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Bridget
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We have not had TV reception of any kind for 8 years. This past year my bookworm boys have become fascinated with sports. Playing and watching. They have been fortunate enough to get to some live professional games. But they are asking for ESPN. I guess their friends are starting to get together to watch games on TV.
I REALLY don't want TV. We won't just watch sports. I know we would be too weak and watch other stuff too.
Can we get through these years without it and not create resentment? Any thoughts or advice? Anyone know of options? Like a way to ONLY get ESPN?
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JennGM
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I don't have an answer for you, Bridget. We do have TV, mainly so we can watch the sports. I know some other families that refuse to have the TV but the husbands leave to go watch their favorite teams. I don't think that is good for family life when the husband goes off to a bar or someone else's house away from the family, particularly on weekend games. We opt to pay for some of the sports packages so my dh can watch the team AT HOME with his son.
Not that this is the same solution for everyone, and dh is of course a grown man. I wouldn't want the sports channels on without an adult screening the commercials -- they are the worst.
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Paula in MN
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We have TV. I will admit that BEFORE I started to homeschool, back when I worked full-time and my kids were in daycare, we ALL watched TV. It was our form of entertainment and family time. Pathetic, huh?
Now, it is turned on every morning for 30 minutes so we can watch Magic School Bus. Then it gets turned off. In the late afternoon, if all the chores are done, lessons learned, everyone is tired from being outside, we will turn on EWTN and watch Image of God or Adventures in Odyssey.
We also turn it on for 30 minutes on Saturday morning to watch Signing Time.
That is pretty much it.
I do check TV schedules on the internet - if there is something that relates to our studies on Discovery or History channel, we'll watch it. I would think you can do that with ESPN, also. Plus, alot of shows are available on the web, now. I don't think you would even need a TV anymore.
Just my 2 cents...
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 Paula
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guitarnan
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Another idea would be to get Tivo or another DVR service. You could skip commercials, record what you want to watch (sports) and ignore the other sickening programs that are out there.
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MacBeth
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How about sports on the radio?
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marihalojen
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My parents got rid of TV reception when I was 8 or so and we only watched classic movies for years. Eventually they got satellite but I was already out of the house by then. We don't have TV currently but we have had TV and we still enjoy watching certain programs if we are over at a friend's or in a hotel somewhere. (Alton Brown! Mythbusters!!)
I will tell you that I was/am completely out of the loop when people talk about whatever show is popular, like in High School when everyone was obsessed with Friends - I still have never seen an episode and it doesn't really bother me though it seems to have had such an impact on my generation. Sad commentary there, I suppose.  See, they talk about who's having who's baby or whatever and I want to talk about whether clear or milky liquid on scallops is a sign of freshness. I think it's a sign of a deeper rift though!
Paula is right, there is so much available online, last year with the Olympics we watched most everything online. We are so spoiled by this and Netflix that when we do watch a movie on the TV we are amazed at how long it takes! So many commercials!
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Elizabeth
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I'm not going to advocate against ESPN  .We are pretty dependent on TiVO and our TV watching (with exception of Michael--'nother story) really is limited to ESPN (and even then it's usually limited to Daddy's shows), FOXNews(my own nemesis), and the very occasional Food Network. I have kids who don't know who Dora is until they babysit somewhere and I am utterly clueless about what's out there on network TV. I used to have a standing date with dh for West Wing...
There is ESPN radio, there are ESPN podcasts and ESPN has a magazine. More than one way to get your daily dose 
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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marihalojen
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Sirius Radio has tons and tons of sports stations.
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stacykay
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We have not had cable for a year. Sports were the most missed! Although I admit to missing the channels that carried old movies and history and science stuff for children. And we didn't cancel for any noble reason  - it was just getting too expensive!
We have fair reception of the three majors networks, CBC (great for hockey!,) PBS, and a few others.
I have to say, even when we had cable, I was still out of the loop on what was on mainstream tv. We really don't have time to watch much, and even if we could, I don't think most of it is too terribly appropriate for children. I really can't stand some of the commercials that are played during sporting events, especially when my dss are watching!
I do think we will be returning to cable when we can no longer watch the Super Bowl on non-cable tv.  I guess thats a house of boys for you. 
