This Mom Found a Brilliant Way to Break Her Toddler's TV 'Addiction' & It's Going Viral
For parents, screen time can be both a lifesaver and the bane of our existence. When you're trying to quickly prepare dinner, the TV can provide the perfect distraction to keep kids out of your hair. But when your kid is waking you up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday demanding to watch Micky Mouse Club House, it becomes a problem. While trying to drastically cut her toddler's screen time, this mom may have stumbled upon the perfect solution.
In a viral Reddit post, the mom claims her 2-year-old had become a "TV addict."
She says she began using TV to keep him occupied early in the morning, and things escalated from there. Soon, the little boy was begging to watch TV constantly and dissolving into meltdowns whenever his mom refused. The mom shares that she was determined to cut her son's screen time. "Every day I would say 'tomorrow morning, no more TV,'" she wrote in her post. But the prospect of dealing with constant tantrums was too exhausting, causing her to fold every time.
Her luck changed when the television remote started "getting lost." After a while of looking, the 2-year-old gave up and went about his day. This went on for multiple days, with the little boy becoming a little upset before finding something else to occupy him every time.
More from CafeMom: The 1 Big Reason Kids' Social Skills Are Regressing
The mom says the change in her son has been amazing. "I thought without TV he would be constantly clingy but it seems to be the opposite, he explores the flat, plays with the cat and his toys. We didn't need it after all!"
The revelation astonished many parents in the Reddit thread.
Honestly, we were pretty floored too.
The next time your kid gets a little too swept up in Daniel Tiger, you'll know exactly what to do.
More from CafeMom: Thanks for Nothing, Daniel Tiger -- You've Taught My Kids to Be Ridiculous
Just hide the remote, put a few toys in front of him or her, or suggest that the cartoons need a little break. You shouldn't feel guilty for having to get a little dramatic to make sure your kid's brain doesn't turn into mush.