Those no screen time mums, HOW DO YOU DO IT? 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m not no screens either now that my son is almost 3. I really think your child’s temperament plays a role in how easy it is to avoid, to be honest. Some kids are much more amenable to helping out with the chores without just making a mess, lol. Also easier if you only have one child, for sure. I had this conversation with a coworker of my husband’s and she was saying her 4 year old only watches occasionally on a weekend or something. But he’s in daycare full time, gets picked up right before dinner and then I assume he doesn’t nap anymore because he has an early bedtime. My toddler goes to bed at 9pm! So it’s such a combination of factors.

Books. Sensory toys. I don’t know. I don’t get chores done 😂😭

My LG is 6.5 months and we’ve had no screen time, but appreciate that this may change as she gets older! I want to try and avoid it as much as possible, but I also don’t really get chores done apart from the bare minimum - laundry (no ironing), hoover, food prep for LG and cooking some meals for me and my partner but not all. We do a full flat clean once a week at the weekend and that’s it! But our place is small so it’s a lot easier

@Mieke we're the same. I don't show my phone screen either. It's so addictive to them. Honestly, even though it's hard, I do think it'll be easier in the long run than trying to pry an iPad out of a toddler's hand 🤣

They genuinely just get used to playing with toys a lot, and they go outside a lot

Put in pack n play / bouncer / activity center / tummy time mat. Just depends on age and how independent they are as far as being able to sit up / crawl ect.

Also I feel like avoiding screen time with a baby and avoiding it with a toddler are two separate conversations.

Mine is pretty amenable to just hanging out. He’s never watched TV unless we have the news or something on but nothing tailored for children (10 months). When I need to clean he crawls around and follows me. When I need to shower he comes in the bathroom with me.

My son is almost 5 he just has toys and books as long as it's toys they have an interest in they'll play with them

Mine has buckets and buckets of books, and he also likes to help with whatever I'm doing so my activities are his activities. Takes longer to do things but the point is time spent together, and things do get done. They don't know the difference between play and chores so 😅

I have a 13 month old and we don’t do screens at all. He’s very into his books and will ask me to read the same one over and over. We usually don’t get chores done until he’s down for the night but if there’s a load of washing I need to do I try to involve him as much as possible. He enjoys taking clothes out and putting them back in the washing machine. Loves pressing the buttons on it and loves messing with the oven dials which is handy for when I need to distract him when cooking. If I’m doing something in the kitchen the Melissa & Doug animal magnets are great at keeping him busy as well. Shower wise my partner works from home so he usually watches him while I shower but if he’s not home the baby just hangs out in the bathroom while I shower. I’ll bring in a few toys and he’ll usually spend most of his time throwing them into the bathtub while I try to dodge them. Everything takes a bit longer trying to keep him entertained while trying to get things done but it’s worth it for me

I involve them in what I'm doing. So dishes I let my 2.5 year old play with a brush in the water in the plastic cups or tumblers (essentially anything that can't break I leave for last to wash). He's actually learning how to wash dishes. My 7 month old i put her high chair close to the sink so she can be at our height and I give her frozen fruit in a teether and she just chills.

We’ve done no screen time yet for our almost 2 year old. It is harddddd work!!! But since screens weren’t an option, your kid just gets used to it because they have to. At first I basically cooked in very short spurts - like cut veggies for 2-3 minutes and then tend to the baby if needed. Then go back and forth. Now that he’s 23 months old he can last longer by himself but still not long. Now I say “Mama is cooking dinner so you’ll have to play by yourself for a bit”. For showering, I bring a few toys into the bathroom and he plays for 5-10 min with me talking or singing to him. He can entertain himself with a train, car, or even a few balls in a bucket. When you let them have screen time, I think their whole perception of entertainment gets messed up. They need more stimulation to be happy so maybe playing with a ball seems boring to them. I don’t know but just something I’ve thought.

my LO is about to be 8 months, how it’s been working for me to do chores is i incorporate her in whatever i’m doing. She likes to hang around me so when i do dishes/cleaning/cooking in the kitchen we will put toys for her in the kitchen. she will crawl around me and likes to check out what i’m doing. Basically i just let her hangout around me + i encourage her to explore the area i’m in & provide her with toys.

We go out most days to groups and meetups so I’m rarely ever home during the day. When I am, I involve him or he’s next to me in whatever I’m doing. Since we didn’t have a playpen he has access to the whole house. Sometimes you’ll find him behind a door playing w a household item and he can sit there for ages. Or he watches the washing machine go round and round and helps me put clothes in and take them out 😂 he’s got all this outdoor play area too. 14foot tramp, pikler triangle set, water and sand play, scooter and bike. Plus we don’t have live tv- never hooked up the antenna. So if we do ever watch I actually have to type it up on YT/NF

My kids don’t have a lot of screen time but tbh I don’t see the big deal as long as they aren’t stuck to it all day, it’s not affecting they’re lives in a negative way, And there’s a good balance. The absolute no screen time is a bit silly really to me because they will grow up go to school and use a screen regardless. All my daughters homework is now on screens, it’s jus the world we live in.. people work and learn on screens now.

I’m no screen time mum too. I wasn’t always but past few months became no screen time again. Lots of activities colours , crayon, paint. I don’t really get much time to do anything else tbh. My son does play on his own too with his cars and stuff. Books lots of books

@Loulou It's not "silly"; there is a valid reason some mums choose not to. The idea isn't 'no screens for life' lol. It's to protect their cerebral, chemical, and emotional development when they're at a tender age. They will learn to use it when older at school but have no need of it as babies or toddlers. You don't have to do it this way - the post was asking about people that do - but you're wrong to call it silly.

@Zara I didn’t call anyone silly personally I called mums putting so much pressure on themselves to do things a certain way and beating themselves up that make no difference in the long term. I did say as long as they aren’t stuck to it all day.. a small amount of screens will make absolutely no difference to a babies brain development. I do apologise also as I didn’t see this was a first time mums group, the post just popped up.

@Loulou Just because you yourself think it's hard, doesn't make it "silly" for someone else (regardless of whether you're referring to the mothers or the decision), especially first time mums who are more likely taking their guidance from the most recent expertise and latest research, and are content with their decision. I appreciate you're content doing things your way according to what convinces you - that's great; I would never call it "silly", or chime in on a post asking for baby tv recommendations to say "I think screen time is silly". I mean absolutely no ill will to you, just think you shouldn't have said "silly" - it is condescending.

@Zara hmm I’m thinking you’ve misunderstood what I said because I never said I find it “hard” nor did I say screen time is silly. I tried to say it’s not as important as most mums beat themselves up about it constantly and was silly to worry about it.

@Loulou you should edit your comment if that is what you want it to say, but that isn't at all what you wrote.

@Zara haven’t edited my first comment at all.. take a look at it and you shall see what I actually said