At what age should a kid have a TV in her room, if ever?

[bas71873]

Oh boy, your dd sounds like mine, and it sounds like she's an only, too. If your dd is a good rule follower and since her room is also the playroom, I totally get what you're saying. It seems that you really want one for the playroom, but the playroom happens to also be her bedroom. I think the over-riding question is whether she would have trouble turning it off when you say it needs to be off.

How'd you guess DD is an only? Oh, and no, she would not have a problem turning it off when we say enough is enough. She gets that now when she's reached her limit.

 

[Jennasis]

I had a TV in my room as a child for as long as I could remember...at least since 5/6. When I would get scared in the middle of the night, I would get up and put on a video with cartoons (cartoons kept the "monsters" away). That way I wouldn't have to sneak into mommy and daddy's bed.

I graduated 32nd of 1200 in High School, never had a single disciplinary problem and am a happy and well-adjusted adult.

I also now sleep with a tv in the bedroom but it is mostly because DH has to have it on at night while we sleep (no sound), like a night light.

 

[bas71873]

I have read many studies that have determined that having a television in the bedroom is not good for getting a good night sleep and I agree. There are only two things I do in a bedroom (one of them kids probably shouldn't be doing anyway) and neither involves a television.

heehee

 

[::Snow_White::]

I've had a tv in my room since I was probably 2. It used to put me to sleep at night and I always set it on sleep just incase I fell asleep without turning it off. I'm starting my junior year soon and it's never done anything to me. I don't watch it very often anymore, unless I'm using fittv, or certain of my favorite shows are on. I usually use it for movies.

 

[DaParkers]

My DS 10 has had a tv in his room since age 2. He also has a video game, dvd player, cable, and a bookshelf full of books. He has been a great child so far. He watches a lot of tv and plays his video games a great deal. But, he also loves to read and he gets 9-10 hours of sleep per night. He gives us no problems whatsoever. He keeps his room clean, wakes up and gets dressed on his own in the morning and gets himself ready for bed and then waits for his mother and I to pray with him at night. He is consistently on the honor roll. He's also been on the cover of a book and been in the newspaper more than once because of his academic achievements(And this is while missing a week of school to go to WDW). I AM THE PARENT. It is my job to be the biggest influence on him. He has a filter on the tv that won't allow him to watch anything rated tv-14 or above. My point is that it is up to the parent to raise a well rounded child. I didn't have the kind of structure that he does growing up and was not as pleasent a child as he is. And I didn't have a tv in my room. I just get tired of hearing about all the things that can have a negative affect on your child outside of the home. The world is full of craziness, so it's up to me to take this parenting thing seriously and do what I can to avoid him from engaging in any of that craziness. The tv is not the parent, I am. Baseball players on steroids and troubled teen stars are not the role models, I am. If more people took that approach, then our kids would be much better off than they are. I can't wait for my free dining trip in Dec.

 

[Jennasis]

My DS 10 has had a tv in his room since age 2. He also has a video game, dvd player, cable, and a bookshelf full of books. He has been a great child so far. He watches a lot of tv and plays his video games a great deal. But, he also loves to read and he gets 9-10 hours of sleep per night. He gives us no problems whatsoever. He keeps his room clean, wakes up and gets dressed on his own in the morning and gets himself ready for bed and then waits for his mother and I to pray with him at night. He is consistently on the honor roll. He's also been on the cover of a book and been in the newspaper more than once because of his academic achievements(And this is while missing a week of school to go to WDW). I AM THE PARENT. It is my job to be the biggest influence on him. He has a filter on the tv that won't allow him to watch anything rated tv-14 or above. My point is that it is up to the parent to raise a well rounded child. I didn't have the kind of structure that he does growing up and was not as pleasent a child as he is. And I didn't have a tv in my room. I just get tired of hearing about all the things that can have a negative affect on your child outside of the home. The world is full of craziness, so it's up to me to take this parenting thing seriously and do what I can to avoid him from engaging in any of that craziness. The tv is not the parent, I am. Baseball players on steroids and troubled teen stars are not the role models, I am. If more people took that approach, then our kids would be much better off than they are. I can't wait for my free dining trip in Dec.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

No tv's or phones in their rooms (although who has a landline anymore anyway?).

The landing between their rooms at the top of the stairs has a tv with Tivo on it and a game cube.

We have the tivo block anything pg 13 and up, they can record other shows that they want (removing the need to sit and watch when the show comes on-which means they may go days without watching at all).

The shared tv means they have to agree and compromise on watching, and it's usually a shared activity. We can also hear the tv downstairs since the landing is open to the upstairs.

Their computer is in the kitchen, where I am now wave, I split my time working on this computer, which I use to VPN into work, and my laptop. Too much crap on the internet to not have it supervised, imo.

If they want to play Halo, then it's all four of us on the plasma in the family room. BTW, my 9 year old can kick my *ss at Halo 3 now. Bummer.

There is no "should", there's just what you want to do.

I want my kids not to hole up in their bedrooms unless it's with a book or one of their pets.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I wasn't allowed to have a TV in my room until I was a senior in HS too. I didn't really care though as I always could care less about TV. I still maybe watch an hour a week. My parents bought me a huge flat screem plasma TV for Christmas last year and my Mom felt bad because the night before I was telling them how I didn't care if I even had a TV . I think TV can (not that it will) suck up so much of fun, active, outside time and sleep time for kids and adults. It's hard to restrict TV usage when it's in their room especially if they're TV addicts (like my brother was). I plan on not letting my kids have a TV in their room until at least high school. But that's the plan anyways

 

[ozarkmom]

I always had a t.v. in my room growing up and my kids have had one since they were probably 5 or 6. It's not a big deal to me I also have one in my bedroom.

