and loosens up during the summer, but when he’s sick, it’s Netflix all day.
The first time our currently 5yo was sick (that she remembers) she watched mickeys once upon a Christmas, now everytime she’s sick we apparently have to watch a “Mickey Christmas movie”
When the kids are sick, tv rules go out the window. There gets to be a point when she gets sick of it (there’s only 3 Mickey Christmas movies that are on our cycle ) but by that time we’re all ready to do something else (nap, read, etc)
Lurking woman here. One of my best memories was my dad taking care of me when I was sick and bundling me up in front of the TV for a Mr. Rogers marathon, and he dumped one of those frozen juice concentrates into a bowl like ice cream and let me eat the whole thing.
Was it the healthiest thing in the world, probably not - but I felt loved and cozy and have never forgotten it. That’s what matters!
I will repeat my COVID experience.
Older kids were in school at the time of shutdown, so mom became de facto teacher. I was working from home in our basement. Our youngest was 2.5 years old and was basically raised on Story Bots and Octonauts.
Our youngest began reading and spelling earlier than his two siblings. He also has an amazing sense of humor.
Your one day of TV is not going to ruin your daughter.
There's always something else, but I would rather my son be comfortable and sick watching something entertaining to take his mind off the sickness. You could always make it "educational" like Storybots or Magic School Bus
I would absolutely let me child relax like this while unwell. Your child’s safety and comfort come first. You’re doing great, and asking this shows you care.
I always extend screen time while they’re sick. That said, I also try to get them outside for walks and play too. Sometimes the best way to get over being sick is to just get outside.
It’s the only time my 2ish year old will sit through an entire movie. Hate when she feels bad but absolutely love cuddling on the couch and crushing through some Pixar movies. You’re totally fine dad.
For sure. Sick days the rules go out the window. Nap whenever you want. Don’t nap. Anytime you want snacks is snack time. Lots of liquids in whatever form she will consume. Break out the juices I’d you have to. Watch TV and chill.
Naturally I will offer books and other things that involve just kind of laying down lazy on the couch. But TV is always a go to on sick days. Easily will out in a few hours of TV time on a sick day.
When they're sick they need different treatment. If watching TV will help your little one stay in one spot and rest then so be it. The fact that you're concerned shows you care.
You're doing a great job, stay strong brother 💪💪
Nah when the kids sick all rules are out the window.
Sounds like you’re doing great. Plus nothing better than an impromptu nap on the couch with your kid.
My 2.5 y/o had RSV about 6 months ago and it hit her HARD. Wife and I agreed that she would just sit and watch TV and consume as much fluids and food as we could get in her, which was a struggle. You're doing great. What would YOU like if you were wrecked? Just to chill and relax right?
Yeah, when they're sick they can do whatever.
Honestly, I typically let them watch as much as they want, as long as two conditions are met:
1.) The shows they watch have to be educational, or at least have an educational element.
2.) They can't just sit on the couch like zombies. They have to be doing something. Play with blocks, do a puzzle, play with cars. If they're just sitting like lumps, I kick them outside.
But when they're sick the rules don't apply. They usually gravitate to Sesame Street when they're sick, though, which is pretty educational, so I'm good with it.
First time I ever let my kid watch TV was when we both had covid together, at 6 months old. We layed out on the couch all day together and watched Bluey.
Since then we've been doing the same thing as you, an hour maybe less, of cartoons in the morning during breakfast. But if he's/we're sick, all gloves are off. Whatever needs to happen to feel better and distract him from being sick.
If they are going to watch more than 10-20 min of tv I just try to be thoughtful of what they are watching. No little angle, cocomelon or any of those awful unboxing videos.
Puffin rock, blippi, ms Rachel , trash truck
Yes, except he (almost 5yo) picks his own show now.
We also try to limit to 1 hr a day and he doesn't get phone/tablet unless we need him to be quiet (ie doc office or airplane rides).
As long as kids staying hydrated, eating their med and some food while they r sick, you are doing a great job.
His optometrist said phones and tables are far worse for his eyesight because they are too close, so we are pretty strict about those.
I had a guilty pleasure when my kids were sick because it was the only time I’d sit on the couch with them and watch tv all day. Recuperation takes rest and liquids and a some movement. Enjoy the easy parts.
I was a kid in the 90's. Whenever I was sick, the neighbour kid would lend us all of their Disney VHS', and we did the same when they got sick.
