Television advice

Oh my gosh you're all so wonderful you really are. Who better than you to share your ideas about television and respond to my plea for some advice. Tom and I both enjoyed getting your feedback and more than a few comments made us really think. Some made me laugh like Georgia's that started "You really are rebelling against the 21st century aren't you" and Kate's comment that said better the telly than boys at this age - that put the thing into perspective a bit.

Ali pointed me towards BBC iplayer and before you could say 'shall we get a telly then' Amber had downloaded it, and the Channel Four one and was watching something she felt she couldn't live without. I know just how she's going to be when and if we get a television. The thing that's coming up for me is that without a TV we can live without most of the programmes. OK we miss the odd good thing but even that you can catch up on the internet these days. I fear what will happen with a telly in the house is this: someone will look through the listings and exclaim that there's a programme about Kate Moss or some cricketer for example. Let's watch it to see what he/she's like and so we watch it and then there's something else about the history of the pop song etc etc. We will, or rather the children will want to watch stuff that they can live without. How often will I say NO you don't need to watch that?

Then on the other hand I don't want the children to feel weird amongst their friends and cousins and I do want them to have a shared cultural experience so I guess the jury is still out. Half of me doesn't want to have the TV and the other half thinks we ought to get one and restrict viewing. I suspect the latter is what we will do in the end. Meanwhile I'm going to buy us some more time while Amber catches up with iplayer.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and opinions with me I really appreciate it.

PS Hoping to have some news later today or in the morning. Damn, I've built this blooming thing up so much I hope you won't be disappointed.

Comments

[LizzieK8]

The kids won't be permanently scarred with or without TV.... But they may find many more interesting things to do if it's not around.

[Joy]

Concerning the TV debate, it sounds like you are bringing up your kids to be rounded and grounded, so try not to worry about them becoming couch potatoes, and there is a lot of decent stuff on the old telly, we have sat through a documentry about chicken farming and as a result have had a very interesting and lively family discussion, who said TV kills conversation, not in our house. We are selective and use the off button, but to be honest, I find it is harder to get them away from the computor these days.

[Carol]

Happy New Year to you all Simmy. Its back to school here too - and all the joys that entails?! I love having the boys home for school holidays and miss them terribly when it is all over. Re TV. We have one, well two actually and always have. Our excuse is that we like to watch the BBC here in the US. My husband watches it most, the kids watch sport and a couple of shows - one a US based science show and they just love Top Gear (the car show) from England. When you first get one, I am sure it will be watched continually - but like anything once the novelty wears off it will become commonplace and not so attractive anymore. And there is always the off switch too. There are some good shows on though along with the rubbish of course - personally for my 2 its the computer that is the real problem. They can spend hours and hours on that if I didn't monitor them.
Looking forward to hearing your good news. Don't keep us in suspense for too much longer! Everbest, carol.

[Rada]

I wrote a comment to your previous blog entry, but for some reason it did not go through. Here I go again. I was a single parent for quite sometime. my son was 10 and my daughter was 5 vears old when I divorced. They were already use to having a TV. There dad had to have one. But, when it was just us, I had to start ending arguments over who got to watch what when. We would sit down and schedule our watch time. My son liked the nature shows and sports. My daughter wanted to watch (the A. Banal) Friends, and such, and later the cooking and fashion shows. We would choose something we could watch together and then they each took turns with their own shows. I kept them involved with other activities that required getting up and out and interacting with friends and mentors. This seemed to work out. If their school work started to fail and I felt the need, TV was off. Whew! It was a job, but so is everything about parenting.
Now, they are off on their own and my husband and I enjoy watching Planet Earth, documentaries, old movies and BBC Comedies. The comedies come on Sat. night here. Oh! And my husband also likes to watch Dr. Who. I never watch TV in the day time, as I am at work, but if I were home, I would watch Ellen Degeneres. She makes me laugh.
Your Scotty Dogs are soooo cute, but I fell in love with the knitted kitty cat on the shelf below the dogs. Glad you are sharing your talents with the students.
Good Luck on the decision and Puleeze! Tell us the news soon!

[Rada]

I wrote a comment to your previous blog entry, but for some reason it did not go through. Here I go again. I was a single parent for quite sometime. my son was 10 and my daughter was 5 vears old when I divorced. They were already use to having a TV. There dad had to have one. But, when it was just us, I had to start ending arguments over who got to watch what when. We would sit down and schedule our watch time. My son liked the nature shows and sports. My daughter wanted to watch (the A. Banal) Friends, and such, and later the cooking and fashion shows. We would choose something we could watch together and then they each took turns with their own shows. I kept them involved with other activities that required getting up and out and interacting with friends and mentors. This seemed to work out. If their school work started to fail and I felt the need, TV was off. Whew! It was a job, but so is everything about parenting.
Now, they are off on their own and my husband and I enjoy watching Planet Earth, documentaries, old movies and BBC Comedies. The comedies come on Sat. night here. Oh! And my husband also likes to watch Dr. Who. I never watch TV in the day time, as I am at work, but if I were home, I would watch Ellen Degeneres. She makes me laugh.
Your Scotty Dogs are soooo cute, but I fell in love with the knitted kitty cat on the shelf below the dogs. Glad you are sharing your talents with the students.
Good Luck on the decision and Puleeze! Tell us the news soon!

[Rada]

Whoops! I got that comment through this time, didin't I? Sorry.

[Marie]

At the end of the day Simmy you must do what you think is the best thing to do for your family. Waiting with baited breath to hear the news!!! Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. If I keep telling myself this perhaps one day I'll actually develop some!!!

[Georgia]

I hope you realise that what I said was a joke. I actually really admire you for not having a TV. I know I rely on the TV for company. For so many years Matt would work so late that I was at home by myself most of the week and once the kids had gone to bed the TV was my company. I know that you have Tom away for the week and that's why it really impresses me that you don't have one at all. I just like to have something on while I knit or crochet, but I know my kids are slightly TV addicted vegitons. We do have to have a lot of 'turn it off now!' kind of talk going on around here, but fortunately we mostly enjoy watching the same sort of thing.

[michele]

Good luck with the television debate. We have not had one in 7 years and never miss it. We do let the kids watch DVDs on occasion. I believe it is completely possible to set boundaries and stick to them. My worry with television is not the crappy programing but the commercials, after a weekend at Grammies the kids are ready to "collect them all" of everything!