What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

My friend has had a DVD player attached to the seat of her car for her DC to watch since he's about 8 months old (he's 2 now). She said it's the only way to keep him quiet...

DD is over 9 months and has never watched TV or a DVD in the car. She plays with a soft toy, we sing/talk with her or she naps.

I don't think it's necessary right now, but when she gets older I wouldn't be against it for a LONG car ride. I wouldn't want it to become a habit though. If you do allow your child to watch a DVD in the car, how do you limit it so they don't want to watch on every single little car ride?

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

DH and I were just talking about this bc we are going to start looking at minivans. We decided no built in TVs/DVD players in the car. Eddie doesnt need to watch TV, nor do I want to listen to him whine about wanting it on when we are just going to the mall.

We decided we will get an aftermarket portable one, and put it in for long car trips and thats it.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

DD just turned one. We bought the DVD players for Christmas but have yet to use them because she is still rear facing. She is totally fine without it so far. She llikes to look out the window and sing/talk to us. And if we are in the car for more than 20 minutes, she falls asleep.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Zach will be 2 and we have managed to be pretty good about TV time with him so far. It's usually just in the morning for 2 quick shows and right between dinner/bath for one quick show.

That being said, we're going to NY in a couple of weeks and I've been debating about bringing a little dvd player 'just in case'. He's usually SO good in the car but recently he's definitely getting tired of the carseat...
Don't know if we can handle 4.5 hours of crank-ness. Every child is different and we've probably been very lucky that he enjoys listening to his baby Bach cd just as much as watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

i wont allow it!!!

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

DD is way too young for it now, but when she is older I think it's ok for really long car rides (like a road trip). I don't want to have to rely on TV in the car at all times.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We have one in our truck for long trips only. We used it to drive to Myrtle Beach and it really helped for the 13 hours drive.

We do not use it usually for regular car rides.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We only use them for long car trips (i.e. when we travel from NC to NY). We do not use it any other time.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

For us, I could see it on long trips somewhere down the road, maybe when DS is 5 or older. I don't have any plans to buy one, but I'm not totally against it either.

DSS is 14 and we have never had a DVD for him either, when we go on longer trips we let him bring his handheld game. We don't always let him bring his game though, I do think imagination is an important part of childhood, I think an hour or two of quiet time looking out the window, observing your surroundings and daydreaming is good for kids too :)

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Right now I wouldn't even bother because DD is only 9 months old. Maybe in a few years and then only for really long car rides- which is very rare anyway.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

I bought one when we were doing our first road trip (6 hours to VA) and it came in handy. DS is not allowed to use it for trips under 1 hour, which is really once in a blue moon. We've gone on a couple of road trips since then and it was definitely a good investment.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We bought a portable for long trips. We drive many times a years 9 hours or so each way with traffic. I found it helpful

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Our minivan came with one installed that flips down. They know it's only for long trips and not to ask, I'll let them know when they can pick out a DVD to bring in the car.

ETA: We do know someone who has a son who is at the far end of the autism spectrum and he watches it all the time in the car, but watching certain shows are literally the only thing that keeps him calm. They bring a portable DVD player to family events for him to watch in the corner. Obviously that's an extreme case.

Message edited 5/25/2010 11:06:34 AM.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

I will probably only allow it on long car rides.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We have portable players, and we only use it for our once a year trip to NJ. For a 3 hour ride, DC really need something to occupy themselves. Otherwise, they'll find something to occupy themselves...

Anything on LI, we never use it.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

I would use it for a long trip, that said, we don't own one and have taken long-ish trips and he was fine.

That said, all kids are different in the car, so if someone really feels that helps their child be comfortable in the car, no skin off my nose, KWIM?

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We are in the market for a new vehicle and do NOT want one... Our kids do just fine with books and toys...

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

I'm not a fan for everyday - but I have no problem with them for long family vacations - where you are driving for several hours in the car. They make the trip go faster.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

we're not into it and that is why we didn't get the video monitors in the minivan last year. i'm not opposed to it for very long road trips, where we will be in the car for hours, but I can get a portable system cheap for that purpose.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

I"m not sure....

Loey doesn't watch any TV yet so of course I want to say we won't have a DVD player... but who knows!

I'm open to the idea of it for long car rides...

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

we don't have one yet, however, if DS was in a "mood" I would have no problem putting it on for him. He's only 7 months old, but sometimes he is a very bad boy in the car because he hates being strapped in to anything. If I had one now, I would probably use it if he was cranky.

Re: What do you think about DVD players in cars for your DC?

We put it on for long rides only.

For shorter rides (<1 hour), we can distract DS with toys and food.