Getting rid of tv

[kathkath]

We are thinking about this to help ds 6--as in getting it completely out of the house. Has anyone done this? How did it go?

[cfn10]

We watch almost zero TV... The key for me is to not turn it on...Sounds silly but if it is on I found that it was hard to turn off. We also have a system where the cablebox is in a closet so we need to unlock the closet to start the system (sounds onerous and it make it less easy to goto). It also helps to downgrade to the lowest cable option there is so there are less options. I have not gotten rid of it completely though because I will watch the Olympics as a family and have an occasional movie night.

 

Curiously I grew up with uncontrolled TV and we had zero problems and did well in school so I hope I am not doing this for nothing....

[Guest MeganRae]

Yes, we did! But our LO was only 6 months when we did it, not 6 years. We don't miss it at all, what with the online content available at our fingertips 24/7. Also, our child doesn't really seem to notice any difference either. We keep a screen-free policy, mostly to keep dad and I in check, during the kids' waking hours.

 

I daresay my son is much more experienced as a kitchen helper, self-entertainer, and book-looker for the lack of the tube. That actually goes for me, too. I know we read more because we don't really have any other choice. Best wishes in your endeavors, whatever they turn out to be in respect to TV in your home. It's really not as scary as it seems at first, especially with a speedy internet connection available.

[kathkath]

We only have broadcast channels, Netflix, and a blu-ray. Ds6 always wants it, on or off, and our tv cabinet locks. Wii is even worse. He gets so revved up when he plays that his behavior is atrocious afterwards. As it is, the wii has been put away for weeks but he knows it's in the house and wants it.

I just don't know...

[kathkath]

Yes, we did! But our LO was only 6 months when we did it, not 6 years. We don't miss it at all, what with the online content available at our fingertips 24/7. Also, our child doesn't really seem to notice any difference either. We keep a screen-free policy, mostly to keep dad and I in check, during the kids' waking hours.

 

I daresay my son is much more experienced as a kitchen helper, self-entertainer, and book-looker for the lack of the tube. That actually goes for me, too. I know we read more because we don't really have any other choice. Best wishes in your endeavors, whatever they turn out to be in respect to TV in your home. It's really not as scary as it seems at first, especially with a speedy internet connection available.

 

Dd7 got a lot less screen time and is like your lo in that regard, but she gets sucked in.

[Ellie]

Just do it.

[Bee Happy]

I am so close to doing this. What do you guys do about local stations/news?

We have so many tornado warnings here I like to get live updates. I know I can go online to view some, but the news station is so great about giving emergency information.

[Tohru]

Just do it.

 

:iagree:

 

We have a physical television, but it only works for videos/DVDs. The kids get to watch a video maybe once a week.

 

The child is only 6? He might have withdrawals for a few days, but he'll quickly be able to find other things to amuse himself..

[Tohru]

I am so close to doing this. What do you guys do about local stations/news?

We have so many tornado warnings here I like to get live updates. I know I can go online to view some, but the news station is so great about giving emergency information.

 

Internet.

 

For tornado warnings - the radio? Maybe keep it on a classical station or something in the background?

[kathkath]

I am so close to doing this. What do you guys do about local stations/news?

We have so many tornado warnings here I like to get live updates. I know I can go online to view some, but the news station is so great about giving emergency information.

 

I don't know about this. I have a twitter account and follow 1 person/organization that tweets severe weather info that is more specific than broadcasttv. I do like watching radar though--aka weather vomit. Downton abbey is the one thing we would miss.

[regentrude]

Just get rid of it.

I have not had a TV for 22 years.

When the kids were little, we allowed one video DVD on weekend nights. That was fine for many years.

(Now that they are teens, they can use the computer and watch things)

For news, I find the internet a much better source anyway. For weather warnings: Internet or radio - or just get a weather radio.

[Starr]

We haven't had TV reception in 12 years. The kids watched some videos and had 15 minutes of computer time a day for many years. It got so that they didn't even think to turn it on in a hotel room. Now as older teens screen time has increased.

