Lately I’ve been feeling really concerned about how much TV my kids are watching. My oldest especially seems glued to the screen and I’ve noticed that he’s not interested in other activities anymore. When I try to set limits it’s like a switch flips he gets so irritable and upset. I don’t want to be the mean dad but I also don’t think this much screen time can be good for him. How do you all manage this? How much TV is too much? Any tips for setting limits without meltdowns?
Honestly, this is so hard. We struggled with the same thing, my daughter would act out every time we tried to cut back on TV. It was like she didn’t know what else to do with herself. We had to go cold turkey for a few days, and omg it was brutal at first. But over time she found other things to do, and her mood improved. Maybe a bit less screen time will help your son, too. Stay strong, you’re not alone in this!
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I hear you on the irritability when setting limits. We had the same struggle every time I’d turn off the TV it felt like I was declaring war. I finally sat down with my son and told him how I was feeling that the TV was making me grumpy too, and that we needed to find a better balance together. It didn’t solve the issue overnight but it helped him see that it wasn’t just about rules. It’s still a work in progress, but things are a bit better now.
Thanks, everyone for the advice and support. I like the idea of setting a screen schedule—might make things feel more predictable for him. And maybe if we can make other activities more exciting, it’ll help him transition away from the TV without a fight. I’ll try some of these ideas and see how it goes. Really appreciate you all!