Unplugging the TV

[Jenna]

I was curious about parents who have decided to not have a television on, whether for certain parts of the day or all the time.

In the time that we've been living with my husband's relatives, there has never been a time when the television has just been off. I don't have any control over this, but things are going to change shortly. When we move into our new home, I have to decide what to do about the situation. I know that we'd all be better off if we found other ways to entertain ourselves during the day. So, I was thinking about unplugging the tv during the day.

Now, I'm not sure how to handle this with my little one. She's used to watching lots of tv, because there is a tv in every room by the bathroom and kitchen. I'm kind of afraid that she's going to have a massive meltdown if I start cutting down her tv time till next to nothing. I still plan on letting her watch a cartoon show in the morning while I make breakfast, and probably a show in the evenings. So, that makes about an hour of television, maybe 2. I almost feel guilty though, knowing that she really just gets board because she doesn't have any siblings to play with, and she isn't going to have any friends at our new house, at least not right away.

What worked best for you and your family, when it came to limiting tv time?

 

[~ Gig ~]

I started by giving her another option. Read, make a craft, or just go outside. Now she's to the point she'll watch for 30 mins to a hour and she's bored with the tv.

 

[jenptcfan]

With a young child, if you keep her busy, she probably won't miss the TV. Of course it'll take a lot of time and energy from you, but she will learn a lot more if she's "helping" you cook dinner, helping plant flowers outside, helping decorate her new room, etc. than if she's watching TV.

 

[Blindfaith316]

I did this same thing Jenna! My kids are 5 & 3, when they were 4 & 2, they both had TV's and VCR's in their bedrooms (we had one in our bedroom too) one in the living room, and I was even considering getting a TV in the kitchen...

well, all of a sudden the Lord convicted me that this wasnt what he wanted for my family. So I got rid of all but 2 TV's. The TV in our bedroom is only used on 'special occassions' like when someone is sick, they get to lay down in mommy and daddys bed and watch movies... or when the boys are downstairs watching football, I take my daughter (5) upstairs for a girl's day and we watch a favorite movie.... so our hair, paint our nails, etc.

At first I thought I would go crazy... they knew how to turn it on! I had to unplug it for about a week... They got adjusted to less than an hour of TV fairly easily., they play more games now, puzzles, crafts, playing outside, they do more drawings (who knew blank paper and crayons were so interesting...hehehe) and we spend more time together as a family.

because they are homeschooled, we are busy all day long during the week, and so the TV isnt even thought of, at night, with dinner and baths and bedtime and them spending time with Daddy, they dont think much about it either! (rainy saturdays are the worst, like today for instance, I let them have a special movie day because its pouring and everbody isnt feeling so well.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

We have a television but my six year old son only watches an hour or two every few days. Occasionally, we'll let him watch a video (i.e. Disney, Veggie Tales although he's growing out of those, or some other video). I never make television a reward and he never expects to watch it every day. When he does watch television, I always choose channels without commercials since I think commercials make kids bratty (always begging for stuff) and are often worse than the shows. I look "boomerang" because it is commercial free and has many of the cartoons hubby and I watched as children.

My daughter is 15 months and does not watch tv at all because, well, why would a baby or toddler need tv? My father-in-law gave us the Baby Einstein DVDs and I got rid of them. What a waste of time that is. Babies get a lot more use out of adult interaction than they do dumbly staring at a tv screen with a picture of a plastic duck.

Can you tell I am biased against tv? Don't get me wrong, I watch tv. I like classic movies, news channels and TLC but, in our home, our television is off far more than it is ever on.

 

[Blindfaith316]

ours too! I have to say tho, that Veggies is a great alternative to actual television, biblical values and stories. My kids love 'em!

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

ours too! I have to say tho, that Veggies is a great alternative to actual television, biblical values and stories. My kids love 'em!

I love Veggie Tales and am often singing the silly songs. I am sad that my son is outgrowing them, but when my daughter is about two, I'll try them out on her and see if she likes them. Great, I was just thinking about the songs and now I keep singing "I can't believe it's Christmas" over and over...yikes!