Back to the teenage liability issue:
When the boys have friends over, or vice versa, they typically are playing games, or they will rent movies. And I really don't know how they do it, but as they get older, even if we don't watch certain shows, they manage to pick up on them in conversations with friends. 
(Oh, I thought I would add, a friend mentioned that all the children in her son's 5th grade class, at the local parochial school, watch a show called "House." She said it is about a medication-addicted doctor. It is the one with a grizzled looking Hugh Laurie, the dad on Stuart Little. She said the kids all talk about it the next day, at school. Not sure what the show is rated.)
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Stacy
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Erin
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Bridget
We didn't have TV or videos for nine years then we bought a set for videos but didn't have TV reception and then one day dh purchased an antenna so he could watch the cricket 
Do I regret it? Well yes and no. Life was simpler then in many ways we spent more time together playing games. But back then my dc were younger. I had to come to the realisation that I also need to model to my dc how to manage technology that we have today. We still only watch TV twice a week and when cricket is running. The twice a week is for two science programs that are on SBS, quite frankly the ads are appalling on commercial channels. (after years not seeing these things we were shocked)
So we learn and model self control we tell the children openly that things aren't suitable and they are very good at turning things off. My mother was rather shocked when dd snapped off a video that she had purchased and said it was unsuitable. We have recently purchased a dish so we can hook up EWTN haven't done it yet though.
I actually find it harder to practice self control with the videos as the ones we have I'm happy with and yet we also need to watch in moderation as too much screen time is not good etc. It is easy sometimes to stick to the time rules as sometimes you just long for some peace and quite but then I always regret not being strict in these areas as their creativity goes down and their irritability goes up. I have to be disciplined to teach them discipline
Do you have a relative/friend who could tape these shows for you?
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Mary G
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Bridget wrote:
We have not had TV reception of any kind for 8 years. This past year my bookworm boys have become fascinated with sports. Playing and watching. They have been fortunate enough to get to some live professional games. But they are asking for ESPN. I guess their friends are starting to get together to watch games on TV.
I REALLY don't want TV. We won't just watch sports. I know we would be too weak and watch other stuff too.
Can we get through these years without it and not create resentment? Any thoughts or advice? Anyone know of options? Like a way to ONLY get ESPN? |
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Dear Bridget -- we haven't had cable for about 8 or 9 years. When we moved to Denver, all of a sudden we could get some of the channels really clearly -- I guess it's the area. Anyway, after two weeks of bowl games -- I am heartily SICK of commercial tv, especially the sports stuff. Is there any possible way to get major sports without commercials?
Have you looked into ESPN's 360 -- which you pay for but then you can watch all of one kind of activity (college basketball, pro baseball, the Final Four, etc) on the computer.....ESPN 360 and check PPV (pay per view) -- I know some of the games can be watched free, but the main games would have to be paid for.
Maybe that would be an option?
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teachingmyown
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We have managed to hold out this long. Court really misses sports and sometimes we consider getting satellite just for that. Poor guy spent his birthday at a restaurant with his little kids (while I was at the ER with Emily) just so he could watch the playoffs!
Of course, it can't be just for that. And that is why we have not given in to it yet. I think especially with teenage boys in the house, tv is dangerous. I guess there are ways to be very vigilant about what they can access, but I already have enough to patrol.
We would be too weak, too, Bridget. My kids already spend too much time watching Veggie Tales and Netflix movies. I could easily get sucked in. I miss things like Jeopardy and even Oprah. And now that I have become addicted to 24 (from Netflix), I am SO tempted to give in so I can get my weekly "Jack fix"! Instead, I will have to wait until the new season comes out on DVD.
The saving grace here is that we can't afford it. Whew!
Good luck making your decision. I don't think there is a blanket right or wrong answer. Your kids will not be scarred if they can't watch tv. They can go to friends' houses for the games. You can pay for a "field pass" on the internet to listen to the NFL, or they can just listen to regular radio. Works here!
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Bridget
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I think we will try to hold out longer. They do listen to college football on the radio and go to a relatives house to watch big playoff games. ESPN on the Internet might be a good option too.
I am worried about the 'have the guys over to watch the game' kind of thing we can't do. This fall we hosted flag football here and some bonfires. Those were successful.