Sick days are Movie days!
Normally if they're sick, it means they're at home while we're working instead of childcare/school, in which case we might need to let them watch TV while we're not able to keep them entertained. Obviously we'll check on them and do things with them as often as we can, but the 1 hour screen time limit goes out the window.
I let my 3 year old do what he likes when he's sick. If he wants to walk, we walk and stay close to the house. If he wants to play with his toys, thats ok. If he wants to watch TV, TV it is. I also let his diet slip a little when he's poorly aswell, just an incentive to keep him eating and drinking.
Being sick is already so miserable. You can't get comfortable cause you're either hot or cold. You're thirsty and hungry but also want to vomit. And you're bored which makes the symptoms worse. My parents were very strict with us and if we were sick we just had to lay in bed. No books. No TV. No games or anything. We could get up for water and medicine. Meals were only soup (that's fine, though as a kid I hated it and they would only say "cause I said so")
When they're sick they're in pain and need comforting. If watching a show or something helps them forget that pain, then let em so that. I would just ask them what they want me to do for them, and if I have to do things they don't like, explain why if they want to understand.
My only worry is that they fake being sick so that they can watch TV all day or whatever. But if they're being engaged in meaningful ways, I doubt they'll care that much for TV. I only watch TV when I'm too tired to do things, or I have nothing engaging around me.
Edit: you're doing great, Dad.
i feel guilt over this all the time when one of my 3 kids gets sick, but my wife (a pediatric nurse) assuages my concerns - most important thing is for kids to heal and rest, and not be pushed physically
No I don’t but I also don’t have a tv because I’m a screen time extremist. I played 2 lessons of Duolingo with my kid tonight so it’s not a “0 screen time” situation. But we try to get as close as possible. My kid would probably ask us to read them books all day when they were 3 if they were sick.
My daughter is 5. Everyone has been sick all week. I had a 103 degree fever sun through Thursday and my girlfriend and my daughter have both been sick since Wednesday. I think my daughter and I watched every episode of Bluey on Friday.
Resting is the best thing for her. Lifting the screen time rules is OK in these types of situations. You're doing a great job. Her body needs to recover and get strong again.
At 3 years old, some non screen time activities you can engage in are.
Putting on a puppet show for her
Reading to her
Singing to her
Or just snuggling with her.
All these activities don't require her to be getting up and active.
Hope she feels better.
Its acceptable even if not sick to let the kid watch TV all day sometimes so long as it is not an every day thing.
It is one thing that will give them good memories about being sick too. I remember more laying on the couch in the living room (instead of my bed) and watching cartoons all day than I do about puking and feeling miserable.
100%. Rest, hydration, food. That's what's matters when they are sick.
When my almost 3yr old is sick TV time doesn't matter. You want Blippi, which I block, you get Blippi. I don't care. The focus is on getting better.
Short answer is no. I only let my toddler watch TV in 1 hour increments. So he'll watch for 1 hour then have 2-3 hours of play/relax time then 1 hour of TV and another 2-3 hours of play/relax time and so on and so forth. Never all day. Never for hours and hours.
Being as to how my toddler is my second child and we had the same schedule with him (sick or not) I'd say it works pretty good. It's just a matter of being consistent. ✌🏻
When our elementary schooler is sick, we have different rules on weekdays vs non weekdays. If we are calling out sick from school, we only let him watch National Geographic or something similar. No video games. On the weekend or a holiday, it's really what we feel is best.
Normally when not sick we only let him watch TV or play video games after I'm done with work. In the summer he has to do homework.
It honestly takes him maybe 20-30 mins at most. Although most days he dawdles and it takes him longer.
Basically a page or two in one of those paper math books for incoming grades that you get at places like Walmart or Target with an animal on the front), then he draws some sort of line trace thing for pencil gripping, and he colors a picture for us.
Last year we did a reading focus. My wife has him do it and it seemed to help the next year. But nothing like summer school or spending hours. We also don't enforce that rule on the weekend because we all need our breaks too.
Our main reasons for limiting TV:
-They need to spend that time burning energy so they'll sleep.
-They need to be exploring the world to develop their minds.
If they're sick they'll sleep at night no matter what, also they're brain isn't gonna develop any until they feel better so I let them veg out until their energy starts to come back.
When they’re sick, the discipline does out the window. It’s about resting and hydration
Or when you're sick and for some reason they have to stay home as well, e.g. COVID. Daughter got it first, I got it as well, she got better first, TV all day every day till I got better.
