‘I don’t agree with TV for kids – but my sister lets my son watch it for hours’

A woman was left furious after finding out her sister was letting her son watch TV for hours after she’d explicitly told her that there was a ban on screens in her household

Despite the fact that society has made many technological advances, many people don’t like to use technology when it comes to their kids. Whether they like limiting their screen time to an hour a day, or prefer not to let their kids watch TV at all, instead opting for books, it all depends on your personal preference as a parent. You’d hope that how ever you choose to entertain your children, that your family will back you up and support you.

One woman was left baffled and took to Mumsnet to complain about her sister when she realised that when her son had been looked after at her house she’d been letting him watch TV ‘for hours’ – failing to respect her ‘no screen policy’.

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She wrote: “I have a no-screen policy for my one-year-old son. Everyone who watches him i.e. family, childcare, knows this. I’ve recently discovered that my sister has been letting him watch TV for HOURS when he goes over to hers.

“She loves him to bits but why won’t she abide by my rules? Is it really that hard to entertain a child? By the way she’s single, lives alone, and as far as I can tell has no other responsibilities/distractions that would cause her to plonk my son infront of the telly.

“I have now decided she can only see him when I’m around. She’s very upset. My family thinks I’m overreacting. Am I being unreasonable?”

People told the mum that she could be a bit more chilled when it came to screen time and that it wouldn’t do her child any harm to watch some TV occasionally.

One wrote: “Some TV and screen time isn’t going to cause any damage to your child – them losing relationships with those who love them because you have such strict views is far more damaging.

“I have two children now aged 10 and 19. If you monitor screen time at your own house that’s enough. You really need to pick your battles.”

Another said: “If she is doing you a favour by babysitting then you’re being very unreasonable… if your kid is alive, fed, watered, and mostly clean then she’s done a good job!”

“Don’t ruin familial relationships because of ridiculous rules that don’t mean anything”, one fumed.

Someone else said: “Unless you’re paying her to provide childcare then you don’t get to have a tantrum about it. However, if she lied to you about it then she’s being unreasonable too.”

“Breathe my dear. Breathe”, another suggested.

Do you agree with a no screens policy? Let us know in the comments.