[Closed] Has anyone gone TV free in a household with children?

Are your children into TV now?

If they are, your plan could lead to a world of pain.

Just make you that they understand that 'this is going to hurt you mare than it'll hurt them'

They'll understand then

Can I ask why?

Sort of. Our kids don't get to watch CBBC etc. They do have a fine selection (ie the OH choose them) of DVDs (including the complete Ivor the Engine). These they have access to at the weekend for a couple of hours in the morning.

I remember there was a kid in class at school who didn't have a TV, unfortunately a lot of the other kids ripped him a bit for it and he was obviously left out of any "what was on last night" conversations. Then again a lot of stuff is on iPlayer and the like nowadays so having an actual TV isn't a necessity.

good lord you'll be wanting them read next...

My 5 year old goes weeks without watching TV. We might watch the odd film on a wet Sunday evening during the winter but that is all. The outlaws let her watch a bit when they have her but she never asks for it at home. She did watch a fair bit of the Olympics though. TV don't go on till she's gone to bed.
Can't imagine it'll be an easy thing to take away if they are used to it.

I remember there was a kid in class at school who didn't have a TV, unfortunately a lot of the other kids ripped him a bit for it and he was obviously left out of any "what was on last night" conversations. Then again a lot of stuff is on iPlayer and the like nowadays so having an actual TV isn't a necessity.

Yeah, that was me that was. Whilst I can see the advantages now, I certainly got bullied about it at the time.

We haven't got one right now, but we'll see - she does watch TV on iPlayer, at child minders sometimes too. If it becomes a pain with her wanting to watch things at particular times in future, maybe we'll buy one. Hard to know whether kids will be all about iPlayer in the future anyway.

Joe

Are your children into TV now?

Yeah, I think we all are, especially me, but when we go camping we don't have TV we all really enjoy it, unsurprising because we're on holiday but even wet evenings when we're tent bound we've surprised ourselves by having a really good time.

Can I ask why?

Spend more time together as a family, get more stuff done, stop letting screens devour our time - internetz/DS etc included.

It is possible to let kids watch TV without them turning into couch potatoes.

You mean broadcast TV, or the whole hog excluding movies too?

Our 3yo hardly watches TV, and that which she does watch is usually some sort of documentary or Deadly 60 on CBBC.

She watches loads of films though (chosen by us to be worthwhile) and she has learned loads about stories and characters and so on.

Yep - 5 year old and a 8 year old here in a TV free house. Wife misses it more than they do. Have loads of DVD's though - that way we get to say what they watch - plus no TV tax either.

TV strictly rationed in our house, and now when they occasionally ask to watch some TV we generally say yeah fine cos they don't ask to that much. Lots of playing with toys, playing in the garden and doing stuff as a family at the weekend instead.

My daughter, now 12, has lived without tv for 9 yrs.
She has self regulated access to BBC Iplayer and that's only watched at weekends really.
As long as she gets to see Doctor Who all is well.
There is always music on in the house, or Radio 4extra, she is a big fan of radio comedy.
She is either singing, dancing, reading or laughing and likes the 'niche' aspect of being one of only a few kids at here school that don't spend the evenings watching soaps or "talent" shows.
It works for us all.

We'd probably die without a TV. Putting Fireman Sam on is the only way I can stop them from fighting long enough for me to cook some tea!

It is possible to let kids watch TV without them turning into couch potatoes.

They've got TV time now, just thinking about cutting it right back for all of us

You mean broadcast TV, or the whole hog excluding movies too?

Unsure as yet, early days, not sure how we'd deal with not watching the Great British Bake Off etc which we watch as a family and which the kids enjoy mainly for that reason.

MrsBouys brother and wife have 2 kids, 5 and 4. They have a small TV in the house thats knackered and only plays DVD's. They have a MAC that they use to watch iPlayer etc. but only a few times a week.
Kids don't seem to mind unless they go back home after being at Grand Parents where they get to watch CBBC et all.
Parents don't restrict use, more a case of them all doing stuff around the Farm, so too busy really.

On the whole it seems they're fine without it.

Though as school becomes more of a focus I guess at some point the eldest might start to complain a bit when others get to watch TV..

Who knows, bit early for that just yet.

The big difference we've found is that tv's tend to be put on and left on regardless. With dvd's and Iplayer you plan what and when you watch more and don't just sit watching because it's there.

djglover - Member

Can I ask why?

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Heyeyeyeye - there's nothing wrong with a bit of MR TUMBLE! 🙂

We used to have a two-week TV-free period. The kids would moan for about a day or two, then get on with playing. Mrs dj would moan for about two weeks. I don't watch TV anyway*, so no loss really. Top tip: take the fuses to work,and leave them there.

*obviously this was not implemented during a Grand Tour 😉

She watches loads of films though (chosen by us to be worthwhile) and she has learned loads about stories and characters and so on.

😀 Imagine you being like Victorian dad, sitting her infront of macbeth or some OU programme whilst you nip to the toilets to ogle the boobies in national geographic 😀

Personally I don't see anything wrong with TV, obviously I don't let my kids sit watching it endlessly but there is plenty of good educational and fun programming out there.

Toddler North watches limited TV: maybe 15 mins of Tiny Pop cartoons in an evening (irregularly). Otherwise, it's mainly sport as that's all we would ever watch during her waking hours.

Mrs North and I watch too much, when tired, in the evenings. This time of year is worst, as there's all the run-up-to-Christmas-every-night-of-the-week-stuff-on-that-can't-possibly-be-missed-and-yes-going-to-the-garage-to-fettle-a-bike/ride-the-turbo-is-being-unsociable.

Apparently.

I have lots of kids, and gave up the tv about five years ago. Now we can control what comes into the home by watching DVDs, or limiting viewing to what's on iPlayer.