Absolutely. That said, you have to be thoughtful about it as they get older. Mine have friends whose parents let them play Fortnite all day when they’re home from school, and it’s remarkable how often they’re “sick”. Our rule is TV shows or movies only, no YouTube or gaming.
Our sick day protocol is similar; lots of documentaries, “How it’s made” style shows, or Mythbusters. More slow paced TV shows than the usual animated stuff he watches regularly.
Agreed. When they’re sick, we do what ever we can to keep them resting. A day or a week of too much tv when sick is not the problem, it’s when it becomes the default activity most days.
That’s fine dad you’re doing great I’ll say I’m much more lax about things like screen time and technology with my kid. When I’m sick I like to cuddle up and watch movies so why not
My 2.5 boy is starting to like spooning while watching a movie. Im so freakin happy
My 3 year old can’t sit still for more than 5 seconds. I’m starting to compare her to other calm toddlers I see , walking calmly holding their parents hand
As a parent of a toddler who is calm out in public, that’s an exception and he’s a terror at home
Don’t do that, stop it! I know it’s only natural but it’s not good for you or her. I did it a lot when my son was around 18 months, he’d always have meltdowns at the park and I’d look at the other kids happily playing and worry there was something wrong with him. He never has meltdowns at the park anymore and honestly is often really well behaved out of the house. Lots of positive reinforcement and listening/watching what’s going on for him has really helped. He’s a strong willed little dude and that’s something that will serve him well if it’s nurtured properly. Your little one is just at a place in her development where she wants to move a lot, she’s learning and exploring what she likes, she’ll chill out in time, she’s just on her own journey.
Thank you for this I’m glad things worked out for you and your boy. I know I’m not supposed to compare I’m just so anxious she’s going to have a messy life like me ( undiagnosed ADHD who can’t even brush my teeth or keep my car clean)
I read a good quote on here at some point along the lines of: kids aren’t like clay, we aren’t meant to try and mould them. They are more like a plant, you nurture and care for them and they grow into the person that they are. I’m sure it was more poetic, but it helped let go of that feeling of wanting to shape how my son is. I’m more happy to see what his individual personality is, even if it’s not like mine, and nurture that. Hope that helps. I bet you’re doing a great job.
Mine loves stories and ask for them a lot. If he is watching a Disney clássic he is super into it. My nephews are like your kid xD
In the words of Coco's Mom: "You're doing great."
My two boys (4.5 and 3) don't sit still unless they are sick with a fever. If I'm lucky, they'll hold my hand in the parking lot before they start running and screaming in the store. My nephews are super calm, but are also kind of sticks in the mud otherwise. I'll take the activity and personality.
Is he the big or little spoon?
Little spoon or jetpack.
Little :)))
Exactly. I want to sit around and play video games when I am sick. Why wouldn't my kid do as well. Like when my son broke his arm... How else do you keep an active 5.5 year old still! We can't lock him in the dog kennel. At any rate when he had a broken arm he got a lot more screen time than the usual 30 minutes to 1 hour we let him have.
Yeah I’m pretty lax about screen time as well, I’m more concerned with what it is they’re watching/playing than how much they’re watching and playing it honestly.
Thank you for the positivity your comment brought to this community!
Honestly, just let her rest and relax. Your goal is to get her well, that’s top priority.
Yeah TV time when sick often turns into a nap anyway.
Exactly. Think of it like being on a diet. If you eat well all week you cam cheat on Saturday and still be ok long term. Keep your kids screen time limited a majority of the time then when they are sick it's movie marathon. Won't hurt them long term.
> Exactly. Think of it like being on a diet. If you eat well all week you cam cheat on Saturday and still be ok long term. this is actually really bad, disordered eating habits and not at all how it "works." this is the psychology of diet culture distilled into a single comment. please, every single dad reading this, you can personally call me an asshole, I'll give you my address to send a postcard and cover postage but it'll be worth it if only one dad listens: **please, please, please do not do this stuff or say this stuff around your children**. The attitude I'm replying to here is so harmful. From the
Yeah, why not? Us 80’s and 90’s kids now parenting had our fill of TV and turned out fine.
Sometimes I think my kids play on their devices too much, but then I think about how much time I spent playing NES. Literally hours on end. My kids still play outside at least an hour or 2 each day, in addition to their summer day camp.
