I get email updates from JuiceBoxJungle (right sidebar) that can sometimes bring up an interesting and/or controversial topic. This weeks topic is TV in the car.
Honestly, I did not even think this would be controversial! I never thought twice about letting my little one watch a movie in the car. That said, he never did until we bought a DVD player for a long trip. My family lives 6.5 hours away (meaning an 8 hour trip with kids).
He does not watch TV in the car unless the trip is a long one. Mainly because I do not want to have to set up and take down the player.
So is this a controversial topic? Do any of you have a problem with kiddos watching TV in the car? I can see the benefit of staring out the window to a point… but then again, I do not stare out the window the entire time. And, time seems to go so much slower for kids. The radio, car games, coloring books, etc can only go so far.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
We do not do it in the car. They watch plenty tv in the house…I would much rather have special car toys, have conversations(between here and dinner sometimes it seems its all we get)…I also time our trips around nap time so maybe that is why its not a big deal for me to say no
I prefer to let them watch on long trips, but my husband will gladly pop in a movie on a 15 minute drive. Drives me nuts, but everyone's happy and content. We're planning a drive from IA to TX and I recently purchased the Tag pen for my 3 1/2 year old. HOpe she enjoys that! Might have to get my 2yr old his own Junior one. Good deal on the Tag pen right now – Target for $39.99, $5 coupon, plus $5 Target web coupon, final cost $29.99.
When we bought our van, we specifically looked for a vehicle WITHOUT a t.v. They watch enough of it at home already, and I didn't want it to constantly be there. I know people who's kids need to have it on to run two blocks to the grocery store…not necessary. On the hand though, I wish I had it for long trips. That would be nice! 😉
Nap time trips are the best! We do not get them that often – my son fights sleep in the car. We have left to go back to IL (where my family lives) as late as 5 or 6 PM and he will stay awake the entire time (usually we get to grandma's around 2AM).
One trip we stopped at Walgreens (the only 24 hour place we could find) and just walked around the store for a half hour because he was so upset. That was around midnight, LOL. I think the staff though we were crazy.
The player has definitely helped that…
Oh, and I found a tag on sale at Toys R Us last night – only $29.99 for the regular one. It wasn't in the normal section, it was in the discount/clearance section so if you are still looking then try your Toys R Us 🙂
Oh, and I wanted to add that about 90% of the time the videos he watches in the car are "learning" ones. I bought him a whole set of reading videos before one of the trips and other than that he watches Signing Times and Letter/Word factory.
I don't know if that makes a difference or not… but it did make me feel better about letting him watch videos for so long.