[Cammie]

Best thing we ever did as a family. Have not had TV in 6 years. We have a set for watching movies/Wii but no TV hookup. I can see how my kids are when we are on vacation in a house with TV and I am glad I don't have to ever think about setting boundaries at home. We have lots of time to do other things that I KNOW we would have spent in front of the TV. I agree...just do it.

[Bee Happy]

I hate that the weather is the only thing holding up back. LOL

We had a tornado warning a couple days ago (days after watching that Desperate Housewives episode UGH). We of course had the siren going off, but the local weather guy was so reassuring by letting us know exactly (by streets) where the real threats were. People from my neighborhood were calling in to share and since it's often just me and the kids, it helped to reassure me. I don't even own a radio. I suppose that's something I should invest in. :tongue_smilie:

[BugsMama]

Just do it! We have a TV in our bedroom, but no cable, it's only connected to a playstation. The kids don't miss it when they can't see it. Sometimes we bring it out to the livingroom, like for a holiday when we know we will want to watch christmas movies, but 99 percent of the time its in my room with the door closed.

The kids don't miss what they don't see.

[amy g.]

It was one of the most important desicions we have ever made for our family. My three oldest are almost grown, and I can see that TV and advertising has no hold over them.

 

People told me they would grow up to be TV addicts if I made it off limits. That isn't going to happen. They have too many interests and hobbies to just want to sit in front of a screen.

 

I agree with previous posters who say to just do it.

[Soror]

I hate that the weather is the only thing holding up back. LOL

We had a tornado warning a couple days ago (days after watching that Desperate Housewives episode UGH). We of course had the siren going off, but the local weather guy was so reassuring by letting us know exactly (by streets) where the real threats were. People from my neighborhood were calling in to share and since it's often just me and the kids, it helped to reassure me. I don't even own a radio. I suppose that's something I should invest in. :tongue_smilie:

 

I have a very small radio w/ cassette- very cheap- in my kitchen and keep it on the am station which gives weather updates and warnings. We also have a weather radio but to be honest it isn't programmed.

 

We do have a tv in the house, similar to your set-up, Netflix and blu-ray. I say go for it! But be careful because these days just because you don't have a tv doesn't mean you cannot watch. I have a friend who always bragged to me that they didn't own a tv but her ds would watch far more online then mine ever did. I'd make sure to eliminate that as well it is too easy to let one replace the other, which imo, isn't any different. Depending on who you ask and the day we either control way too much or they watch way too much. It isn't a huge point of stress though. They deal with the limitations just fine, without excessive asking, whining etc.

Edited July 7, 2012 by soror

[Refined by Silver]

We got rid of our dish and only have antenna and Netflix now. That really still leaves a lot of TV though. I thought I would miss it, but we have channels broadcast that we weren't even getting on satellite. The kids still have Qubo which is 24 hour cartoon channel and three PBS channels. Plus, we have a local 24 hour local weather channel that is over the air.

 

If the weather is the only thing holding you back from completely getting rid of the TV, then a weather radio is the way to go. We've had one for several years because we are in tornado alley. They are not hard to program and you get the warning from the national weather service at the same time the tv stations do, so you would be ahead of the game instead of waiting for the TV. They are great for when the power is out. It was invaluable a few years ago when we had a microburst blow threw when the power is out. I recommend one even if you keep the tv.

 

Besides, if the power is not out and you want to see what is going on, then you can still go on the internet and look at what the local stations are saying.

[MariannNOVA]

Just do it.

This is how we did it. It was the BEST thing for our family.:)

[Recovering Sociopath]

I don't know about this. I have a twitter account and follow 1 person/organization that tweets severe weather info that is more specific than broadcasttv. I do like watching radar though--aka weather vomit. Downton abbey is the one thing we would miss.

 

I believe PBS will let you watch Downton online. I saw every episode of the first two seasons via the PBS app on my iPad.

