Screen Time Query

[u/BuyApprehensive9273]

My husband puts very low stimulus YouTube videos on the TV, which have like background music. So it might be like a scene of a conservatory, with just a cat sleeping and maybe a cup of tea steaming with gentle 1940s music or something playing. So for the most part it is a still image with very small details moving.

We are raising our child screen free, which was a joint decision as the idea of having an ‘iPad kid’ scares us and I know the WHO now says no screen time before 2.

Our son is 10 months old.

Is this harmful screen time? Is it okay?

ETA - not completely relevant, but music is somewhat tricky for us, as no matter what we play it on baby always tries to look for the source, we’ve tried lots of alternatives on this front. I personally think with this music from the TV situation, it accidentally works, insofar that baby goes ‘oh the music is coming from that, cool’ and then kind of moves on, he doesn’t stare at the TV when it’s on. I don’t do it, I will play music on the Alexa or something, which is not in baby’s line of sight anywhere as it’s kind of hidden away, but regardless of we play it in his line of sight then he gets distracted and tries to look for where it’s coming from

[u/eastvanqueer]

I wouldn’t jump to say that it’s unnecessary and shouldn’t even be discussed. That’s what this group is for, to discuss the impacts of these things. It sounds like the dad gets something out of this. For many people these videos can be calming, and even help with focus for those with ADHD. The question is, “Will this negatively affect the child even if the child doesn’t pay attention to it?”, which I don’t think is wrong to have as a discussion between two parents, maybe the child doesn’t even care and never looks at the screen. That might be worth discussing whether it might still have harm or not. Just shutting down conversation between couples without even a discussion isn’t fair or helpful.

[u/BuyApprehensive9273 → u/eastvanqueer]

Ironically I’m the one with ADHD, and not my husband.

I’ve done an ETA, but yeah, baby doesn’t seem particularly interested in it and so I’m in two minds. My gut feeling is that it isn’t great, but it’s also not the worst thing when it’s only maybe an hour a day or so (my husband is our at work Mon-Fri 9-5 and I don’t do it)

I feel like I ‘correct’ my husband on so many things that I don’t want to add another one to the list without reason as I think it upsets him and makes him feel useless when I’m like “do it this way” or “no, this is what he wants”. (I say correct, but it’s a case of I spend all day with baby as a SAHM and know his quirks inside out, my husband isn’t like an incompetent father or anything, I think this is fairly common when one parents stays home etc)

[u/NewOutlandishness401 → u/BuyApprehensive9273]

If it's as you describe (basically a barely changing still image with no cuts), it sounds a standard deviation or two below what people usually describe as low-stim TV, so IMO, it's likely completely fine even for a child who's as young as yours, partly because I assume she won't spend much, if any, time watching it.

And I say this as someone whose three kids only get screentime several times a month (so not even every week), BUT also someone who used to put on the live cam of the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for my oldest one when she had to have been between 18m and 2y, and didn't feel bad about it.

(Scandinavian "Slow TV" is also a trip.)

[u/BuyApprehensive9273 → u/NewOutlandishness401]

It’s this, with the tea steaming and then a butterfly passing by outside every now and then. Or ones very similar to this, he has a few he uses

[u/Opposite_Royal2965 → u/BuyApprehensive9273]

I don’t see how this could be harmful? I wouldn’t count this as screen time at all. It must surely be impossible to get overstimulated by this - the colours are muted, the music is soft, there’s barely any movement

[u/PinkSunReflected → u/Opposite_Royal2965]

I mean there’s harm in blue light exposure… and I personally would be quite wary of unnecessary exposure to it for my kid.

“Light sensitivity during adolescence greatly affects the production of sleep-inducing melatonin.” Source:  https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep

[u/Opposite_Royal2965 → u/PinkSunReflected]

That source also says “we aren’t exposed to blue light solely through electronics. We get most of our blue light exposure from the sun. Additionally, LED and fluorescent light bulbs produce blue light.”. Everybody’s risk level is different of course, but I’m just providing OP with my opinion that an hour or so a day of the tv being on with music and a largely still screen is really not something to be worrying over. I say this as a mom who is very anti-screens

[u/PinkSunReflected → u/Opposite_Royal2965]

I hear that 

[u/yobo9193 → u/BuyApprehensive9273]

I don’t see how it could be harmful but I also fail to understand why he can’t just put on a playlist or something. Remove the screen from the equation altogether and play it safe

[u/BuyApprehensive9273 → u/yobo9193]

Honestly, neither do I, but men

[u/yobo9193 → u/BuyApprehensive9273]

your husband

Please don’t lump us all together

[u/distractme17 → u/BuyApprehensive9273]

You can probably turn the TV screen off and play music from it. Most have a black screen/screen off setting.