 

[Vegeta7286]

I'm not a parent, but I saw this on the main page and I have been TV free for about a year. Awhile back I thought to myself "Why am I wasting this time watching this ****..." So I set out to stop watching TV, it was hard at first so I had to totally disconnect it and put it in the closet. After about a month I was free from the feeling "I wish I could watch the news or the simpsons". Now I have my TV set back up with just a VCR and DVD player hooked up to it and every now and then I'll treat myself to a movie.
I honestly believe there is nothing on TV worth watching, big waste of time when you could bedoing something useful. Now if only I could shake this internet addiction.

 

[Blindfaith316]

I love Veggie Tales and am often singing the silly songs. I am sad that my son is outgrowing them, but when my daughter is about two, I'll try them out on her and see if she likes them. Great, I was just thinking about the songs and now I keep singing "I can't believe it's Christmas" over and over...yikes!

ohh sorry!!! My in laws bought my kids the cd's for the car...MAN can I love my lips get annoying! My kids favorite song is from Rack Shack Benny, "Stand up stand up for what you believe in, believe in, GOD, hes the one to back you up, will stand with you...."

now, THATS cute... (and its stuck in my head! )

 

[lucypevensie]

We started a new rule a couple months ago that they may not watch TV if their rooms are messy (They're 5 and almost 7). They know the difference between a messy room and a clean room. There have been several days in a row that they can't watch TV because it's just not worth the hassle (to them) of having to tidy up their rooms. The great thing about this new rule is that their rooms stay much cleaner. And surpisingly enough, they watch less TV than before. They discovered other fun things to do on those days when the TV was off-limits.

 

[alaskamolly]

We just don't hook the TV up. Actually, in our new home, we didn't even put up an antennae!


We have a moniter and a VCR/DVD player. That way whatever we watch is something we have TOTAL control over.

Going to no-TV is tough to do at first (we decided when we got married to dump television programming altogether), but you'll NEVER regret it once you get past the first couple months of adjusting!

Whenever we're at a hotel or something and I watch tv for a minute, I am always SHOCKED at what's on that thing. It's amazing how, when you don't see it for a looooooooong time, you aren't so desensitized to it and you can see it for what it really is. My husband now calls it, "The Programmer."

In our home, WE want to be the Programmers, not the box!

Here's a hilarious-but-sobering 'poem' from Michael Pearl (of http://www.NoGreaterJoy.org (which is a really cool site, by the way!)...

---------------------------------------------------------

A modern Psalm taken from “The New International Unchristian Perversion.”


[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]“The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want anything else. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif][/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]It maketh me to lie down on the sofa. It leadeth me away from the Scripture. It destroys my soul. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif][/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]It leadeth me in the paths of sex and violence for the sponsors sake, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will enjoy the evil, for blood and sex they excite me. [/font][font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]It’s cable and remote they comfort me. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif][/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]It prepares a commercial before me in the presence of my children. It anoints my head with humanism, My coveting runneth over. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif][/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow my family all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.”[/font]
[font=Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif]But don’t worry parents, as you know, the TV doesn’t have any influence on the children of parents who don’t want it to influence them. That’s why the sponsors only advertise products you have already decided to buy.[/font]

 

[MashadaR]

Hey everyone:

I have mixed feelings about Television. I truely do. I enjoy TV to a certain extent...but that's about it. Some strategy reality shows entertain me immensely...the Apprentice...and (don't flame me) the Newleyweds, and the Sureal Life. I love TLC with all the trading spaces, while you were out, and CLEAN SWEEP!

I am currently at work and watched an hour of pointless garbage on tv. A lot of it is really really bad! I see how bad television is today and wonder what it's going to be like when my daughter turns 6 (4 yrs from now) ... and my youngest (6 months) once she starts paying attention to television. I don't want my kids prone to any garbage out there. Hehehe - and I do agree with that one post where kids see commericals and start the "i want" phase.

After watching TV just now, I thought about getting rid of cable altogether and just have whatever comes in on the antenna (local channels). I'm unsure how my wife will feel about this though. Getting rid of cable will also get rid of cable internet - but we could always go back to dsl. I'm unsure what to think about this subject...but I just think TV is very full of garbage, and am afraid for my kids later in the years at how much more trashy it becomes.