 

We got rid of our TVs about 6.5 years ago, when our oldest was 14 months, and I am SO GLAD we did. I only miss it during NBA finals and the summer Olympics. :001_smile: Increasingly I think even all that sort of premium content will be available online. It's just a matter of time.

 

My kids do get some screen time thanks to the Netflix app on the iPad, but we officially limit it to Saturday & Sunday only. It's worked out so far. I've had a couple of exhausted third trimester weeks where I relaxed the rules during the week and almost always regretted it. Their behavior changes drastically after just a few days.

 

I get all my weather alerts via Twitter on my iPhone. I'd be willing to bet Twitter is the first place to hear about earthquakes, etc. If you have an account I'm sure you've seen it blow up with breaking news. It's kind of amazing. (In case you can't tell, I'm a big Twitter fan!)

[DawnM]

We have TVs, just local and Roku boxes for Netflix. We don't watch a lot and my older two watch nothing. They both dislike TV. Computer time and handheld gaming is our nemesis. :glare:

[mamajudy]

Just get rid of it.

I have not had a TV for 22 years.

When the kids were little, we allowed one video DVD on weekend nights. That was fine for many years.

(Now that they are teens, they can use the computer and watch things)

For news, I find the internet a much better source anyway. For weather warnings: Internet or radio - or just get a weather radio.

 

:iagree: Dh and I decided before we got married 33 years ago that we didn't want a TV in our home. It was the best thing we ever did. We actually spent time as a family, reading and doing fun things, instead of staring at a screen. When the kids got a little older, we did get a TV to watch videos occasionally, but that's it. The kids have grown up with so many interests that they never missed it.

[kricau]

:iagree: with your dh. You think you can't live without it, but we did :)

We cut the cable years ago (and have saved a bundle). We have regular channels (which the kids only watch PBS-Sesame Street, Arthur, etc), Netflix which streams straight to my dh Playstation (so we can watch Star Trek LOL) Netflix DVD's (for the stuff you can't streaming) and our own DVD's that we have had over the years (mostly Veggie Tales).

 

We have en watching more over the summer. But during the school year it is not alot . But I can't imagine NO tv at all LOL But then again, I couldn't imagineno cable either. :)

 

 

 

We did this at the beginning of the year. Dh kept telling me if we just get rid of cable, we'll get used to it and be fine. It was true. We only miss the Science Channel and I miss TNT. TNT is closed up tight. Between Netflix, Hulu Plus and You Tube, we've survived just fine. We don't watch a lot of tv as it is, though. In fact, my test was to just unplug the cable box and see how long it took them to notice. 3 days!

[Parrothead]

We did it for six months. It was great for the time but eventually winter came and there was just nothing to do.

 

Maybe if we lived in a more moderate climate we would have been okay without it. But winters around here are long, dark and boring. Sunset is at 4:30 so then what is there to do in the evening?

[hillfarm]

Perhaps you could remove the tv from the family area of your home and put it in an out-of-the-way corner of your bedroom, and leave it unplugged unless you suspect bad weather is approaching or until YOU determine that there is something you want the family to watch.

 

I mean this gently, but 6yo is old enough to begin to learn a little self control and self denial. Just because Mom said No should be enough to end the debate. By placing the tv out of sight, that will help him to not be constantly thinking about it. There are many things in my home that were not acceptable for dd when she was that age. Although I moved some of them out of reach, I did not eliminate them from the house and deny their use to others. She just had to learn to deal with it.

 

Because that is life. Just because some idiot leaves their fancy sportscar running and unattended outside a restaurant we like does not mean we are excused for hopping in and taking a spin in it. Just because some other goofball leaves an expensive electronic game item on their lawn chair while they wander around at a local festival does not give dd the right to pick it up and use it. Life is full of temptations that are not ours to enjoy.