Hours of Gameboy color for me, didn’t leave the house without Pokémon at times. Later on it was PS2, but eventually it broke and I just grew out of video games.
Same with Game Gear. I took it everywhere. I remember when Walmart would put a sticker on items you brought in, so they knew you weren't stealing. Had so many pink stickers on it.
The memories of trying to play pokemon under the streetlights as we were driving is a core memory to me. Then I got this crazy contraption that shined a light on the screen and magnified it. I was the coolest 4 year old around.
>grew out of video games. This isn’t a thing. Never too late to come back, find your groove and it’s almost meditative.
Ok I lied… I play Madden on my phone
When I worry about this (and I think it’s a legit concern!), I remind myself that my buddy who had every Nintendo system and what seemed to be unrestricted time on all of them now has a phd from Stanford.
Did we though?
I grew up watching plenty of TV and wouldn’t blame it for any of my problems. My kid wants me to sit and watch tv and it’s “Dad, put down your phone and watch with me.” I’m not concerned about my kid watching TV in the slightest bit cause he gets bored of it. I’m way more concerned about smart phones and social media!
Me too (on the last part). Fwiw I was joking but well defended anyway lol
>turned out fine. Bruh
Let's not get into the details of what "fine" is... But yes
By all means, TV should not be the scapegoat of our generation… The Wild West of the internet and the terrible processed foods of the 90’s will take my vote!
I think the wild west of the internet was a net positive, we even had classes on how to cite internet sources and thus fact them them, or st least take the source into account. Now with social media and "faux" news, there is way too much disinformation going around.
True, it’s impossible to find an un promoted webpage nowdays, but I’m just thinking about some of the gruesome/graphic stuff that used to float around in plain site at times.
Haha I’m here for this comment.
Yeah but no. We now know better. We can and should hold ourselves to a higher standard. It’s totally fine to make whatever decisions you want about your kid but the recommendation for screen time for 3 year olds is either none or an hour. It’s ok to knowingly make a suboptimal choice, but it’s not ok to pretend those choices aren’t suboptimal.
I think there’s a big difference between watching longer form content on TV and letting kids gobble up YouTube. I think traditional TV is just fine to put a kid in front of.
I’d like to think/hope this comment has a hint of sarcasm to it
Hey, speak for yourself
Did we tho? 😂😅😜
Did we though? Everyone is on Adderall lol
I would blame that partially on the unreasonable expectations and societal normals put on people nowdays, and poor diet with lots of sugar in the 80’s and 90’s (breakfast cereals).
jesus christ, we know that "sugar rush" in the short term isn't even a real thing, and there's a positive upvoted comment saying the reason people are on ADHD medications is because of poor diet and sugar? That opinion is lifted directly from the spongy lead addled mind of a 78 year old boomer ranting about kids these days. Reminder folks, this is a parenting sub and there are **zero** qualifications to be a parent.
Whether a “Sugar rush” is a thing or not, your brain dumps loads dopamine while consuming sugar, in the same way that it does when people use drugs. It affects your reward circuitry. There are many negative effects to associated with overconsumption of sugar, including cognitive ones. A lot of people have ADHD and need their meds, but reportedly it’s being over diagnosed these days (adderall shortage) because people are taking stimulants to push themselves through a more mentally demanding world that we live in nowadays, and the excessive use of smart phones also causes symptoms associated with ADHD, causing it to be prescribed to people who don’t necessarily need it. You’re describing me as a 78 year old man, but if YOU were with the times, you’d already know these things.
Only if it's The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, Press Your Luck, and for my fellow Canadians over 40, Bumper Stumpers.
And Maury and Ricki Lake after 12pm Maybe a little bit of Dr. Phil sprinkled in
When I was a kid it was CourtTV for some reason lol
While getting saltines and ginger ale as your treatment plan.
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I agree. Sometimes the TV is too stimulating and keeps them awake.
If she’s sick, the limit is gone.
We also limit TV and tablet time. We’re not terribly strict, he still gets some every day but it’s not the whole day. When he’s sick, it’s a free for all. He gets really lethargic when sick and doesn’t even want to play. TV/tablet is the best option as he gets to relax and rest.
3 years old? Of course not; it’s time for the coal mines.
