DVD in the car

[Kurby]

we've had 2 mini vans and neither had installed dvd players but we have a portable one that we take.

we made a rule and have stuck with it that any trip shorter then a disney movie (90 minutes or so) does not warrent a movie on the trip.

this basically means that dd knows that most trips there is no movie but when we go to quebec or disney world she gets to watch.

we also have a rule that has sort of become a non verbal on that on the long trips she gets a movie then she go the same amount of time without. so we listen to music, she can draw or colour, we talk about what we're passing on the road, etc...

a lot of the time the non movie time goes way beyond the movie time before dd asks to watch another movie.

it's worked out for us.

 

[RangerPooh]

In the past we used the portable ones that hang from the front headrests, but yesterday DH installed one into the roof our of minivan. I don't plan on using it for around town trips as that would be ridiculous, however we are driving cross country this year for vacation and for that it is worth it! I'm also not opposed to using it when we drive to the "city" for shopping every few months. It definitely makes a 2 hour car ride more enjoyable.

 

[Spacepest]

Well tell you what I would sure reather see toy story 2 in front of me that what we were seeing one time on the parkway!!!! It was an SUV and the guys (adults) were watching a porno movie!!! We went around them and passed as soon as we could!!!!!

Years ago, when DVD players were a new thing in vehicles, in my area there was a lawsuit going on between two drivers that got into a car accident involving inappropriate adult movies being played in one of the vehicles. One minivan had x rated movies playing, and the other car driver behind them saw the dirty movie on their screen, and was so shocked they accidentally rear ended them. The rear ending driver then sued the driver of the car he hit, citing that he playing adult movies in a car where the public could view them was both a road hazard due to the distraction, plus it should be illegal anyways, because local shop ordinances would not allow adult films to be played where the general public could see them. I don't know whatever became of the lawsuit.

There are no DVD players in my vehicle. This mama is too cheap to buy them. (I'm also too cheap to buy a minivan as well. My kids will just have deal with being crammed in the backseat of a paid off Honda Civic).

 

[scrapquitler]

We're well past the point of needing a DVD player in our car since our kid is grown but as someone said earlier I am amazed at the number of kids I see on my 30 minute drive to work every morning watching DVDs. Yes, they might be riding to daycare and grumpy etc. but I really hate to see kids watching cartoons or movies at 6:30 AM or 7:00 AM.

Back in the day (LOL) we used to watch cartoons or movies in the morning before school, on the tv at home, so whats the big difference? A little Capitain Kangroo with my bowl of cereal, good start for the day. These days, a child on the ride to Daycare watching a DVD of Dora the explorer, not a big difference.

Another thing I noticed was how potentially distracting the screens can be to drivers in other cars. Just last week I was sitting in six lanes of traffic waiting at a light in the DC metro suburbs behind a minivan with the DVD screen hanging down from the ceiling. I could see Toy Story 2 from my car two cars back. People were still doing the typical switching lanes at the last minute, coasting forward and backward, giving money to the panhandlers, applying makeup and some I'm sure were watching Toy Story and not what was happening around them as the light changed in the three turn lanes etc.

Because if Toy Story 2 weren't on that DVD player, people would drive beter?

We already have distracted drivers who can't concentrate on the road. We don't need any more excuses for parents not to talk with their kids and for young adults not knowing how to communicate with others. (Don't get me started on communication skills; I've been interviewing 20 somethings for 9 months and I'm burnt out!) Sorry, I'll get down off my soapbox now!

Oh please. So if my child is watching a DVD on the ride somewhere, it's an excuse for us to not talk to them and makes it so that they have no communications skills? When my children watch a DVD on the ride, then I can actually CONCENTRATE on driving.

If you don't like the DVD player in the back of the minivan, then don't get one. But it works for us. We normal go to our cottage every weekend. 2 hour trip in each direnction. And yes, my kids watch a DVD. DD can't read in the car, she gets sick. DS is less restless, and therefore less distracting. And we do talk to one another. If it doesn't work for you, don't do it, but don't condemn people who it DOES work for.

 

[sparks19]

We didn't get one installed in our minivan. We got a portable one. They aren't a nessecity but they can be nice to have. I might as well have gotten one installed since I keep the portable one in the van hooked up ready to go anyway lol. but she only watches it on really long road trips. We travel to florida and ontario a couple of times a year so it's been great to have the DVD player.

I know I didn't have one as a kid but I also couldn't read in the car. I still can't. I don't know why but if I read while riding in a vehicle I end up with the WORST headache on the planet. So no reading for me and sometimes I like to sneak into the backseat to watch the movie too LOL

But we just bought a portable one for just over $100 and it's been great. and actually as time has gone on DD would rather spend most of the time looking out the windows (when she can... sometimes the car seat can make it difficult for her to really get to see out... so she mostly looks out the front window from between the seats lol) and doesn't want to watch a DVD. But when we are getting 6-7 hours into the trip she can get a little restless and then she loves to sit and watch a movie until we are ready to make another pit stop.

 

[RadioNate]

It is a luxury but I'm glad I have one. We don't generally use it around town but I will admit to using it coming home from downtown or something when DD3 is tired. She's not a car sleeper so she'll just scream, cry and whine. Watching a DVD for the 30-40 minutes home stops that. She is FAR more distracting than a movie is.