 

Personally, I could live the rest of my life happily without tv. But dh and dd love it. I have had to set limits for dd. At 13yo, she would still probably indulge in more than is good for her, if I allowed it. However, we are working toward her learning how to set and observe her own limits, not to be governed by mine. I think 6 would be a little young for this level of responsibility, but you have to start somewhere, by allowing responsibility in tiny amounts (often secretly monitored by a caring adult who will jump in and provide guidance if needed). HTH

[regentrude]

. Sunset is at 4:30 so then what is there to do in the evening?

 

Whatever people did for the centuries before TV (and they did not even have electricity):

work, read, talk, play cards, play board games, cook, bake, make music, listen to music, knit, sew, weave, paint, draw, write letters, write stories, write poetry, build stuff, invent things, have guests to join doing all the above....

[lotsofpumpkins]

I wish we would get rid of our TVs. Dh would never go for it though. (I know, because I've asked.) After years of dealing with antennas, he signed us up for dish, so we have a contract now. Because we are on our summer break, I've been letting the dc watch way too much TV. I'm about 95% sure we are going to start school back up on Monday (they really need the structure back), so we will go back to our "no-TV-on-school-days" policy. Dh can do what he wants, but the dc will not be watching it! I've been watching a lot of Food Network, but the novelty is starting to wear off, so I want to cut back myself, and go back to reading more.

[clarkacademy]

I have a question for all you streaming people. I am tired of Dish network especially since they have canceled my AMC. How would you be able to do the whole streaming thing if you have limited internet? I have hughes and only get 250 mb every 24 hours.

 

Am I just kind of out of luck then for the streaming?

[redsquirrel]

I suggest you read 'the plug in drug' to give yourself fortitude, lol.

 

Make a plan. Don't just get rid of it. It takes a couple weeks to break EVERYONE'S tv habit. Think about when you watch and what you can do instead. Go to the library and get out some books on CD, if you have a child that enjoys legos, perhaps buy a new set that comes out when you have a crisis. Maybe start this after you have been away from home on a busy, tv free vacation? Come home to a no tv home and a fresh start.

 

Take up knitting, lol. Talk to your partner and figure out what s/he wants to do in the evening after the kids are in bed..if that is an issue for you. Maybe you have lots of hobbies etc that can take up the time.

 

I can't tell if you only want to go tv free or screen free. We are tv free, and have been for 15 years. We are not screen free. We allow the children to watch a movie on netflix at 4:30 until dinner is served. We use our laptops for that. The kids have never seen broadcast tv.

 

If you are going to allow some screen time, then make a specific time when it can be watched. It stops the asking. My kids don't ask to watch anything because they know they can watch it at 4:30. It just doesn't come up as a topic of conversation

 

I also think that summer isn't a great time to start this, if you are on summer vacation. You want to do this when you are all busy and won't notice it as much. TV and screen time are a major, major habit to break. If you want to change that habit you need to find ways to fill that time. If you don't it will be very painful at best and most likely unsuccessful.

 

Pick a time when you are very busy and perhaps schedules are in flux. For my family that would be in September. All our year long activities start then and our days become very, very busy. We don't know how things will settle out for a few weeks. I can imagine that we could drop screen time then and hardly notice it.

[LaxMom]

I have a question for all you streaming people. I am tired of Dish network especially since they have canceled my AMC. How would you be able to do the whole streaming thing if you have limited internet? I have hughes and only get 250 mb every 24 hours.

 

Am I just kind of out of luck then for the streaming?

 

Yup. I think you pretty much are.

 

We have two tvs: one in our living room for family movie nights or the occasional sports watching, one in our bedroom w/ a roku box for streaming Netflix or Amazon at night when i go to bed (I have mind racing issues and need something mindless to half focus on to fall asleep or I'm up for hours, thinking and planning and processing) We have antenna for local stations.

 

We turned off the tv about 4 years ago, when B was 7 and the boys were 3, and we ditched cable 3 years ago. Before I put my foot down and outlawed it, the tv was on as soon as the first person was up, and went off when the last person went up to bed (as is the way it is at my ILs' house :glare:) and it..drove.me.nuts!

