Sports on TV

Hi V., please remember that studies, advice from experts, statistics, etc, are GUIDELINES, not the Holy Grail, and not a guarantee that if you follow all the 'experts' advice, your children will be perfect. Please remember that NOT following every single currently popular parenting 'rule' does not make you a bad Mom.

In fact, what makes a 'good mom', is a mom who educates herself, then does what works for her own family.

:)

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Just keep it flexible. If they've watched sports on TV all day, then maybe no other TV. Let each day be evaluated as it comes.

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ETA: I would hope that they TRY AND PLAY some of these sports as well. Put it to practical experience. They can bond doing that as well!!

V.:

Bonding time is important...

they also learn a lot by watching sports - sportsmanship, rules, boundaries and so much more!!

Baseball is a "thinking" game - you've got plan on what to do with the ball if it comes to you...there are things about each sport that will teach your child something. And bonding with daddy? I say GO FOR IT!!!

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If bonding with Dad includes watching something healthy like sports on TV, it's all good.

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GO NOLES!!! That's me, we also have, Go Gators, Roll Tide, War Eagle, etc..when football/basketball season is on the TV is on to the games, there is 5 of us & as you can see EVERYONE has their own team pretty much! Soooooo I say, YES! (resoundingly) to watching sports as long as the room is clean, the animals are fed & if it is during the school year HW is done!

Each family is different so I am sure you will get differing answers, but for my family this is it!

Have fun! Happy Monday! GO NOLES!!!

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If anyone at any age sits in front of the TV and its on and they watch it then yes it counts as tv time. Same affect to the body whether you are watching sports or Barney - brain stimulation, reaction to light and sound and 3000+ images per hour flashing before your eyes.

Go L'Astros! Go Texans!

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You're the mom and you know what's best in YOUR family.

To ME, it would absolutely count it as TV time! Sitting on a couch staring at a box is sitting on a couch staring at a box. In our family we watch Jeopardy together every night. THAT counts as TV time even though it's a family bonding thing (and if he doesn't have "screen time" for the evening, he doesn't watch).

I think you're daughter is 3, right? I wouldn't think she needs to spend more than two hours on a passive activity like tv watching.

That being said... don't take away the bonding with Daddy... just skip the other shows on game days :)

HTH
T.

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I think most of us want to limit screen time, be it TV, video games, computer, whatever.
Some people enforce the x number of hours per day rule.
That was always too much work for me! I really didn't want to waste my time trying keep track of hour many hours per day, times three kids.
When the kids were little, their screen time was generally in the morning, after breakfast. I just let them do watch it for however long, until I said ok time to turn it off! Then we'd go to the park or pool, or they would just play outside. Everything stayed off until after dinner when we'd watch our shows together or my son would play video games with daddy.
As long as your daughter gets plenty of fresh air and exercise and creative playtime then don't worry about "counting" the hours, it's not worth it. We may veg on the couch in front of the tube one day, but there are plenty of other days we are out working and playing, so it all evens out in the end :)

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I sure hope not, since we watch every Mavericks and FC Dallas game, every season. My son sat up every night with us last year, to watch the Mavericks win the championship. He was about to turn 2, then. He knows all the players, many of the players on opposing teams, and enjoys the heck out of it.He's got all the t-shirts, and makes sure to wear them on game days. I watched soccer all the time with my dad as a kid. I can tell you those games still mean the world to me. He even coached my soccer teams and practiced with me almost every day. We didn't just watch sports and play. We talked about life, and everything else we could think of. I hope I can give my son the moments my dad gave me. It's silly, for anyone to think it's "just sports." Even now, I will watch games with my dad when I go over.

For the record, my son is VERY active. He spends almost the entire day moving and exercising. We go outside, to the park, on walks, work in the garden, run with the dogs. He is not lacking on activity...ever!!!

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Not in our house but my girls are much older. If we counted sports as screen time during baseball season (and with olympic trials starting) I'd be scared to see our stats!

Sports are family bonding in our house too. It's so much fun, love for the Giants is something we all share and there are a lot of baseball games. Added bonus if the kid actullay plays the sport they're watching, my girls have learned a lot about softball from watching pro baseball.

All that being said I think 2 hours of non-sport TV a day is a lot, when my kids were little it was more like 1/2 and hour screentime and most days none. I would not have your babies around and just let your oldest hang out with Dad. I would also consider cutting down on other TV, especially if there's sports on that day, two hours per day just seems like a lot of time in front of the tube.