PLUS! I know school is going to be bad enough...but TV (subconciously) TEACHES children, you must be this way to be accepted...to have this line of clothing...to look this size...etc. I go to the mall and look at the teenagers that are there with their friends (not LOOK, but you know) and notice that the majority of them wear the same type of style and clothing! What a bunch of sheep! I want my daughters to be comfortable and confident in who they are, how they look and how beautiful they are inside and out...not analyzing if they're up on the latest trends, etc. I know it's hard for kids though...I was a trend follower once I hit my junior year in high school...but as I turned into adulthood, I decided...ugh....who cares? There is more to life.

I know these are scattered thoughts...... I'll shut up now...(or how we say it when the children are present....)I'll HUSH now.

 

[Vegeta7286]

Hey everyone:

I have mixed feelings about Television. I truely do. I enjoy TV to a certain extent...but that's about it. Some strategy reality shows entertain me immensely...the Apprentice...and (don't flame me) the Newleyweds, and the Sureal Life. I love TLC with all the trading spaces, while you were out, and CLEAN SWEEP!

I am currently at work and watched an hour of pointless garbage on tv. A lot of it is really really bad! I see how bad television is today and wonder what it's going to be like when my daughter turns 6 (4 yrs from now) ... and my youngest (6 months) once she starts paying attention to television. I don't want my kids prone to any garbage out there. Hehehe - and I do agree with that one post where kids see commericals and start the "i want" phase.

After watching TV just now, I thought about getting rid of cable altogether and just have whatever comes in on the antenna (local channels). I'm unsure how my wife will feel about this though. Getting rid of cable will also get rid of cable internet - but we could always go back to dsl. I'm unsure what to think about this subject...but I just think TV is very full of garbage, and am afraid for my kids later in the years at how much more trashy it becomes.

PLUS! I know school is going to be bad enough...but TV (subconciously) TEACHES children, you must be this way to be accepted...to have this line of clothing...to look this size...etc. I go to the mall and look at the teenagers that are there with their friends (not LOOK, but you know) and notice that the majority of them wear the same type of style and clothing! What a bunch of sheep! I want my daughters to be comfortable and confident in who they are, how they look and how beautiful they are inside and out...not analyzing if they're up on the latest trends, etc. I know it's hard for kids though...I was a trend follower once I hit my junior year in high school...but as I turned into adulthood, I decided...ugh....who cares? There is more to life.

I know these are scattered thoughts...... I'll shut up now...(or how we say it when the children are present....)I'll HUSH now.

You can still get cable internet without cable TV...where I live you can anyway. Same cable, two different things.

 

[NancyMomof2]

Our in-laws are like this too. It's a tricky situation. We let our kids choose one show a day to watch. They can watch each other's shows which makes 2 shows total for the day. It works for us. That doesn't count for 'movie' time. I sometimes put on a DVD for them when I am so tired and need a break.

 

[Jenna]

I see the value in having television, but not all programming. My husband and I watch things like the news, political shows, health programs, design shows on TLC, and the Discovery channel when they aren't going all evolution on us. I'm very particular about what I want to watch though, and commercials really do get on my nerves. Really, why would I want to explain to my daughter about what a 4 hour erection is? Why would I want to have a talk with my 3 year old about genital herpes and WHY the people on the commercial are so 'bothered' by the condition? Yuck.

I just want us to have more time to be productive. I want us to do more things together, get more work done, have more GOOD playing time. I want us to interact with each other and not just vegitate in the general vicinity of each other. I want my daughter to be better at kicking a ball than flipping the channels on the television. I love it when my daughter snuggles into bed at night and begs me to tell her a story. I've never been a storyteller, but it's kind of fun. I'd like to do more of it, and read more books together. I'd like to see more of the sunshine, and spend more time outside. I'd like to know my neighbors better than I do the people in hollywood. I want our tv time to be special, the kind of evenings that you make popcorn and lay blankets on the floor for. I want my daughter to take a bath at night, and fall asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow, because she played real hard during the day. I want to be able to tell daddy that Anna made him a special treat because she helped me to cook during the day. I want to have more art for the fridge, fun things to look at, not dependant on whether she is old enough for school or not. I want to turn the lights off at night and slip into bed, knowing that everything is clean and neat because I made it my priority instead of liquifying my brain all day. I'd like to sit down to lunch and feel calm and at peace, knowing that I can talk with my daughter without trying to talk over the television. I want to know that I can ask her to do something, and she'll actually look at me instead of over my shoulder, where the tv is on.