 

It only took about a week for my kids to adjust, and I can always tell when we've become lax and it's been on more often because they become surly and bored and fight amongst themselves. And then it gets outlawed completely for a while, so they can come back to their senses.

[Random]

Whatever people did for the centuries before TV (and they did not even have electricity):

work, read, talk, play cards, play board games, cook, bake, make music, listen to music, knit, sew, weave, paint, draw, write letters, write stories, write poetry, build stuff, invent things, have guests to join doing all the above....

 

 

This has been our experience, too. We haven't had a TV for 14 years, and we are fine, even during the long winter evenings. We don't even stream stuff online because our internet options are L-A-M-E. (In December, it's dark around 5, and we get around 200" of snow per year.)

[WiseOwlKnits]

We still have a TV, but we hardly ever turn it on if the kids are awake. The kids moaned, whined, and complained when we first switched to having the TV off. They said they had nothing to do and they were b-o-r-e-d. They quickly got used to it and it was amazing how much more imaginative they were without the TV. And better behaved!

[stripe]

I have a tv and we don't watch much. My husband and I mostly watch news programming and he watches some sports. We don't have cable. I don't want to get rid of it, but it's a very small part of our household activities. I only turn it on when I have a reason to. I know a lot of people who have it on all day. My kids only very rarely watch kids' tv programming from the tv. If they watch anything, it's sports, news, or documentary type stuff. Or kids' movies or specific shows, usually educational things. I let them watch tv when they're sick. They seem to associate lying on the couch aching with Busytown or Beatrix Potter! Ha. They never propose turning on the tv to idly watch, but once in a while they'll ask to watch a DVD of a particular show.

[Hathersage]

I hate that the weather is the only thing holding up back. LOL

We had a tornado warning a couple days ago (days after watching that Desperate Housewives episode UGH). We of course had the siren going off, but the local weather guy was so reassuring by letting us know exactly (by streets) where the real threats were. People from my neighborhood were calling in to share and since it's often just me and the kids, it helped to reassure me. I don't even own a radio. I suppose that's something I should invest in. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Invest in a radio...your local npr station will give you more info or just as much as tv guys.. Or better yet a weather radio :) Plus if you have mobile phones...

http://www.noaa.gov/features/03_protecting/wireless_emergency_alerts.html

 

And to add, a radio can be powered with batteries, so if your power goes out, and you have batteries in your radio, you can still get your weather news. In case that tornado knocks out power :)

Edited July 7, 2012 by Hathersage

[blondchen]

:iagree:

 

We have a physical television, but it only works for videos/DVDs. The kids get to watch a video maybe once a week.

 

The child is only 6? He might have withdrawals for a few days, but he'll quickly be able to find other things to amuse himself..

 

:iagree:

 

Our TV is used only for videos/movies - it's been that way our whole marriage - we just don't care about TV (except I do wish I could watch the Olympics - without commercials!) and of course that's what our kids are used to.

 

Something we did recently had pleasant results I wouldn't have expected. Our girls (ages 5 and 3) used to watch a 30-minute video every day right after breakfast while I got some chores done. I did that partly to just get it out of the way and then turn it off for the rest of the day (except for their special "movie night" once a week). A couple of months ago I decided to change their video time to the afternoon before dinner so I could use the threat of losing the video as leverage/discipline, and because I wanted to make the transition to homeschooling easier by starting the day with reading instead.

 

Well, this is what surprised me: After just a couple of weeks, the girls stopped asking for their video before dinner. For some reason it just went off the radar. They're too busy playing or whatever and all of us have just forgotten about it (me included). They quickly adjusted to their new morning routine and it has really helped their behavior in general. They do still have their weekly "movie night" with popcorn and they can choose a feature-length movie if they want, and they are very happy with that. It's something special for them to look forward to and not a daily part of our family life, which is great.

[aggieamy]

Just do it.

 

:iagree:

 

It's wonderful. If someone were to knock on my door and offer us free cable for life and a brand new TV I'd pass on it. We love our TV-free way of life.