OT: Who is TV less?

[firemouse]

About 7 years ago we goit rid of our TV. It was a choice to do with the high amount of trash on TV then and now. We have since purchased a device from viewsonic that turns our computer monitor into a monitor suitable for viewing VHS tapes and our computer already plays DVD's. We think that we can monitor or childrens intake much better. Now we let them see some TV when we are at famiy visits or at friends house. Does anyone else do this and if so why?
Thanks and just curious.

Eric

 

[staci]

We are not tv-less but we are without cable television. We did this for two main reasons;

1, we try to live a pretty frugal life so that I can stay home with our son and cable is an expense we can do without. We really dont have money for any extras at all.

2, I was concerned with the number of children (and adults) who I have encountered who have come to rely on television as their only form of entertainment, which greatly limits time available for physical activity and creative play. I hope that by not having cable television (and a million cartoon channels) that ds will spend less time watching television and more time doing other things when he is small. DH and I assume that once he is older we may get cable, but for right now this works for us. I realize that we could get it and just limit the time, but that brings us back to point #1, if we had it I probably would be working to pay for it and not around to monitor it anyway

But oh do I miss watching 'clear' tv. We have no antenna so we get two local news stations, public television, and the wb, but it is all VERY fuzzy and staticy. Its rather interesting to watch football and try to find the ball in all the fuzz!

 

[kmwilson98]

I SO want to do this! I'd like to ditch the entire entertainment center and put a piano in it's place. DH would sooner have an anuerism, lol. In fact, he just bought a newer better tv while I was away on a weekend retreat. DD only watches videos (and those I almost always prescreen, unless I'm sure they're ok - like veggietales). I used to let her watch Wheel of Fortune (she loved the clapping when she was little) but the commercials!!! Even just the ads are pure trash now. Tivo is the one "entertainment gadget" dh bought that I really do appreciate, letting us skip right past those!

I also was letting her watch Mr. Rogers, but our local PBS station seems to have removed him from the lineup!!! I feel a small letter writing campaign coming on....

There are so many plusses to no tv - more family time, more reading, more board games, better attention span...but then I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I?

 

[estherhead]

We have a TV and basic cable, however I grew up TV-less and highly recommend it. We got rid of our cable for 6 months last year (we live in country so no cable=no TV.) It was fine, however I am a huge NFL fan (go BENGALS!) and come September I had to have TV. Our girls love free-play and I limit their TV so for us I found it really didn't make much difference. We spend tons of time together playing games and reading no matter what. But if I ever see a TV-obsessed trend I will not hesitate to dump TV again and watch important NFL games at my parents. My mom would love that anyway. She hates watching all the games alone.

 

[MATTERHORN]

SO this is just an honest question to those of you that don't "do tv", do your kids watch and know Disney movies? Or do they just know the characters from going to Disney? I couldn't tell except for the OP if you don't let them watch TV but do let them watch movies, or if it's nothing at all? Thanks.


Andrea

 

[karisbell]

We had a wonderful experience a year or so ago after a particular heavy TV watching time for our family. I had been sick with my second pregnancy and pretty much let my son watch TV all day so I could rest. As soon as the baby was born we agreed as a family to unplug every TV for 7 days. We realized how addicted we all were to something! After the 7 days, we plugged them back in, but we had so much fun with each other we rarely watch TV anymore at all -it has been almost 2 years now and we couldn't be happier!

 

[staci]

SO this is just an honest question to those of you that don't "do tv", do your kids watch and know Disney movies? Or do they just know the characters from going to Disney? I couldn't tell except for the OP if you don't let them watch TV but do let them watch movies, or if it's nothing at all? Thanks.


Andrea

Ds (and us) still watch tv, we just dont have cable. For instance, most mornings ds watches at least part of sesame street, as it gives me a little time to get dressed etc.

He does watch SOME movies, but I really try to limit them. After all, DS is only 2 (yea! birthday tommorrow!), so he hadnt really watched any, but once we started planning our trip we bought a disney singalong songs so that he would be familiar with the characters as they appear in the parks. He also has Lion King and The Little Mermaid (leftovers from my childhood ), but we only let him watch the full-length movies about once a week. He doesnt know it but Toy Story is his birthday present so he will soon own that. He LOVES watching the movies, but he knows many more characters from the Disney books that he has. I started the disney book club stuff when I found out I was prego so he has alot of those.

 

[firemouse]

We let our kids see some movies and such, but just don't have the tv sitting there. My kids have watched most of the Disney classics, they have a VHS/DVD collection and we do go to the Family Video/Library for newer videos. We do get them some of the Steve Irwin Crock Hunter stuff and other nature/family type videos. They have a big collection of Little House and I just got the entire first season of Emergency (the paramedic/firefighter show from the 70's I loved as a kid). So to answer the question, yes they do see videos and even some TV when we are where there is one.
Eric

 

[Servants of Evan]

Lets see, we all but stopped watching TV when my DW was preggos. Granted, all we would watch was Ally McBeal and ER., so it wasn't that great of a loss. [They tell me Dr. Greene died, but I haven't a clue about that...]

In my previous career, I was the Location Audio Engineer for a pretty popular show on HGTV. What was really funny was that we (DW and I) didn't even have cable! People would see me and start talking about that week's episode and I'd have to think for a moment about which show they'd be talking about... I must say, the producers I worked for were very nice and would always make me a VHS copy of the show when they were putting together the final Digibeta (air) version. It was only when my DW and I were on vacation that we'd get to see one of the shows off-air and it took some getting used to -- all my VHS copies don't have commercials!!!

Anyway, we ditched the big TV and now have a whopping 13" tv reserved for the occcasional weather forecast in the morning, as well as VHS and DVD movies. You ever watch a letterbox movie on a 13" TV? It takes some good eyesight, let me tell you! My DS (now age 4) knows no difference, and we'll spend the evening out playing in the yard, riding his bike, or doing arts and crafts stuff in the basement. He knows a number of the Disney characters through the DVDs, and unfortunately can sing along with virtually any Wiggles number you care to play... But he redeems himself by also being able to sing along with many Beatles songs, as well as a few Hawaiian artists that Dad likes.

In short, I don't miss TV, and to my friends still working in the industry -- Sorry.

Servants of Evan

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I always feel so out of the norm when this subject comes up. B/c I have no issues with TV at all.
I enjoy watching, so does DH and dd, I think its relaxing and I do think my dd has learned quite a bit from certain shows. Now, we do make sure what she watches is educational. We don't let her watch much Spongebob on a regualar basis. But being a Full time mom, with Hubby gone 70 hours a week..and being 4 hours away from most family and friends...that TV is a saving grace somedays!!

 

[Irishmommyof4]

We cut off our direct TV several months ago because we're using some of BJU's home satellite classes for our school. So, we're not TVless totally, and they watch occasional movies (downstairs doing Yoga right now, LOL) they watch about 3 classes for school/day.