How much is too much?

Hey everyone,I'm just wondering how much time you and your children spend watching tv? We are quite bad for having it on all the time and often no-one is really watching it; we'll wander off out into the garden or be doing other things. I don't want my children to grow up sitting in front of the box all the time but on the other hand it is useful to keep them amused if I'm washing up or something.
Do any of you have limited tv time for your kids or do you watch it alot? I sometimes feel bad for not sitting and actually doing things with them more of the time,but there are always so many chores to do.

I know what you mean about leaving it on in the background hun. We noticed Charlotte would put the TV on and then wander off and play so we now make a concious effort to switch it off if we go to do something.

Maybe put a bit of music on instead or play some nursery rhymes so you can join in with the kids while washing up, I've done this a couple of times when the kids are cranky and I found it entertained them well.

I think that as long as they aren't sat in front of it all day then it should be fine. Charlotte watches a bit of tv with us in a morning in bed. She will watch some in the afternoon too, tbh she prefers to play anyway which is good.

im the same hunni i always have mine on but hardly ever watch it the kids only watch it when they get bored of playing and want to sit down for a bit but its always on in the background i think its just habit x

omg im the same since kieran was born, he loved the tv it would keep him quiet and relaxed.he loves the music channels too, when he was a baby there was this one song that would come on and he would glue his eyes too the tv until it was over. it was funny but now he dances to the music lol we have play house disney on all the time for him and with one of the cartoons he would copy what they would do because he has seen it so many times, so what i am tryin to say is he has lernt so much from watchin play house disney, but i do feel really bad cus i read a child should only watch half hour of tv a day, but even that cant be right if he did cut down. because i put it on in the mornin for him to watch while i get ready and he likes to watch it b4 he goes to bed 'bear in the big blue house'lol xxx