I am M41 and have a son who is M6. I have posted before about how he is quite sensitive and cries a lot.
Whenever he cries, he will ask for TV to calm him down. I am wondering whether it is wise to give him TV. I worry lest he learn that the way to handle unpleasant emotions is to distract yourself from them with (relatively mindless) entertainment. That doesn't sound like a great emotion management habit... but on the other hand, it might be good enough at his age.
For example, today there was a miscommunication with a friend's family. He thought his friend was giving him some toys, which was apparently not what the other kid meant. When my little guy was told that he could not take the toys home, he cried for a while, and it took TV to calm him down.
I would like advice. Is it fine to give him TV when he cries? And what alternatives can you suggest?
Thanks in advance!
What's the TV policy at your home in general?
If you're otherwise restricting screen time, but when he's crying you make an exception, you might have accidentally incentived him to cry... which isn't to say that he's doing it intentionally... Just that a real comfortable pattern has been established.
Everyone has a parenting scheme, so take anything you hear with a grain of salt...
But, I think it'd maybe be worth considering just cutting TV entirety for a little while? See how it goes? Probably a rough few days but you'll both find a new normal. If you're digging the new normal, keep it up. If not, go back.