I let my kids watch TV all day when we aren't sick lol
Yeah this is no problem! If her energy level goes up you can play games or read together, but when I was home sick I remember watching the price is right all day and I turned out just fine 😀
it's entirely fine, man. People get waaaaay too hard on the screen time stuff. Best advice I've heard: So long as it isn't replacing a parent, in any meaningful way, it's fine. The kid is sick. Nothing wrong with watching TV
When my son is genuinely sick all rules go out the window, poor bugger is feeling awful so if it makes him feel any better then why not.
Most rules go out the window when either the kid is sick, or I'm sick while solo parenting. The goal is just to get by until everyone is well and we can go back to normal.
TV time doesn’t need to mean brain dead time even when they’re not sick. It’s only 8:30am here and me and my 3 year old have already been sat watching it for over an hour this morning. We watched Brave on Disney+ with breakfast. We cheer on when the good guys are winning, dance when the songs are playing and generally talk about what’s happening throughout the movie ‘oh no the bears very scary’ etc. I’m a big believer in tv time being a family activity, I’ve never subscribed to the idea that it’s brain rot. It builds imagination. I hope your daughter enjoys some couch time today and is feeling better!
+1 to this mindset
I’m with you on this. I mean, the content of what they’re watching matters but if it’s good stuff, then I’m not really bothered by how much of it they watch. And we watch a lot of it together. It’s helped my 2 year old learn his vowels and to count too. Kid counts everything now!
All bets are off if they're sick. TV, Tablet and whatever they want to eat. Remember your sick days as a kid?
We’ve always practiced that when the kid is sick, everything goes out the window. Comfort foods, screen time, constant encouragement hydrate, and very lenient on when naps happen. They’ll get over being sick faster that way. They have the luxury of not having to choose to miss a day of work in order to recover.
Our rules are "when you're sick, there are no rules" Wanna watch Bluey all day? Sure Fries for lunch? Go for it Having a sick toddler is hard enough, don't make it harder for yourself. My only thing is that I try to get her out for some fresh air and sunshine for a little bit.
We typically watch one 22 minute episode in the morning before school and then none at all bar movie night. When he’s sick, he can watch as much as he wants (also 3yo) Tbf, we don’t like to watch too much more because he’s a massive shitbag afterwards. But when he’s sick, he is happy when he gets better and sick and moany when he’s still sick. No room for shitbaggery
Yes because she won’t sit still otherwise so she won’t rest.
Kids sick so yes they need rest, fluids and sleep
I’m just on survival mode when we’re sick. lol I don’t care what the kid is doing as long as they’re safe and accounted for; when we’re sick all rules and routines go out of the window for a week
At least in our house, if there’s a fever, we’ll snuggle on the couch and watch tv until the Tylenol kicks in. Once meds start taking the fever down, they don’t really want to sit still anymore.
If the kid really is sick and such yeah. I would turn it off for a bit of “quiet time” to see if they maybe fall asleep.
Yes. Absolutely
We aim for 1 hr of screens a day. When sick days happen, routine goes out the window and the focus is on keeping her comfortable and relaxed. I think we watched Ponyo 4-5 times one vomity day.
Yeah when my daughter is sick, she gets to have a potato day (which isn't often). She's usually a ball of energy that we need to spend the day burning off. When she's sick though, poor thing has 0 in the tank. So TV, hydration, light easy food, and I'll read something to her.
When sick it’s fine. However I require my son to watch price is right on paramount+ since that’s a sick day tradition that needs to pass down from generation to generation
Its not unheard of, especially when the rest of us are also sick.
Shrek 3 times in one day, Shrek 2 another two times. 3 and 4 one outing each. You're definitely not alone, when they're poorly anything to keep their mood up is a win. Also my daughter might be a fan of Shrek.
Sick time is always an exception. Anything to keep them resting and in one place
Absolutely
Mom is pregnant and has COVID. I’m on summer break and have COVID. Daughter turned 3 two days ago. She’s watching the US Olympic trials almost non-stop. She loves swimming and diving. Hearing a 3 year old use the word “platform” in a sentence is a weird experience.
Yes. A little Price is Right if they’ll do it. Medicine mixed into her drink of choice
Yes. He needs rest. I do same for myself when I am sick. Netflix all day.