 

[mjkacmom]

Request her presence, engage her in family activity and make sure she knows you love spending time with her. Have her pick out the rental for family movie night. Make her favorite meal and watch old movies of her after dinner for 10minutes-this causes loving conversation. You can get her back, I promise.

Oh, I do! I bribe her with movies and popcorn - LOL! The real kind, popped on the stove. She's not home as often as she once was (going from one friend's home to the next), so I try to engage her when she's here. I even try to make her favorite foods often (although I sometimes have to make 2 meals - the other kids aren't into foods such as stir fried brocolli and tofu!).

 

[ZephyrHawk]

When the parents get sick of having to share.

I was told I'd never have a TV in my room. I was fine with that. Then, suddenly, one Christmas, they got me one. I couldn't understand why. I never asked for one. Same thing happened with a CD player. They said they wouldn't buy me one, even though I'd never asked. I think, though, it was because they knew I'd be going off to college in a few years and figured they'd start ammassing dorm room stuff for me slowly.

Either that or they just couldn't figure out what to get me for presents anymore. They could have just gotten me books.

 

[NHdisneylover]

When the parents get sick of having to share.

I was told I'd never have a TV in my room. I was fine with that. Then, suddenly, one Christmas, they got me one. I couldn't understand why. I never asked for one. Same thing happened with a CD player. They said they wouldn't buy me one, even though I'd never asked. I think, though, it was because they knew I'd be going off to college in a few years and figured they'd start ammassing dorm room stuff for me slowly.

Either that or they just couldn't figure out what to get me for presents anymore. They could have just gotten me books.

I remember not wanting to dissapoint my parents and trying very hard to pretend like I was thrilled to get a TV for Christmas one year and a cordless phone the next (I hardly ever used either--I do think that same TV went off to college with me 8 years later though) while thinking how much better some books would have been.

 

[griffinstorme]

I had a tv put in my room at 13. My parents came in every few nights a few minutes after i went to bed to make sure it wasnt on.

 

[ICF]

I got a TV when I was probably 10 - 12 years old...largely b/c I had a Colecovision (any oldtimers remember those?) game system hooked up to it. I kept a tv in my room ever since.

I think I turned out pretty well. That said, my 9 year old wants one and we have told him no. We have multiple TV's in the house and multiple game systems hooked up so he had plenty of options for TVs / video games w/o having to have one in his room. His room is also NOT wired for satellite TV so he couldnt watch anything in there right now even if he had a TV.

 

[SydSim]

I do believe that anything in excess can cause adverse effects. I also believe that having a tv in your room doesn't guarantee anything.

Grew up with a tv in my room from toddlerhood - and watched it from the time i came home from school, until I fell asleep. Even had it on while doing my homework. That being said, I was an honor student and graduated from college, traveled, dated, married, had a child and have a great career - and still am obsessed with the tv! I occasionally reference episodes during conversations I think I'm a hoot!

DD-12 has had a tv in her room since she was about 3, with parental controls. She is different than I was - she can't do two things at once, so she isn't allowed to watch tv M-F during the school year. She watches on weekends and all summer long. She is an honor student, thespian, gymnast and band member. Oh, and she does reference episodes as well

Hubby is not, and never was a big tv watcher. He wasn't an honor student either

 

[a paper star]

I have had a tv in my room since I was 5. I also had one in my room at my dad's house, but I don't remember what age. Basically it was put in because there was only one tv and I'm sure the adults in the house didn't want to always watch whatever I wanted to watch. My 2 cousins younger than me also had tv's in their rooms at a young age.

 

[woodnymph]

My kids won't be getting TVs in their rooms. The oldest is nearly 13 and I hear how mean I am for not allowing bedroom TVs quite regularly!

We don't have one in our bedroom, either, though. So, I guess at least I'm setting a good example! Oprah says, "when the tv goes into the bedroom, the sex goes out." And I'm not taking any chances!

 

[leagirl12]

My kids have tvs in their rooms, but no cable. There lies the the difference for me. They can only use the things to watch a DVD, so they are not used all that often. They were a gift.

This is us as well.....they do not have cable nor will they have cable. With the little amount of time mine have their televisions on they should last till they are ready to move out.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I believe it is at the parent's discretion. I had a tv in my room as a kid--I don't remember when. But it wasn't for very long. We moved a lot.

However--we won't be putting a tv in the kids room.

Also--I beliave the American Academy of Pediatrics might have an age, but I don't know.

We also won't be doing computers in the bedroom either.

My sister has had a tv/vcr/dvd combo in her daughter's room since she was 18 months old.

My humble opinion is that is a bit too young.

ETA: AS an adult--the only tv we had in our room was when i had insomnia while pregant and nightly I would use the movie, "While You Were Sleeping" to fall asleep. In recent months, my husband got a flat screen--and presently it is in our room as he refuses to get rid of the tv in the living room. However--that one is beginning to have problems, so we shall soon evict the monstrosity in our bedroom.

Additionally--I thought according to sleep experts, bedrooms should be for sleeping and it "in general" it isn't a good idea to have computers/tv's in the room or even read in bed. But of course that is in general.

 

[GeorgeG]

When I was growing up there was one TV in the house (once we got one) and it was in the living room and my parents pretty much controlled what was watched. That was the norm back then. We eventually had radios and record players in our rooms, but TV was mainly a family thing as was the programing.

That's about how it was when my kids were little through their mid-teens.

I don't like having a TV in a bedroom, but that's a personal choice. My opinion on when children should have a TV in their room (and it's only an opinion) is that they should not have one until they are old enough to get a job and buy their own. I know I'm sounding pretty old-fashioned, but that's how I feel about a lot of things.