Four kids, and we gave up broadcast TV about 4 years ago. Always thought we would reinstate it at some point as the eldest went to secondary school, bur as said above she likes the novelty of being different...

We do watch DVDs and iplayer etc, but this tends to be watching specific programmes, not hours of channel surfing crap.

We did it to save a few quid, and because we weren't really watching TV anyway. Try it - you can always go back.

I went out with a girl who had grown up in a TV free house. She had a bizarre view of politics and world events, and was very hard work to talk to. I don't think she'd ever seen someone walking on the moon, helicopters over Vietnam or Slade playing "Cum on feel the Noize". Don't do it.

I'm not sure TV free is the best way to go... But TV policed works well, restrict to what you want them watching and its not too bad.

Why, aren't you cap(able) of controlling their access?

I don't think she'd ever seen someone walking on the moon, helicopters over Vietnam or Slade playing "Cum on feel the Noize".

These are just for her.

And one just for you 🙂

Kids watch very little Broadcast TV. They tend to watch it on iPlayer etc.
I love the radio, especially Radio 4 in the evenings. They have some brilliant stuff on, but some of the comedy grates me though.
About to cancel out VM subscription actually, since getting a SmartTV the box hasn't been on.

I'm amazed that some parents stop their kids watching CBBC etc completely. Horrible Histories is just brilliant. Should be on prime time in evening. 🙂
That song "Born to rule over you" about the kings was hilarious.

Two kids: 5 and 7
No TV
But we do have in'ernet

We experimented with this for a short while, IMO it's a mistake and your risk the children feeling or beaing treated like "weirdos" - a lot of kids popular culture includes tv shows. If you feel strongly about it then create an environment where there are lots of other fun alternatives and have limits for how much tv they can watch

Imagine you being like Victorian dad, sitting her infront of macbeth or some OU programme whilst you nip to the toilets to ogle the boobies in national geographic

Hehehe.. when I say worthwhile I mean:

Monsters Inc
Madagascar
Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs
Cars 1
Wall E

and so on. Non worthwhile films that we own and I discourage include

Cats and Dogs
Cars 2
Tom and Jerry (the film)
Finding bloody Nemo

Mainly because they are shite.

es-cap-eh 🙂

Have you ever worked out just how much you've actually learnt or is possible to learn from watching tv? Tv is a great visual learning tool as well so I think not having one for your children isn't a good idea but they're your kids and so it's your choice.

My daughter learned a hell of a lot about how to understand stories and characters in terms of plot, motivation, and emotional content from watching the good movies. Her make believe games are brilliant!

Thanks for the vids, most enjoyable.

I met her 30 years ago next week but I get your point.

How very middle class.

My folks restricted tv when i was a kid and I grew up as a complete tv addict, so be careful what you wish for!

Dont really understand why?

My 4 yr old, loves cbeebies, and Star Wars 🙂 and we still have an amazing family life. He is a very bright child. He has learnt alot from TV.

He watches it when we get up for an hour, or sometimes 2 on a weekend, and for an hour before bed. A couple that we are friendly with, dont have a TV, their child is not as bright or as literate as ours, and she really seems to have alot less knowledge of the world.

TV is not bad, its how you control it that counts.

it isn't that hard, really, is it? FFS - everything in moderation!

A small point that some may not be aware of is that you still need a TV licence to watch iPlayer live content. I think you are OK with non live content.
Some interesting points above show that being a no TV household in 2012 is a very different thing to a no TV household prior to the internet.
Only one kid in my primary school had no TV and he was decidedly weird. This is when there were only 3 channels and a choice of black and white or colour. Breakfast telly had not been invented and if you fell asleep in front of the box you would wake to a little white dot and a beeping noise rather than some one trying to flog you a miraculous mop or nasal hair trimmer.

A small point that some may not be aware of is that you still need a TV licence to watch iPlayer live content. I think you are OK with non live content.
Some interesting points above show that being a no TV household in 2012 is a very different thing to a no TV household prior to the internet.
Only one kid in my primary school had no TV and he was decidedly weird. This is when there were only 3 channels and a choice of black and white or colour. Breakfast telly had not been invented and if you fell asleep in front of the box you would wake to a little white dot and a beeping noise rather than some one trying to flog you a miraculous mop or nasal hair trimmer.

Our kids don't get to watch CBBC etc. They do have a fine selection (ie the OH choose them) of DVDs (including the complete Ivor the Engine).

So, for some reason, it is fine for the kids to watch what you did as a kid, but the stuff now (despite being designed with educational specialists etc) isn't good enough for them?

quite an interesting thread - it seems no tv means tv viewing is restricted to watching tv on a small poor sounding laptop, not no tv.

One thing I do want to know is without a tv in your living room, what do you point your furniture at?

Not at all PrinceJohn. I've got a 28" monitor and a very good hifi system. I just don't use broadcast TV. My furniture faces the speakers 🙂

I watched loads of TV as a kid, and played computer games. It didn't stop me reading books or going outside or doing exercise.

My kids watch loads of TV, and play computer games. And go on Bin Weevils and Moshi Monsters and have email and use iPlayer and catch-up TV and watch DVDs and You Tube. It doesn't stop them reading books or going outside or doing exercise.

I'm jealous that they have much better TV than I did at their age and access to the web.

our TVs been broken for ages now, so kids don't watch 'whatever's on'.

kids do watch stuff online or on DVD though. This probably makes it easier to have 'control' of what they watch and when and how much etc.

Lots of radio on in our house/car too though.

Wife found it hard, but even she just streams or downloads now.

might change soon; just 'inherited' a big plasma thingy from a (all but blind due to MS) friend who is getting a bigger TV...