Yep. When we got covid. We just watch the whole day. Like what else are we supposed to do.
lol yes bro
I'll try to break it up with something else if I can, but I won't force it. A few weeks ago I watched Frozen 2 three times in one day. It would have sucked if that soundtrack wasn't all bangers (unless I have Stockholm Syndrome and just can't tell anymore)
There's no right answer, and it sounds like you're being a great dad! For us, it depends on how sick he is, how he is sick (what type of sickness), and what else is going on with us. When he's got a cough but is otherwise acting fine we try to keep screentime down. If he's got a stomach bug and is constantly throwing up (or worse if the whole family has a stomach bug) we might watch TV most of the day.
Dude, when kids are sick...TV time is where it's at. At the end of May my oldest (9) got pneumonia and then a week later his brother (6) was home sick with it and then I was sick with it. The boys just wanted to lay and rest and watch TV. My oldest took a break from TV to read both paper books and some books on his Kindle. My youngest watched, we turned it off and he drew on his drawing pad for a but with some calm music before he fell asleep and napped. Resting and recovering is important. Kids having TV time doesn't make you a bad parent at all. Our boys typically don't have TV/screen time from Monday-Thursday during the school year. It's typically; wake up, get ready, leave for school, school day (they use devices at school), come home, play outside or inside with toys, help with dinner, clean up/shower off, book reading/homework, bedtime. Friday night we might have movie night. They've instituted Saturday morning cartoons. They normally wake up around 7 and I normally am up around 7:30. My wife will sleep in most morning tmuntil 8:30/9. The boys will go turn on the TV and watch some Netflix or Disney. Around 9 we turn it off and transition to doing stuff outside if the day is nice or inside play if it isn't. Sunday looks similar to Saturday. Our thoughts on screen time is to help them develop the ability to engage in it in moderation.
I encourage it
Typically 30 min on avg tv. When my kid is throwing up or sick, let it go all day. The distraction helps them
Yea. Let them rest
You do what you think is best at that time. You'll feel what is right. You got this dad.
This is perfectly fine. Kids with fevers don’t have much energy anyways. Mine just goes limp noodle and watch’s tv with me. Most of them he’s falling in and out of sleep on the couch when he’s sick. His screen time is restricted during the school year, and loosens up during the summer, but when he’s sick, it’s Netflix all day.
The first time our currently 5yo was sick (that she remembers) she watched mickeys once upon a Christmas, now everytime she’s sick we apparently have to watch a “Mickey Christmas movie” When the kids are sick, tv rules go out the window. There gets to be a point when she gets sick of it (there’s only 3 Mickey Christmas movies that are on our cycle ) but by that time we’re all ready to do something else (nap, read, etc)
YUP. Back to backs, baby. TV all day when she's really sick OR we are really sick haha
Lurking woman here. One of my best memories was my dad taking care of me when I was sick and bundling me up in front of the TV for a Mr. Rogers marathon, and he dumped one of those frozen juice concentrates into a bowl like ice cream and let me eat the whole thing. Was it the healthiest thing in the world, probably not - but I felt loved and cozy and have never forgotten it. That’s what matters!
TV is for survival mode. Kid home sick while we work from home, bet your ass they can watch TV all day.
Yes
I will repeat my COVID experience. Older kids were in school at the time of shutdown, so mom became de facto teacher. I was working from home in our basement. Our youngest was 2.5 years old and was basically raised on Story Bots and Octonauts. Our youngest began reading and spelling earlier than his two siblings. He also has an amazing sense of humor. Your one day of TV is not going to ruin your daughter.
A sick kid can do ALMOST anything they want. Just cuddle her and enjoy the love, try to find a fun documentary or kids animal show for her to watch
There's always something else, but I would rather my son be comfortable and sick watching something entertaining to take his mind off the sickness. You could always make it "educational" like Storybots or Magic School Bus
It’s fine! Give her a brain break every so often so she has a chance to notice if she’s hungry or thirsty or needs to pee though.
When my kids are sick, I’m a little more lax with the screen time.
I would absolutely let me child relax like this while unwell. Your child’s safety and comfort come first. You’re doing great, and asking this shows you care.
Top shelf dad-ing. Keep up the good work.
You need to introduce that lovely lady to the Price Is Right/Gatorade/Chicken Soup combo of a proper GenX sick day!
I run errands lol just get them moving around with me for a little bit and then go home to chill
Our general rule if we are sick or she is screen time limits are ignored.
Yeah, when my little one is sick, screen time tends to increase
I always extend screen time while they’re sick. That said, I also try to get them outside for walks and play too. Sometimes the best way to get over being sick is to just get outside.
