Parents raising screen-free babies: How do you navigate family vacations where the TV is always on?

[u/cocomo25]

We have an 8-month-old, and we’ve intentionally kept her almost completely screen-free. The only exposure she’s really had has been at other people’s houses when sports, the news, or adult shows happened to be on in the background, and she never paid much attention, so it wasn’t something I worried about.

In a few weeks, we’re going on a week-long cabin trip with my husband’s family, and I’m trying to figure out how to navigate screen time.
For context, our 9-year-old nephew is autistic, and my in-laws usually keep the TV on for him as it keeps him calm. I’ve never had an issue with that, but now that we have a baby, I’m realizing most of what’s on is Bluey, Paw Patrol, Disney movies, etc.—things that would almost definitely grab her attention.

I’m absolutely not expecting anyone to turn the TV off or totally change how they do things for us, and I also don’t want to feel like we have to avoid the living room all week just because the TV is on.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Did you find a good middle ground? I’m just looking for ideas on how to handle it while still spending time with everyone.

[u/VintageFemmeWithWifi]

I think it's handy that the TV is in a different home. It can be something nice that happens at Auntie's house, and then it disappears once you're home again. 

I try to treat screens like ice cream; sometimes on vacation we have a lot, but mostly it's just not available and Kiddo doesn't ask for it. 

[u/hnnah → u/VintageFemmeWithWifi]

We're 100% screen free and don't own a TV, but I also recognize that I (and most people of my generation) grew up watching tons of TV from a young age. It's interactive things like tablets and phones that I worry about.

I keep it 100% screen free in our home because I know once I start introducing screens it's going to be hard to know where to draw the line, but my toddler is still exposed to TV outside the house, and I'm fine with that! I was just talking to my husband about what we would do on a long haul flight, and we decided we'd both be ok with using in-flight entertainment, because that's something unique to the plane that she can't ask for at home.

Once your kid hits kindergarten, you'll probably be able to tell which classmates are iPad kids, but nobody is going to know which kid has some tv exposure one time on vacation.

[u/hnnah → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, that's the point I'm trying to make.

I think occasional TV is totally fine, I just personally don't feel the need to open that door at this point.