https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:34:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2360596 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 20:57:12 +0000 Canoli 2360596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The TV is often a point of contention with my husband and I. He is someone that has the TV on at all times. I by no means am anti TV but my son gets so mesmerized by TV that he gets so sucked into it and can for hours. We have had periods where we have taken away TV in the am and only watched at night before bed and I like it that way but somehow it just ends up on in the morning and I don't have the energy to battle it. But yes my son will beg for TV! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359836 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 13:55:24 +0000 jmarionsmith 2359836@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not so much for the TV, but yes for the ipad. I have decided to cut back on his ipad use because his behavior is getting out of control, and yesterday when I took it away he cried "But what am I going to do?" He really had no idea what to do with his free time. Real proud parenting moment there. :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359728 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 12:40:26 +0000 Adira 2359728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you, on the rare days you are there before them, let her still watch one show when they get home? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359631 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 11:46:05 +0000 looch 2359631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would approach my husband about why the TV is necessary, is he doing something during that time, like making dinner? Could he potentially do something else or include your daughter?</p> <p>I think some things need to be addressed as a team, others not so much, but for us, my son takes advantage when one parent differs from the other and I would rather not deal with that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359589 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 11:15:24 +0000 blackbird 2359589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, E gets upset when I tell her "no tv, we're going to have dinner soon" and she wails "no, no dinner! no dinner!". If she acts up, I don't turn it on at all. But then I realize we also have nights where we're all playing nice and she won't even ask for it. So i figure it's a trade off sometimes. </p> <p>If it makes you feel better, I take E to the park a lot when I pick her up from daycare and now she cries when she sees DH come get her, not me, LOL. </p> <p>But also, I think it's an issue because DH is home solo with the kids a few nights a week while I work, which means those nights are different than other nights....and like most kids, mine thrives on consistency and routine and right now, we're kind of all over the place, and I'm also not going to put a bunch of stipulations on how he should parent both kids (which is overwhelming at times! i get it!) when I'm off doing some personal development shit for myself. </p> <p>I figure this....if she's going to cry b/c i say no tv, well....i give her a hug, tell her i'm sorry, set out some stuff she CAN play with (like play-doh, markers) and point her towards them and let her know that mommy's going to do some dishes and clean and "let me know when you are ready to play with me and I will play with you". I've had the best luck, though, when I hand the baby over to DH and take E into her room and start "playing" with her toys and talking like "oh, i need help!" and she will come help me and build a tower with me. So, redirection, I suppose. </p> <p>But yeah, she refuses to eat sometimes b/c she wants to watch tv. If I can get her involved, she does better---i let her "dump" stuff on the salad or sit on the counter while I'm making dinner. Last night, she was SO upset about dinner, and i got down and asked her if she wanted to smell what I made and it was a big production of lifting the crockpot, smelling it, and deeming it acceptable for consumption. Complete with picking out her own plate and fork and whatnot....and we avoided a meltdown that way. Transitions are hard. </p> <p>Whew. That was long. But anyways....I feel ya. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359571 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 11:03:30 +0000 mediagirl 2359571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I can't limit it when I'm not there and that's a parenting choice for my husband. It's something I decided not to fight with him on. I can't use it as a tool for punishment either because I'm not there to stop it from happening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359568 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:56:04 +0000 Freckles 2359568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What if instead of watching until you get home, they can only watch 1 or 2 shows? Lately, DD doesn't watch tv during the week but when she does, she knows she only gets one show (or two short shows). Once I deviate from that, then the tantrums happen. </p> <p>She also knows that if she cries/throws a tantrum about the show ending, she doesn't get to watch it the next day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359563 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:50:46 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2359563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MOMTOLITTLEB: I like that idea. I really need to start making LO do some chores. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359560 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:49:33 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2359560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We watch too much. I'm really embarrassed by how much she watches. (Like 3 hours a day of her own shows....that doesn't include when she's watching whatever sports DH turns on when he gets home from work). But usually she doesn't cry to eat h it after being turned off. She's pretty okay with transistions if she's given a warning in advance (when Doc is over, we're turning it off!). But since I said that I'm sure we'll have issues the rest of the week :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359558 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:49:26 +0000 Corduroy 2359558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. She only gets to watch TV when she poops in the potty but she cries for it and talks about it all the time. I wish we would get rid of it altogether but damn it is nice to use it when both kids are cranky and I need to do something else. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359556 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:47:40 +0000 mrs. wagon 2359556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only allow screentime (TV and tablet) on the weekends. We try to give a warning of when the TV will turn off and we use an egg timer for tablet. We usually get complaints with those warnings but we try to line up the next activity (or we're usually going someplace) at that time so they know what to expect next. </p> <p>When we do get crying (usually over show choice, whose turn it is to choose, etc), they go into time out with the explanation that they're not allowed to cry about TV, tablet, treats, or other fun things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359553 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:47:29 +0000 travelgirl1 2359553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. But I tell her that her crying about it is why I limit it, because her behaviour changes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359547 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:44:02 +0000 MOMTOLITTLEB 2359547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're ok with him watching tv, he only started being into within the past couple of months. But we do try to limit it and one thing we've started doing is that he can watch tv after dinner, only after he cleans up all of his toys from the day. He loves having a job to do and that way he earns his tv time. He's not even 2 yet so I do predict him being less able to be distracted as the months go on! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359540 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:39:49 +0000 ShootingStar 2359540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yes, all the time. "More Elsa, more Elsa!" Or if I take out my phone do something then I hear, "I want to see!" Refusal usually buys me at least 5 minutes of full on crying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359537 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:37:48 +0000 petunia354 2359537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was the tablet for us this morning. He was giving me such a hard time about putting it down to get ready that I had to take it away all together. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359525 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:31:25 +0000 .twist. 2359525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. We only watch TV on weekends but he does. It's usually short lived though and we try to distract him with other things. Or go outside (which he loves!). I don't ever wish to get rid of it though because I actually like the down time when we put it on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359518 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:28:40 +0000 mediagirl 2359518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LulaBee: right? Some days I just want to throw it out the window. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359517 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:28:17 +0000 LulaBee 2359517@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter only gets to watch tv on the weekends. She often cries when we turn it off. And some Mondays (like this week) she wakes up asking for it then cries all morning when I say no. Makes me want to get rid of the damn thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/crying-for-tv#post-2359465 Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:05:37 +0000 mediagirl 2359465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband picks up our lo and lets her watch TV when they get home. She knows when I get home that we turn the TV off. Last night they got home after I did and she got upset when she saw my car in the garage because she knew it meant I was home and the TV was not coming on. She cried for a half hour about it. </p> <p>I can't take the TV away because I'm not going to tell my husband how to parent but GAH this was so frustrating!! </p> <p>Does anyone else's child cry for the TV or cry if you turn it off? </p>