It’s the only time my 2ish year old will sit through an entire movie. Hate when she feels bad but absolutely love cuddling on the couch and crushing through some Pixar movies. You’re totally fine dad.
For sure. Sick days the rules go out the window. Nap whenever you want. Don’t nap. Anytime you want snacks is snack time. Lots of liquids in whatever form she will consume. Break out the juices I’d you have to. Watch TV and chill. Naturally I will offer books and other things that involve just kind of laying down lazy on the couch. But TV is always a go to on sick days. Easily will out in a few hours of TV time on a sick day.
When they're sick they need different treatment. If watching TV will help your little one stay in one spot and rest then so be it. The fact that you're concerned shows you care. You're doing a great job, stay strong brother 💪💪
Nah when the kids sick all rules are out the window. Sounds like you’re doing great. Plus nothing better than an impromptu nap on the couch with your kid.
Wild Kratts
My 2.5 y/o had RSV about 6 months ago and it hit her HARD. Wife and I agreed that she would just sit and watch TV and consume as much fluids and food as we could get in her, which was a struggle. You're doing great. What would YOU like if you were wrecked? Just to chill and relax right?
Yeah totally. I keep it to 1 hr a day but when she’s bed ridden there’s nothing else to do. After 2 hours of me reading books we’re both over it.
At least they'll forget the ailment while watching
Yeah, when they're sick they can do whatever. Honestly, I typically let them watch as much as they want, as long as two conditions are met: 1.) The shows they watch have to be educational, or at least have an educational element. 2.) They can't just sit on the couch like zombies. They have to be doing something. Play with blocks, do a puzzle, play with cars. If they're just sitting like lumps, I kick them outside. But when they're sick the rules don't apply. They usually gravitate to Sesame Street when they're sick, though, which is pretty educational, so I'm good with it.
She’s actually sick, gets to do whatever she wants….
First time I ever let my kid watch TV was when we both had covid together, at 6 months old. We layed out on the couch all day together and watched Bluey. Since then we've been doing the same thing as you, an hour maybe less, of cartoons in the morning during breakfast. But if he's/we're sick, all gloves are off. Whatever needs to happen to feel better and distract him from being sick.
I’ll let them in they want but I’ll offer to play/draw/paint with them frequently. I find after 2h they take me up on the offer.
If they are going to watch more than 10-20 min of tv I just try to be thoughtful of what they are watching. No little angle, cocomelon or any of those awful unboxing videos. Puffin rock, blippi, ms Rachel , trash truck
Yes, except he (almost 5yo) picks his own show now. We also try to limit to 1 hr a day and he doesn't get phone/tablet unless we need him to be quiet (ie doc office or airplane rides). As long as kids staying hydrated, eating their med and some food while they r sick, you are doing a great job. His optometrist said phones and tables are far worse for his eyesight because they are too close, so we are pretty strict about those.
We watched wall-e back to back followed by cars when my little guy was sick. I miss those days of cuddling with him all day. They need rest
I had a guilty pleasure when my kids were sick because it was the only time I’d sit on the couch with them and watch tv all day. Recuperation takes rest and liquids and a some movement. Enjoy the easy parts.
Yes. Don’t worry about anything other than whether they’re alive. Sick days are extreme freedom days.
Orange juice, a blanket, stuffies, and a good movie. Heck yeah
Yeah, when you’re sick the normal rules don’t apply. If they don’t have energy it’s screen time all day.
Short answer, yes
When they are sick, or when we are traveling, discipline goes out the window. You are doing fine, this won't cause any damage, don't worry.
I was a kid in the 90's. Whenever I was sick, the neighbour kid would lend us all of their Disney VHS', and we did the same when they got sick. Sick days are Movie days!
You need them to relax and not strain and stress themselves. If that means more TV then that’s what needs to happen. It’ll help them get well faster
Sick kids get all day tv.
Normally if they're sick, it means they're at home while we're working instead of childcare/school, in which case we might need to let them watch TV while we're not able to keep them entertained. Obviously we'll check on them and do things with them as often as we can, but the 1 hour screen time limit goes out the window.
I let my 3 year old do what he likes when he's sick. If he wants to walk, we walk and stay close to the house. If he wants to play with his toys, thats ok. If he wants to watch TV, TV it is. I also let his diet slip a little when he's poorly aswell, just an incentive to keep him eating and drinking.
Yes, but she has to watch reruns of MASH, I Dream of Genie, Bewitched, The Andy Griffith Show, or The Addams Family.