DS gets car sick if he reads so that isn't an option and DD is 3 so she CAN'T read.

We use it going up to the mountains. The last time driving down, my dad wouldn't let the kids use the DVD player. I was driving and he was giving SO much grief that my "spoiled brats" couldn't just look out the window at the "beautiful scenery." It's not like they hadn't done the same drive 10 times before. They see the mountains daily. In any case, the lack of DVD made them far more distracting than they normally would have been. They asked me a zillion questions, taking my focus off the road. DD kept dropping toys and books, which I needed to turn around to reach or my dad had to, both of which was FAR more distracting than a DVD I can't see or hear ever is.

I don't think I've ever used it going to the grocery store or something like that.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I had DVD's available for my kids in the car and they watched Disney cartoons all the time, yes even for.... gasp... 15 minute trips to the store and believe it or not they are now both straight A honor students who managed to learn how to read despite my unforgivably bad parenting. I like my sanity so if them watching Toy Story in the car meant we would get back & forth in a quiet car where the driver wasn't being distracted by yelling at kids to knock it off then I was willing to take my chances. I get carsick, my kids get carsick so reading & drawing are and have always been out of the question, in fact anything that requires looking down is out of the question. SO many people used to pass comments on me for this, my attitude is look at their report cards now and try to tell me it does damage

OP, the only real question to me is how old are these kids now? My 2 loved to watch TV in the car when they were little but seemed to lose interest by 9 & 10. We now have a lovely system in the Jeep they ignore unless we are on a road trip.

Personally I would just pick up one of the inexpensive kinds of players with a remote so the kids can operate it, pick up one of these http://www.3wisemonkeys.co.uk/proddet.jsp?id=1158&cat=20 and let them enjoy themselves. We were once stuck in an airport for hours and having the fully charged portable player totally saved us. If I remember correctly, Walmart had a really cheap version of the carry case that we used in the minivan.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

OP, the only real question to me is how old are these kids now? My 2 loved to watch TV in the car when they were little but seemed to lose interest by 9 & 10. We now have a lovely system in the Jeep they ignore unless we are on a road trip.

Personally I would just pick up one of the inexpensive kinds of players with a remote so the kids can operate it, pick up one of these http://www.3wisemonkeys.co.uk/proddet.jsp?id=1158&cat=20 and let them enjoy themselves. We were once stuck in an airport for hours and having the fully charged portable player totally saved us. If I remember correctly, Walmart had a really cheap version of the carry case that we used in the minivan.

My kids are 3 and 9 months. It looks like we found a van (send pixie dust please!), and it does not have pre-installed DVD. I also decided not to try to get an aftermarket DVD system installed, and instead I'm going to look into the headrest types. We drive 3 1/2 hours to my mother's house 3-4 times a year, and might start taking some other road trips now that we'll have a more reliable vehicle.

 

[LuvOrlando]

At those ages this would be a wise investment IMHO, at least if you want to be a careless parent like me and enjoy peace & giggling instead of whining. FWIW, I used to really enjoy listening to their DVD's, and VHS tapes before DVDs. These days it's more like Twilight & Aliens if we're going somewhere but I still like listening if I've seen the movies before. BTW, if you are traveling I think Cracker Barrel has free rentals where you can exchange movies as you travel around the country

Pixie Dust is on it's way

 

[piglet too]

Ours is an "after market" and I am so glad it is. The screen size is larger than what would have been factory installed. Ours is the ceiling mount, and I like it better than the headrest type. Since I have 3 kids, it is easier for everyone to watch.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Second getting a remote system you can take with you anywhere.

 

[tlbwriter]

You can keep your "oh please" to yourself. I don't know your kids or what they watch, nor do I care to. I was speaking lightheartedly to the OP's question about whether it's a necessity in minivans. Nice.

Since you meant it lightheartedly, you might appreciate knowing that it didn't sound that way. It sounded snarky and condescending.

Anyway, as others have said, many kids are too young to read, and others can't read in the car without getting sick.

The last time driving down, my dad wouldn't let the kids use the DVD player.

Why was your dad the one making that decision?

 

[sparks19]

BTW, if you are traveling I think Cracker Barrel has free rentals where you can exchange movies as you travel around the country

Pixie Dust is on it's way

REally? AWESOME. I will have to look into that

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Because kids don't watch enough TV as it is... Here's an idea, kids, it's called a book!

I'm not sure about my kids, but my wife gets carsick reading in the car.

Plus, when your kids are 5 and 3, and basically need somebody to read to them, it's not practical. I agree kids who don't get carsick should read or figure out some other way to entertain themselves. For very little kids, on a long car ride, a DVD player is a good idea.

But I wouldn't get one installed. I'd just buy a portable player.

 

[RadioNate]

Since you meant it lightheartedly, you might appreciate knowing that it didn't sound that way. It sounded snarky and condescending.

Anyway, as others have said, many kids are too young to read, and others can't read in the car without getting sick.



Why was your dad the one making that decision?

Because my dad thinks he is in charge. No use in fighting a 35 year habit. I'd rather deal with bored kids in the car then hear my dad go on for 2 hours about the evils of electronic media.