It's official. My dd is addicted.

[TXMomof4]

I know, it's my fault. Well, at least mine and dh's fault. Genetics probably play into that addictive personality.

 

DD LOVES television. I limit tv to time in the afternoon when the baby is sleeping, so I can have a little time by myself. But, Sunday we didn't have any tv. The girls played well together, it was a great day.

 

At 2:30 this morning though, DH woke up and oldest dd was in the living room, watching Flintstones. At 2:30 in the morning. She couldn't sleep, so she decided it would be fine to watch tv. She's 8 for heaven's sake! Already a tv junkie! :confused:

 

So, now, I have to figure out how to go without an electronic babysitter for the next week. I just crave that hour in the afternoon. (But it isn't about me):crying:

[WTMindy]

I think most kids could be TV addicts if we let them. If you want to break them of the afternoon TV, you could institute "room time" where all kids have to be in their room for 1 hour reading or playing quietly. They might balk a little at first, but I found that room time developed great skills of being able to entertain themselves alone and it gave me a much needed break.

[Jenny in Atl]

I have a mixed bag, oldest loves movies and TV, youngest can take or leave both. She would rather be outside playing out in the wild. Needless to say, I most watch the time dd12 spends on the boob tube! :ack2:

[Mrs. H.]

We have one television set, and it's in the living room, under MY control. Other family members have tried to buy my dc sets for their rooms, and there have been LOUD conversations about why I would never allow this.

 

We have a household rest time from 1-3 every day. I have two children that still need regular naps, and I need some quiet time after fielding conversations from four children, plus keeping the baby out of every cabinet in the house all morning. The older two dc (10 & 7) are in their rooms, and they can play quietly, read, knit, listen to a book on tape, write, etc. Sometimes I send them upstairs with a book and require reading, if I think they've been neglecting it. The younger dc (5, 4, & 1) are separated into my bedroom (5 & 1 yr. old), and the living room (4 yr. old...he requires constant supervision) to rest. They either nap or rest quietly and I read, knit, fold laundry, clean up a little (quietly), or take a nap myself if I haven't had enough sleep.

 

This is just how we do it. YMMV.

[Tami]

is a high interest audiobook such as "Tale of Despereaux" or "Because of WInn-Dixie" Other hits here are drawing books, crocheting, paper quilling, origami, weaving, or free reading.

 

My reason for limiting the tv is pretty selfish. Dd is really crabby when it's turned off. Watching tv makes her in a bad mood, even though she LOVES it. Plus, it does not promote a good use of time.

 

Try the audiobook for starters!

[Paz]

I am a bad mother. I am very lax about TV. When the kids were younger we did limit their time and of course we were cautious about what they watched on TV. My dd, now 15, loves TV. She tries to rearrange her schedule to watch her programs. She and dh love movies. She is a very visual learner she likes to watch news and educational programs. She knows more about what is going on in the world than most adults from watching TV so I haven't complained much. She also plays travel softball and high school softball so she is active and busy so not much time really is left for TV. My ds, on the other hand, likes to watch an occassional movie but really sees TV as a waste of time. He says he won't have a TV in his home when he has kids.

 

A funny story about kids watching TV in the middle of the night: When ds was 5 he was sick and we gave him benadryl. We didn't realize that it kept him up all night. When we woke up he told us that he couldn't sleep so he watched Assassinations that Changed World on the History Channel. Well, I guess he could have watched something worse.

[Philothea]

If you can do it... get rid of your TV subsriptions like cable... and limit it to approved movies as family time or an occaisional reward.

 

I was a TV addict, but we agreed to give up television watching before we were married. If we had TV all I would do is watch it all day.

 

But giving up the TV has been one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life, next to being a mother! I have so much more time for other things and I find myself better able to work on conquering my fault of laziness.

 

As for our children, people always ask me what my secret is for good behavior and imagination and I tell them about our lack of TV. I didn't think it was possible, but I can usually tell a television watching child from a non-television watching child--especially among homeschoolers!

 

Just my 2cents, I just wanted to encourage anyone who is trying to get rid of or reduce TV, it is a very worthwhile task.

[Whisperlily]

I know that many families here have a no-TV policy, and I know that there are good reasons for limiting TV time...

 

But we are a TV family. There. I said it. *whew*

 

Now, I don't let my kids sit and watch TV all day long, but I don't worry that much about it. I *do* monitor closely WHAT the kids watch. Usually it's educational (Discovery Channel has a lot of good shows they love... MythBusters, How it is Made, and others) but some things are just pure entertainment.

 

Most of the time they don't watch more than an hour or so each day (unless we watch a movie in the evening.) Because we haven't made an issue out of it, they don't crave the TV time, it's just another option available during their free time.

 

DH and I have, in recent years, started watching TV shows on DVD in the evenings. When DH was deployed, I'd often turn on the TV after the kids went to bed and watch while folding laundry, washing dishes, etc. I rarely can SIT and watch TV. My kids are the same way. When it's on, they're usually playing with legos, drawing, doing puzzles, etc.

 

I think, because it's not an issue here, it hasn't become an *issue* to/for my kids. Most often the TV is off, because they'd rather be doing something else!

 

Like I said, I DO monitor closely what they're allowed to watch, they aren't given free reign.

 

Now Flintstones at 2AM? I have to chuckle at that. :lol: But I don't think it means you have to give up her TV time in the afternoons!

[Tami]

Well, news and educational tv are pretty productive. I am talking more about Disney TV-type stuff. That's the kind of "educational" tv my dd goes for!

 

That said, we all have our own values, and our kids respond differently to tv. Whatever works!

[TXMomof4]

It isn't a big deal for my other kids. If the tv is on, they will watch. If it isn't, they're content to do whatever. My oldest is definately a tv fanatic though. We've taken long breaks from the tv because she couldn't seem to realize that the things on there are not real. She argued with me for an hour about whether there was a Tipton Hotel in Boston or not (a la disney channel).

 

Now she does LOVE Discovery and Animal Planet, but she is addicted to Hannah Montana and junk. If I hear the phrase "sweet niblets' out of her mouth one more time, I think I'm going to scream. But all that aside, she is grumpy when she watches tv. It's like her patience goes out the window.

 

So, we're off to the library to find some good books on tape. We have to get this figured out before DH gets deployed or I'm going to be in a world of hurt. Of course, the weather is getting nice again, so out the door they go! Hooray!

[Tami]

It isn't a big deal for my other kids. If the tv is on, they will watch. If it isn't, they're content to do whatever. My oldest is definately a tv fanatic though. We've taken long breaks from the tv because she couldn't seem to realize that the things on there are not real. She argued with me for an hour about whether there was a Tipton Hotel in Boston or not (a la disney channel).

 

Now she does LOVE Discovery and Animal Planet, but she is addicted to Hannah Montana and junk. If I hear the phrase "sweet niblets' out of her mouth one more time, I think I'm going to scream. But all that aside, she is grumpy when she watches tv. It's like her patience goes out the window.

 

So, we're off to the library to find some good books on tape. We have to get this figured out before DH gets deployed or I'm going to be in a world of hurt. Of course, the weather is getting nice again, so out the door they go! Hooray!

 

on Hannah Montana! Grrrrrrrr