I have been trying to limit my little ones tv time (1st and 2nd grade) and am wondering what limits you place on your kids. My dh and I watched a lot of tv growing up and I want to get away from that. How much is too much? What are good substitutues for tv? Are there certain channels that are absolute "no"? Even if your kids are older I would appreciate the help for the future. Thank you.
My kids are (suppose to be :roll limited to two hours of electronics (non-educational computers, DVDs, Wii, TV) a day. Wednesday is TV-Free Day. I think it's three hours on a non-school day, though if we watch a family movie, we usually don't count that. No TV during school hours (unless an educational program). We don't have Cable.
My boys watch an hour in the morning (thats 2 thirty minute shows), and we turn it off for some fun play and then they watch part of a movie while I fix lunch (maybe 45 minutes to wind down). They take their nap and watch a 30 minute show while waiting for daddy to get home, then we turn it to Glenn Beck to watch for us adults, but the kids pay no attention. They usually draw or play. The rest of the night is TV less for them.
When I was growing up we had no tv. Then as a teen we got one and it became the soul focus of my free time. I think limitations can be an invitation to disaster because of that. So I have no limits on it. My kids used to watch tv a lot. Only kids shows like treehouse, CBC kids and so on. Now for the past year they couldn't care less. Once in a blue moon they will want to watch a movie but most of the time content themselves by playing games together. They have a wide variety of toys to amuse themselves with. And I actively encourage them to live in the 'real' world. Tv, video games and so on aren't real. Let's save them for when we can't find anything else to do. I will let them play their video games only if they have school, chores, and playing in for the day. And we save tv for when we are sick. Which thank the good Lord isn't too often.
I don't limit the time they watch, just the content. For one thing, I'm too lazy to enforce it, and if I did limit it to a couple of hours they would just bug me to entertain them! We don't have cable, so we watch alot of Netflix. One of dd's favorite shows is The Cosby show and ds loves Andy Griffith. they watch alot of stuff from teh Discovery Channel and the History Channel. Yesterday we watched back to back episodes of the Duggar's show '18 and Counting'. on actual TV they usually watch Qubo and PBS. The only prime time stuff we watch is The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover, and What Would You Do? It seems like alot of TV time seeing it written out like this, but my daughter reads alot and ds spends alot of time outside building survival shelters:roll:. I guess it's a boy thing!
I don't limit TV either. In fact, when my oldest was a baby, I worked 50-60 hrs a week from home, so he sat in his playpen next to my desk and watched Disney movies all day (until he was about 18 mos). His attention span is much longer (much longer) than other kids his age, and I attribute that to the lengths of his three favorite movies from that period of his life... Nemo, Cars, and Incredibles. They (especially Cars) are very long compared to other movies by Disney. I definitely limit the boys' content, but I don't worry about the time. Both were born with a book in their hands, both love to read, and both love to do creative things on their own (like Legos). The only thing I've compromised on is that they love watching "The Simpsons" with my non-Christian husband. He sees nothing wrong with it. They're too young to understand the references to current events or famous people, and they mostly laugh at or ignore the crude humor (butt references and such). I don't like them watching it, but it's nearly impossible to keep them from it. My younger son watches TV all morning while the older one is doing school. Well... let me clarify... he watches Leapfrog DVD's, Disney, and classic cartoons like Tom & Jerry or Pink Panther. And when I say "watches", I mean he'll watch for 30-60 minutes and then do something else (like bug us). He's juuuuuust starting to want to "do school" with us, so I've got some little preschool workbooks from walmart for him to do. His "school" takes 5 minutes, and then he's back to the TV again. He's learning a lot from it, but I haven't seen any negatives from it yet. He's also reading books and playing with cars or Legos while the TV is on.
Wow, surprised to see so many on here saying they don't limit it. We ALSO don't limit it. I feel guilty, but here's the reality of what happens: my kids have it on for background noise. They really don't watch it, unless it's a favorite show. Otherwise they just play. Tv is NOT allowed during school hours, of course, unless it is something I specifically want them to watch. Now if my nephew and neice come over who have limited tv, they are GLUED to it. They'd watch it over going outside. My other neice and nephew with no tv restrictions could care less. So I guess I tend to agree that the restrictions can backfire. I AM careful about content, and they are stuck with certain channels. My BIGGEST complaint is the commercials- even on the pbs kids station, there are tons and tons. I'm working in 'truth in advertising' during our schoolday but they don't quite get it yet.