I am going to be so happy to be out of this house, and able to control my environment and that which my child grows up in.

 

[Lena75]

We've had a TV in our home for a little over one year now. I hate it. Yeah, there are shows I like, but still. I can live fine without! Before, we had a computer monitor and a vcr. We had more control over that and it was much easier for us. Instead of tv, play music. We have loads of kids music that they used to listen to all the time! If I had my way, eliminate the tv. Since we got the tv we also added a dvd player. We have so much "entertainment" in the house, it's ridiculous.

 

[Crofter]

My kids will never have a tv in their bedrooms because I think it is too tempting to watch and vegitate in front of. But they do have a kids sitting room downstairs with their PC, games console and tv in it and are free to watch it for a reasonable amount of time. My rule is thy switch of when I ask them to or politely ask for time to finish watching the show.. but still if I say switch off because we are going out or something they must do so. If they don't switch off or wantc the rest of the show and start watching the next show I remove the TV for a week or so. I've done that three times so far which is hard cos it's heavy to shift it to the attic... but it works and they usually are careful not to let the TV take over their lives more than it already does.

AS young kids though they never watched much tv... more family films with us in the evening.. they tended to do other things.. but as they reach their teens I think it is reasonable to watcha fair amount of the things other kids watch or they miss out in making friendships at school. And we don't have it on to make background noise... I find that very irritating in homes where folk do that and by parakeets make enough noise in our house as it is.

 

[retooferab]

Funny you should ask...

We were just talking about re-arranging our living room, and my suggestion was to leave the TV out of the mix. I think games and books are better for the living room, and with three kids, would keep the noise level down, too. Personally, I think TV is a waste of time and I hardly watch at all. Much rebellion expected from my children (and wife, a little) though.

Wish me luck!

(My no-tv suggestion did serve to postpone the furniture moving! HAHAHA!)

 

[selune]

We have a television but my six year old son only watches an hour or two every few days. Occasionally, we'll let him watch a video (i.e. Disney, Veggie Tales although he's growing out of those, or some other video). I never make television a reward and he never expects to watch it every day. When he does watch television, I always choose channels without commercials since I think commercials make kids bratty (always begging for stuff) and are often worse than the shows. I look "boomerang" because it is commercial free and has many of the cartoons hubby and I watched as children.

My daughter is 15 months and does not watch tv at all because, well, why would a baby or toddler need tv? My father-in-law gave us the Baby Einstein DVDs and I got rid of them. What a waste of time that is. Babies get a lot more use out of adult interaction than they do dumbly staring at a tv screen with a picture of a plastic duck.

Can you tell I am biased against tv? Don't get me wrong, I watch tv. I like classic movies, news channels and TLC but, in our home, our television is off far more than it is ever on.

We love watching the baby einstein together. We talk about all the animals or pictures and the classical music is soothing. In fact, when our little one heard one of the songs on our CD he recognized it from the DVD. We limit TV to after school and that is usually a movie or cartoon episode. The kids color, read, play LEGOS, or other things much more frequently and don't expect TV. Jenna, when you decide to cut back, I think your little one will be fine with it. She may not even notice. She may go through a withdrawl time but that will end.

 

[Kokopelli]

About the only television my wife and I watch are Law and Order reruns. She'll whatch the stuff on TLC and I usually have it locked on the History Channel.

However, we have come to the agreement that the TV is minor compared to the Internet with the sexual predators running rampant in the chatrooms. That is why I told my wife that I have no problem getting rid of the computer to minimize the risk of our daughter falling victem to an Internet predator.