I always tell my kids how weird our family is. We homeschool, we drink powdered milk, we bought our own local cow for beef this year (and just signed up for a pig), and most of all, we don't have TV.
We do own one, and for the last few years, our kids have watched DVD's and played the occasional video game. Until a couple of months ago, we did have rabbit ears upstairs for sick days or presidential debates, but that was it.
We've been amazed at how our lives are without TV. Of course, when we get near one at friends/family's homes, it's almost a magnet, but we've always walked away grateful we don't have it in our home. I even mentioned it in my Relief Society lesson last month.
Well.....
iTunes started selling TV shows and my girls saved their allowances to buy a bunch. (They still are fans of some of the Disney shows.) My husband started working swing shift and there are nights I am about to go out of my mind because I am so tired. I want nothing more than to sit down and relax watching TV for a few. We tried getting TV shows on DVD from the library, but we grew tired of that quickly--and I don't want to watch 20 of the same show! Suddenly, we didn't feel so TV free after all.
I decided I wanted it back. We looked into options...that was overwhelming! So many services charge fee after fee after fee and want a 2-year commitment with huge cancellation fees. We finally decided on our local cable company (which was the last company I would have considered) because we can get it back without having to sell our souls away in the process.
It comes back into our lives today. We are planning on setting up very strict limits on channels and time and content, but we will see. I still am somewhat mixed about bringing it back--we love our lives without it. I think the key will be the element of control.
I emailed a couple of friends who have TV but have not let it rule their lives to get their ideas for control....this was what they said:
"This summer seems to be a free for all. They are still to get their jobs (including goals/learning activities) done before TV. During school we are really strict. You get 1 show a day (or 30 minutes of a movie) - take it or leave it -- after homework and piano practicing are done. On the weekend it's the same except when we put on a movie together or if they wake up early they can watch it until we are get going on Saturday morning. I have tried other more elaborate ways to regulate the TV - especially when they were younger -- but this worked really great last year."
"We control TV by putting a password on the TiVo for all channels except PBS. Every channel except PBS comes up blank. So...the kids can only access the PBS shows and if we ever watch anything else, it's something we've recorded on the TiVO so we can forward every single commercial ever!!!! We also only have 1 TV and it's in my room, with a lock on the door. I hate to say it but if I don't lock the door while I'm gone, and there are things the kids need to do (like put away food, take a shower and go to bed), they don't do them. Even with PBS the only option for TV. So, that's my deal. Be ready with chores done, kitchen clean, jammies on, etc. or I lock the door when Mom and Dad leave. I really hate it. But I don't have a better solution at the moment for me to impress upon them that responsibilities come first. Other than that, the kids like to get DVDs from the library and often they don't get to watch them before they're returned since we only get a week and very little TV time."
I'd love to hear what you do to limit TV in your homes. I'll keep you posted on what works for us (although I am expecting a bit of a free-for-all when it first comes back.) :)
3 comments:
We used to have full digital cable and a DVR, but when we bought our house we figured that was the easiest thing to cut. We got rid of pay TV completely. The change was obnoxious because of a fuzzy signal for the broadcast channels. We used Hulu a lot and ABC.com to watch shows. Then Jeremy invested in the digital bunny ears and the picture is great! Carolyn watches some PBS in the morning and right before dinner time. I think it's too much right now but I need the space to take care of Blake or dinner.
We don't have the strictest schedule right now because our oldest child is 3. Although we need to start because she just figured out how to turn the TV on by herself. I would like to let her pick 2 shows, one in the morning and one in the afternoon for downtime.
For Jeremy and me, it isn't a big thing. We sometimes watch something after the kids go down, but more often read. I say that, but football season starts next month and things will drastically change around here.
Sorry for the novel. The short version: no real structure yet for Carolyn but limited. And not paying is fantastic, although we are always tempted by having a DVR again.
Oh my, I try to be strict too when it comes to TV. We only have the $9 a month cable package from Comcast and we can cancel anytime we want, no charge. We very rarely ever watch TV, but if Hailey had her way, she would watch TV all day. Since Hailey doesn't nap, I deprive her of TV all day until Jacob goes down for his nap, and then I put her in the toy room. I just get some videos from the library. It's worked great for me. If she throws a fit, I just ignore her. Eventually she gets over it and finds something else. I'm not sure what to do about teenagers though.
Thankfully, Brennan is such a money freak that paying anything more than we do now for TV is out of the question. I'm glad I don't have the big cable package because I would sit around all day watching HGTV. We really like watching the Office, 30 Rock, PBS, and the Discovery Channel. They are just enough and on nights when it's really boring, I'm just forced to do something else.
We got rid of our cable awhile ago because of the cost and haven't missed it, except for General Conference. (It isn't the same watching it from the computer.) Sami watches DVD's from the library and the kids mostly get Good Eats and Mythbusters from the library (those are the only shows they miss.) If there are shows we want to watch sometimes we can get them on the computer. We still have issues with too much (especially Sami) and it basically just comes down to me saying "TURN IT OFF!" It seems easier to do that when they know that they can pick up later where they left off, since it was a DVD.
I don't really have any ideas. I guess just do what you feels works for you and go with that. You know your family the best and you're a good mom, so I'm sure whatever you decide will work out fine.
Have fun!
Sandra : )
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