Morning Screen Time Question

Yes, my 2 year old asks for the iPad as soon as he comes down...but I say "no." He does get to use it about 30 min/day while I am chopping veggies for dinner.

My 4.5 yr old plays with my hubby's iPhone a few times a week at night, again about 30 min before he goes up for his nightly bath.

I also hand over my phone to let them scroll through pics when I need a brief distraction for them while I make a phone call, etc.

They get regular tv time too--usually it is Caillou (ugh-I am so sick of him), or something from Disney (Mickey, Little Einsteins or Phinneas & Ferb) or Sprout/PBS Kids.

If (and that's a big "if"!) my son is up early enough, has eaten breakfast & is ready to go (dressed to shoes, hair combed, face washed & teeth brushed) early, he can play iPad or Wii, etc in the morning. I don't have a problem with that.

The kids get to play anything they want at our house. IF they are dressed. And IF they've eaten their breakfast. And IF they've brushed their teeth, washed their face, brushed their hair, put their shoes on, redied their backpacks, etc. Once they've got that all done, they're free to play on the computer, DS, whatever they want. That usually leaves about 10 minutes of screen time before walking out the door. It's marvelously stress free.

Yes but I make them go over thier spelling words or notes for the upcoming test on friday and then they can watch TV. No computers is our home until after school.

I'm leery of EMFs transmitting from our cell phones so no, our daughter doesn't play on my phone. We don't have an IPad and our daughter is not allowed to watch TV before school.

My girls like to do paint or sketch programs on there dads phone. That keeps em busy, then its games on the Fisher price computer thingy (I am not tech saavy). Then PBS cartoons for 1 hour. THEN Mom puts her foot down and no more technology till after dad gets home around 6 pm. Its outside, or down stairs play time with toys, books, neighbor kids, and play ground.

We set the timer for 30 minutes. He gets 1 session on school days after school, and 2 sessions on days off and summer. School mornings are "unplugged" time for us, otherwise he would be really late!

Greg gets screen time because he gets up, gets dressed and eats breakfast - my kids must be ready to walk out the door (shoes on and teeth brushed as well) before they can turn on the TV, computer or XBOX.

Nicky - he typically doesn't get ANY because it takes him 15 minutes to wake up and he can barely eat breakfast...he is SOO not a morning person!!

I let them play on my phone when we are at a doctor's office or someplace where they need to be calm and not jumping off the walls...don't have an iphone or an ipad.

Not too bad with that but the TV and cartoons is the issue. We limit TV now that my DD is in school Way too distracting.

They are not allowed on my phone in the morning because I need that battery to last all day!! :)

I put the tv on as an alarm for my kids - they get to watch it while they eat breakfast then it goes off - one programs worth, we watch Martha speaks on PBS, from 6.30 - 7 every morning. The kids know when they hear the tune, it's time to get up, easier than screaming GET UP a zillion times.
If my son is completely ready way before we leave, he can play his DS a little bit.

As a kid I grew up watching cartoons in the morning, normally before my father got up, helped keep me occupied early. My son never watches tv in the morning. When he would get up at 6am (last year), and wouldn't go back to sleep and we were exhausted, we would let him watch for a while, but other than that, we now we always make breakfast together or cuddle in bed in the mornings. I have found that if you don't give it to them much, they won't ask for it. He rarely asks for my tablet or to play video games, because he is only allowed to in special circumstances (tablet in the car on long road trips, games with dad only).

Also, I noticed my son was having a lot of behavior issues recently (talking back, whining, complaining, tantrums, which he never normally does), we cut out tv for a few days (he wasn't watching much as it was, maybe an hour a day), and that totally helped. Now he watches maybe a movie or hour of tv twice a week. TV and other electronics can really mess them up, even in small amounts.

they always want to. we dont turn on anything unless they are all ready for the day. even then they usually want to play toys (but mine are 3 and 6 yo)

We don't have an Ipad or phone that plays games. However, we do have a Wii and the regular ol' TV. I have told my son that he may play video games or watch TV IF he is dressed, has eaten, has his teeth brushed, face washed, and his backpack ready, and I have made his lunch. He hardly ever gets to watch TV. LOL
L.

My Kindergarten age son is the only morning person in the house. He is allowed computer time only if dressed and ready--but he will totally cheat on this if not watched. He can have an hour of computer time after school.

What I've found is some types of screen time in the morning don't interfere with my kids getting ready for school, but other types HAVE been a problem, so I have banned SOME types of screen time on an as needed basis. Here is where things stand right now.

12 year old, No basement family room TV time before school. When we allowed this, she just got lazy and falls back asleep or doesn't get anything ready until the last minute, then she is almost late, panicing and forgetting things. Watching some PBS in the kitchen or while eating breakfast, OK. No Netfix anytime during the school week. No Wii on school mornings. No cell phone until she is 100% ready to walk out the door for school, including all her things she needs in her backpack, teeth brushed, socks and shoes on, glasses on, breakfast eaten.

9 year old, PBS on in the ktichen/dining room while she is making or eating her breakfast has been OK. No netflix anytime during the school week. No using my personal laptop in the morning, so no Webkinz, no Club Penguin. No Wii games either. When she is 100% ready to walk out the door, she can have her Ipod Touch (this is usually only about 10-15 minutes) but only for games, not shows. And it does not go to school, ever.

My kids are generally pretty good about my rules because if they know if they behave they can watch Netflix kids shows on Fri and/or Sat night. If they have a fit, they have that privilege removed.

My DD gets a half hour with the iPad in the morning to play one of her educational games. It's a great way for me to get ready and now where she is at the same time.