So okay, maybe this is not the right place for it, but it's the only one I could find. Hopefully someone can give me an advice, because I'm kinda torn...

So my son is 2 years old. Pretty wild child. He loves to watch 'Dora the Explorer' and 'Go, Diego, Go'. And there is the problem... he is kinda obsessed with Dora, a bit too much for my taste. He's awake 4 - 5 hours in the morning before he goes to sleep after lunch. Within this time Dora is always on TV. He doesn't always look, most of the time we are playing or he's playing alone, but when I turn Dora off and he notices it he starts screaming...

I don't think that's right for such a small child... I mean it's good that he hears the english language (we're from germany) this way and I cought him trying to speak some of the words too. Yesterday he said 'up'. I know, nothing special, but he doesn't talk much, maybe 6 or 7 words. So I'm jealous when he says something new...

But like I said, I'm torn. I know he loves this show, he interacts often when they ask the children to do so. Dora and Diego are shows from 0 years up, so I don't think it's dangerous for him to see them. There is no violence and he's always so happy when he sees something new, an animal or anygthing else. And when he points at something and it's right he laughes. On the other hand he always wants to watch it...

I don't know what to do, really. I don't want to make him sad when I forbid him to see the shows, but I don't want him to be a couch potato either :( I'm thinking of letting him watch an hour in the morning and one in the afternoon, tried it once now but it was... well... a pretty loud situation Dx

What you said about going out sounds pretty good. I will definately try this (I would do today but it's so rainy and stormy outside ._.). Most of the time when we are outside he doesn't think about it... the only problem with treat and reward is that he doesn't understand this concept right now, but I'll try this too. He just won't get and more Dora when he is screaming for it. That could work ^

That's a very good idea! And he doesn't watch any other tv show, only those two, so I think it's not that bad. I'll try this tomorrow, watching one or two episodes and then going outside. Hopefully he'll work with me xD

My little sister is four years old, when she was about 2-3 she was obsessed with Dora and Diego, she owned 90% of the episodes on DVD in fact. She always wanted to watch it, and got cranky if we turned it off even if she wasn't watching. (The 'I don't want it unless you take it away' approach that most children do XD).

So what we started doing (me and my mom) is turning the channel as Dora came on, or Diego, and simply saying that Dora/Diego wasn't on that day. She didn't believe us at first, but eventually she started watching other shows and we managed to get her outside more often and she started liking the show less and less.

Now, if I could get her to not like Spongebob... ^_^'''

I know it seems like lying to the child, and in reality it is, but sometimes it's for the best. Watching too much TV can't be good for them. I like Holi's ideas too, though. (:

I've got two of my own, and my two neices live with us.. it's quite a struggle to get them away from the TV sometimes :P

Now, we follow the rule that if they get up early, they can watch TV until 9.. and then they're a bit bigger, 5,4,3 and 1.5, so they can get to watch when it's "naptime". (Well, the big two can, the little ones ACTUALLY nap).

I love that they're speaking spanish, and learning things about animals, or learning about Science on Sid the Science Kid, but it's not good to always have it on.

Have you tried getting a Dora CD? I know they make them. And then you can play that during playtime instead of having the TV on.

Dora CD? That's a good idea... I really have to see if they are available in german too, that would be good. Maybe this could help to get him away from TV more often ^_^;

, I actually tried that but sadly my son KNOWS that we got Dora on DVD, so it doesn't matter for him if it's on TV or not Dx I really think I'll try out giving him certain times when he is allowed to watch it and that's it. He'll be very cranky and loud I know, but hopefully someday he will learn it.

I wouldn't worry to much about it, honestly. Kids that age are creatures of comfort and habit. If watching Dora makes him feel safe and happy, why ruin a good thing? Eventually, he'll grow out of it. In the meantime, the show is teaching him English and the interactive parts will help him think. Once he's old enough for pre-school, he'll be more entertained by playing with the other kids and he'll lose interest in Dora.

When I was his age, I was obsessed was Jem and the Holograms. :P

He'll actually most likely only be cranky for a day or two- a week at the most. I went through the same thing when I decided to start limiting TV.. but you kind of HAVE to do it.

Now with my (almost) four year old, it's a big thing for her choosing between TV time and computer time :P

That sucks. XD Becca knows we have the DVDs now but if we say no after a bit of crankiness she ignores it. I usually offer a special dinner if she doesn't watch Spongebob or Dora or whatever is on. I'll tell her 'If you don't watch Dora and we go fly your kite, I'll make ____ (whatever she's loving at the moment)' and usually that works. Bribary? Yes. But it works XD

Bribing is a bood idea Mac xD Hopefully that will work ^_^

Mieke: That's kinda true. We had that before with something else and after one or two weeks it was fine.

Magus, I really hope that xD And I hope he is way nicer to other children then he is to us and his toys lol

XD Ty, I hope for your sake it does. I know how... horrible... it can be to have to watch cartoons and have a kid obsess over them. That's why I'm limiting TV time when I have my own, like, extremely. No Dora, we'll go fly kites. If they don't like kites, tough. lmao!

Good luck though really (:

Um... I'm not trying to judge your parenting, and I know it's hard, but you have to let your child that you make the decisions. You have to be firm and not back down. Your child can't get everything he wants in life and if they don't learn it early they will be a couch potato. And spoiled.

I hope I'm not sounding too harsh here. Good luck :)