Ok, I'd have to agree witht he commercials. I HATE the commercials. I think that they can be very innapropriate...even ont he Disney Channel. For instance: we have a DVR and we record alot of movies and shows for the kids. One movie is Toy Story 2 (both boys love it) and since it was recorded on Disney it has commericials. One commercial is a skit from another disney show. It's Christmas morning and two parents (played by teens) greet their daughter coming down the stairs Christmas Morning (also played by a teen. I want to say she's maybe 13 or 14). She gets alot of presents, and one is Joe Jonas in a big box. She's very excited to get a real live Joe Jonas for Christmas complete with an extra outfit. She then says, "OoOoOo, I want to DRESS him!!" And starts to take off his jacket, but Joe jonas stops her. At the end of the skit he relents and is dressed up and then the girl holds up some batteries and says, "Now, I wonder where THESE will go?" And they shut themselves in the Christmas box. I couldn't believe it! Even though my boys are young (3 and 2) and didn't get it, I STILL think that is terrible innapropriate. Maybe it's just me though. :/
I don't limit tv and don't have to. My kids don't watch much anyway but they do enjoy movies. We don't have cable since we moved. When we did the majority of our time spent watching tv was something on Discovery, NatGeo or HGTV. Now they girls like to watch CSI type shows with dh and I in the evening. Oh and American Idol. Sam's new favorite show is Live 2 Dance but really she likes ANYTHING with dancing. Gracie likes CSI, Lie To Me, etc.. all those detective type shows. She says she wants to be a crime investigator when she grow up but then again she also wants to be a chef, comedian and mommy. At her age you'd think the crime shows would upset or disturb her but they don't at all.
We limit tv and electronics, but we don't have a set limit. I usually just know when they have had enough and tell them no more. Like someone else mentioned, it's on sometimes for background noise. During the day my 3 year old will play with his cars and trucks while one of his shows is on, and go back and forth between playing and watching. My husband also has tinitis (sp?), which is a constant ringing in his ears. The background noise of the tv helps to lessen the loudness of the ringing. My oldest (3rd grade and in PS) is not allowed tv or electronics until all of his homework is done after school. After that, he is allowed. On the weekends we are more lenient. He is more into game shows and shows on Discovery and Animal Planet though. He has some shows he likes on Cartoon Network, but I preview them first because some of them are really raunchy! Moreso, I limit 'what' they watch, versus 'how much'.
Oh...I should add that one of my rules though is no tv watching while friends are over to play. I tell them "We don't have friends over to watch tv, we have them over to play".
O my goodness . That is highly suggestive and inappropriate. Another reason I don't like them watching tv with commercials. We do let them stay up and watch nature programs with us. But even those need editting sometimes
And I've seen Canadian tv!!! It's way more suggestive than what we see here in the US. :lol: When hubby and I were on vacation up there I couldn't believe the stuff they had on regular television in Canada. Even "I" was shocked!
I am another on the no limit list. As my son likes to put it, he likes to multitask (I was surprised the first time I heard him use that word at the age of 5). TV is on while he is playing Legos or GI Joes (or a combination of the 2). A few times he has asked to triple-task and eat a snack while watching TV and playing. Ever since he was little, he would play or jump across the couch (ok, maybe not something I should confess to allowing, but he is constantly moving) while watching TV. It is rare for it to just be watching TV. I think that is the general vibe I am gathering from the other TV viewers as well.
I can totally see where that would be a great rule for younger kids. What is the point of coming over to play if your just gonna sit there and stare and the tv? My teenager likes to have "watch parties". Last year for the Kid's Choice awards we had several other teens over to watch with pizza and goodies. Sam also has movie nights with her friends where they get several friends with several movies and tons of food. Sam and her friends also have their favorite shows and will go to each others houses to watch sometimes. It's a teen thing I guess!
Yeah, I foresee having those kinds of gatherings when the boys are older, but at their age they really don't have a reason to. We use to host/go to American Idol parties! lol That was a blast. I think there are some great exceptions to the rule, esp. as they get older. Tanner has had several sleepovers, and we have ended the night with a movie and popcorn before.
I also like Jen's rule, but can also see a party dealing with a certain movie like MM says. Heck, my 40th birthday, I had friends over and we had a "Veggie Tale" viewing marathon, lol!!! Had a blast!!! I see nothing wrong with a "Girls' Night" where you gorge on all kinds of junk food and watch a movie, or a bunch of guys getting together and watch some nasty testosterine-filled movie!
I don't limit TV, but we have a pair of rabbit ears with very few channels. On a typical day they watch less than an hour. Computer games or Wii is another issue. I limit that. They would be on it all day otherwise. They can earn 1 hour of computer (non-educational) time per day or 2 hours of Wii. They earn it by exercising in the morning. If they choose not to exercise in the morning they have chosen a Wii-free or computer-free day. I do use the TV and the computer often in homeschooling though.
Oh yes the video games. How could I forget? Samantha hardly ever plays video games except her DS on long car trips. She and her friends do like to play the wii but not to the point of it being an issue. Grace on the other hand will completely drown herself in video games if we let her. I let her play as much wii sports/fitness as she wants and that includes Just Dance and games like that. I think it is great exercise. However I have to limit Mario and any games on the DS for her. She gets so completely involved she forgets everything else and when I see that happening the games go off.
