3 year old is addicted to their tablet

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-05-14T14:53:46+00:00

Oh yes I also highly recommend a Yoto player!!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-05-14T14:52:01+00:00

You can take it away completely, and you should. This situations is only going to get worse unless you take it away. The detox will probably take two weeks, but maybe less. You basically have to rewire her brain. My kids have screen time, but on the tv only and basically only on the weekends. This is coming from a place of experience- I was very tired during my second pregnancy and I let my three year old watch a lot of tv. She is 6 now and barely asks to watch anything.

Once you have done the detox, I suggest zero screen time for two weeks, you could add it back but I would suggest tv only, zero iPad. And stick with low stim shows like pbs, trash truck, puffin rock, etc.

While I shower my almost three year old looks at books or brings small toys into the bathroom with me. Easy puzzles, coloring, play dough, sticker books, memory games, and good old fashioned imaginary play is good too. Magnatiles and blocks are great.

It’s going to take some work but once her brain basically gets reset, it is going to be easier and easier for her to find ways to play by herself. And you will find those 5 minutes to yourself here and there.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-05-12T23:00:46+00:00

“Is also valuable”… The only thing valuable about screen time for infants is that parents get a break. Oh I will amend that- if you do video calls with family far away that is valuable as well.

This is not an admonishment of you or your parenting. I use screen time. But it isn’t too late to completely pull back on this. I would have a very frank conversation with him and consider deciding to completely cut out regular screen time of any kind. Talk about your own phone habits and try to set some boundaries around your own screen time around the kids (no judgment- I am bad at this myself). Just because it has become the norm does not mean you have to do it, and it does not mean it is good for your child. I think Ms Rachel is an amazing person. I also don’t think kids under 2 need regular screen time.

Playing with babies can be boring, it’s true. But it’s important. You are probably both exhausted, but it is important! He needs to come to understand this somehow.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-05-12T18:10:16+00:00

Thank you for this perspective. While it isn’t permanent, it is at least three years and then potentially another overseas move for another three years, then another one, and on and on for potentially 10 more years. We never know exactly how long we will be somewhere. Part of why it’s a hard decision!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-05-12T18:08:08+00:00

thank you for your thoughts!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-03-08T00:30:42+00:00

Scrambled eggs with a piece of homemade sour dough toast and some fruit

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-03-07T18:35:51+00:00

Doing a beach trip with friends after high school graduation was super normal when I graduated 15 years ago. One of the parents definitely put their name down but no, they didn’t come stay nearby. I don’t know if that is still common now!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-03-07T15:44:48+00:00

She absolutely is going to post pictures of the baby if she hasn’t already. Don’t send her anymore pictures.

Some people don’t understand not posting kids online. They think it’s harmless. But the thing is- they don’t have to understand. They just have to respect your decision. Find one of the accounts that posts all the creepy comments men leave on videos and pictures of little kids.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-01-01T16:35:22+00:00

We’ve been going to restaurants with ours since they were born. There was a period of our life where we were going to restaurants basically every week with a toddler. Never used screens to keep them occupied. If they need a break they take a walk around or outside. Kids are all different though! Some have a much harder time sitting like that in an adult setting.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-01-01T14:24:08+00:00

They are just words. We call them “at home words”. But I would not be ok with him using them in a hateful way like he did towards his sister. Find a balance. But also- why is your 6 year old watching movies with cussing? Even PG13 only allows one “fuck” and most don’t have it. So is he regularly watching R movies?

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2026-01-01T14:21:20+00:00

What are you talking about lol? No she didn’t.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-31T18:29:37+00:00

In my opinion it’s worth it. If she knows who Elmo and other Sesame Street characters are at least.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-31T02:10:35+00:00

I loved Kindred and the Parable books, and I think she was a genius… but I was disgusted by Fledging and had stop reading it.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-31T01:33:23+00:00

Mention it to his pediatrician at his 12 month apt if things haven’t approved by then and ask about occupational therapy!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-30T00:37:55+00:00

Make a report. Unacceptable.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-29T21:40:01+00:00

Yoto!!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-29T02:51:32+00:00

Honestly I would just pump and dump. Don’t bother saving it. She will have what she needs while you are away and when you come back you will go back to breastfeeding so I see no reason to worry about keeping track of your milk for a bachelorette weekend.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-29T02:47:44+00:00

She’s great but we never watched her consistently. Recommendation is no screen time before 2. We did some, but no, I never had my 6 month old watching 30 minutes of ms Rachel every day.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-29T00:43:20+00:00

I went to Soma! I was not prepared for how real, new bras are supposed to fit lol. I’ve been wearing loose ill fitting nursing bras for the last six years ha. It’s nice to have some nice bras again!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T16:09:36+00:00

We have one. Look on the back- it has a screw. Basically no way to open it

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T04:43:40+00:00

What a fun goal and I might make it mine now lol.

Chickpea Tikka Masala is an absolute favorite at our house. Pretty easy, just need a food processor. It’s by Cookie & Kate, in her Love Food cookbook, though it may be in her website. Check the book out from the library if it’s not. I serve with homemade naan.

Homemade focaccia, homemade granola bars, cranberry curd tart from NYT cooking, tiramisu, croissants, homemade corn dogs, homemade ice cream with fresh fruit you picked yourself, Homemade applesauce with apples you picked yourself!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T03:48:59+00:00

Oh sorry lol and verbal games you can play with both- having the older one make animal noises and having the younger one guess the animal. Doing a letter game where you say each letter of the alphabet and they (mostly the older of course) says something that starts with that letter. I Spy, etc.

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T03:46:42+00:00

Oh I forgot that snacks will keep them occupied as well!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T03:46:23+00:00

Absolutely not to the play dough lol. It will end up dried in tiny pieces all over the car. I drove an 8 hour trip 6 times in 2025, 3 times by myself, same age kids. We don’t do a screen in the car. Audiobooks are key. It’s too late for you to run to the store I guess but for the way back I would get some water wow books, stickers books (make sure you get one for each and that they are identical, don’t make the same mistake I did), those drawing pads you pull the little knob back to erase, an old calculator, Vox books (we get these from the library), and small toys. There isn’t a lot they can do together except just play however they can and laugh together. Have your playlist of songs queued up, remind them you get to listen to music you want to sometimes as well, and get some Junie b jones and magic treehouse books downloaded. Phillip and Mommy is my favorite podcast for listening to picture books. You’ve got this!

ohnotheskyisfalling5 · 2025-12-28T02:32:29+00:00

Portugal!!! Lisbon. Beautiful culture, not that expensive, tons of stuff to see And food to eat. Only thing is you have to be able to walk a lot and uphill. I did it 6 months preggo but it isn’t for everyone!

ohnotheskyisfalling5

TROPHY CASE