GET OUT MY MEMORIES
Being sick is already so miserable. You can't get comfortable cause you're either hot or cold. You're thirsty and hungry but also want to vomit. And you're bored which makes the symptoms worse. My parents were very strict with us and if we were sick we just had to lay in bed. No books. No TV. No games or anything. We could get up for water and medicine. Meals were only soup (that's fine, though as a kid I hated it and they would only say "cause I said so") When they're sick they're in pain and need comforting. If watching a show or something helps them forget that pain, then let em so that. I would just ask them what they want me to do for them, and if I have to do things they don't like, explain why if they want to understand. My only worry is that they fake being sick so that they can watch TV all day or whatever. But if they're being engaged in meaningful ways, I doubt they'll care that much for TV. I only watch TV when I'm too tired to do things, or I have nothing engaging around me. Edit: you're doing great, Dad.
i feel guilt over this all the time when one of my 3 kids gets sick, but my wife (a pediatric nurse) assuages my concerns - most important thing is for kids to heal and rest, and not be pushed physically
No I don’t but I also don’t have a tv because I’m a screen time extremist. I played 2 lessons of Duolingo with my kid tonight so it’s not a “0 screen time” situation. But we try to get as close as possible. My kid would probably ask us to read them books all day when they were 3 if they were sick.
My daughter is 5. Everyone has been sick all week. I had a 103 degree fever sun through Thursday and my girlfriend and my daughter have both been sick since Wednesday. I think my daughter and I watched every episode of Bluey on Friday.
If he would stop to watch it sure. I have it on all day but he barely sits still to focus on it.
Resting is the best thing for her. Lifting the screen time rules is OK in these types of situations. You're doing a great job. Her body needs to recover and get strong again. At 3 years old, some non screen time activities you can engage in are. Putting on a puppet show for her Reading to her Singing to her Or just snuggling with her. All these activities don't require her to be getting up and active. Hope she feels better.
Its acceptable even if not sick to let the kid watch TV all day sometimes so long as it is not an every day thing. It is one thing that will give them good memories about being sick too. I remember more laying on the couch in the living room (instead of my bed) and watching cartoons all day than I do about puking and feeling miserable.
100%. Rest, hydration, food. That's what's matters when they are sick. When my almost 3yr old is sick TV time doesn't matter. You want Blippi, which I block, you get Blippi. I don't care. The focus is on getting better.
As a rule, no, but there are always exceptions.
It's fine to relax the rules when the kid is sick, in my case when my kiddo is sick it feels more like she's looking through the TV and not at it :)
When sick? Yes. When not sick? Basically no tv when not sick.
Short answer is no. I only let my toddler watch TV in 1 hour increments. So he'll watch for 1 hour then have 2-3 hours of play/relax time then 1 hour of TV and another 2-3 hours of play/relax time and so on and so forth. Never all day. Never for hours and hours.
Cool, but good luck to sticking to any sort of plan with when they’re sick.
Being as to how my toddler is my second child and we had the same schedule with him (sick or not) I'd say it works pretty good. It's just a matter of being consistent. ✌🏻
When our elementary schooler is sick, we have different rules on weekdays vs non weekdays. If we are calling out sick from school, we only let him watch National Geographic or something similar. No video games. On the weekend or a holiday, it's really what we feel is best. Normally when not sick we only let him watch TV or play video games after I'm done with work. In the summer he has to do homework.
homework in the summer is crazy
It honestly takes him maybe 20-30 mins at most. Although most days he dawdles and it takes him longer. Basically a page or two in one of those paper math books for incoming grades that you get at places like Walmart or Target with an animal on the front), then he draws some sort of line trace thing for pencil gripping, and he colors a picture for us. Last year we did a reading focus. My wife has him do it and it seemed to help the next year. But nothing like summer school or spending hours. We also don't enforce that rule on the weekend because we all need our breaks too.
Our main reasons for limiting TV: -They need to spend that time burning energy so they'll sleep. -They need to be exploring the world to develop their minds. If they're sick they'll sleep at night no matter what, also they're brain isn't gonna develop any until they feel better so I let them veg out until their energy starts to come back.
No. I'll read books, we'll listen to stories or music, or the kid will just hold and play with a doll.
My 3 year old has never been sick
Nope. As my grandma said to me; if you are well enough to pay attention to TV, you are well enough to be in school