Maybe it will be enough...
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Elizabeth
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I think I would opt for having to control who and what is watching in my own house over sending them to someone else's house to watch TV. Our TV that is downstairs is set into the wall with a closet behind it. The closet is where the plug is. I can unplug the TV and lock the closet door, so no one can get in to plug it in. (Please don't ask me why we have this arrangement, just trust that I speak from experience.)Nothing that my kids have watched here at home, however, is as bad as what they watched on someone else's dad's shift.
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Christine
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We have not had TV reception for six years. At first, it was hard for my husband, as he grew up watching a lot of TV. My family's watching was extremely limited and my dad often turned the TV off in the middle of a show. Going out as a family and books were our entertainment. My brother wasn't big on watching sports (he held state records for swimming and is a great skiier). We did all watch the Olympics.
My husband follows ND football games on the computer. I don't know what will happen when our boys are older.
Some, if not most TVs allow you to block out channels. Even though we don't get cable, a few channels still come in with a fuzzy picture, so my husband programmed the TV to block them all out. He could have selected to block only some of the channels out.
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teachingmyown
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Elizabeth wrote:
| I think I would opt for having to control who and what is watching in my own house over sending them to someone else's house to watch TV. Our TV that is downstairs is set into the wall with a closet behind it. The closet is where the plug is. I can unplug the TV and lock the closet door, so no one can get in to plug it in. (Please don't ask me why we have this arrangement, just trust that I speak from experience.)Nothing that my kids have watched here at home, however, is as bad as what they watched on someone else's dad's shift. |
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You are absolutely right! I should have mentioned that as well. All game viewing has always been at very trusted homes.
Unfortunately, by the time they are 15, you would practically have to look them in the house to prevent them from being exposed to much of what is out there. 
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Bridget
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Elizabeth wrote:
| I think I would opt for having to control who and what is watching in my own house over sending them to someone else's house to watch TV. |
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They have only gone to watch at other homes WITH their dad. So far there is very little 'hanging out' with only peers in their life.
This a tough one. We don't want to be too uncool. But I am sure everyone here would agree that it is better to be 'doing' or reading rather than watching.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Elizabeth
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Bridget wrote:
| This a tough one. We don't want to be too uncool. But I am sure everyone here would agree that it is better to be 'doing' or reading rather than watching. |
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It is a tough one and Im not saying everyone needs a TV and I admit to a bias but I'm going to offer a little bit of a different opinion here. Let's take sports out of the picture for minute.
Before Nutcracker auditions every summer, my daughter spends hours watching the video from last year's performance. She particularly watches those dances for which she hopes to audition. The teacher encourages her to do so. By watching and watching, she is learning the dances and the music.
Professional sports are games strategy as well as physical skill. When a child watches seriously (and the seriously usually comes in with an adult mentor or a really, really good announcer), he can learn the game. Coaches always comment that my children are "rare students of the game." Please don't misunderstand; I don't think that's because they watch so much sports on TV. I think it's because their father is an athlete who is now a sports TV producer/director and he has taught them through sports on TV (even as seen from the production truck) as well as in the backyard, the playing fields, etc. Back when Mike and I used to coach (when we had time and energy), if we had a child on our team who really didn't know the game (usually soccer and baseball), we'd suggest that they spend some time watching it on television. Even better, a sports video game. In moderation, with a lot of supervision, TV and video games can be part of a physical education curriculum. Particularly for guys, I do think that they are also part of a social/cultural education. It's kind of like golf--golf courses are often where business deals are done. So, is golf a business skill? Could be.
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Elizabeth
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Oh, and one more thing: I talked to my pastor about too much sports television when Mike took the ESPN job. I was afraid that in the course of supporting him by watching his shows, we were compromising values. He told me to turn off the commericials and say Hail Marys for Dad during them instead. Alternatively, I was to direct them to get up and clean/pick up something during commercials. This requires I'm right there with them but I was amazed to discover that they didn't really complain.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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marihalojen
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Elizabeth, I adore your commercial ideas! I was just stopping back in this thread to say that yes, commercials are appalling and that is why I think the mute button was invented! We are so used to muting commercials and then discussing what we just watched that when it is not muted (like at a friend's) we find it is really distracting.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: No TV as a social liability
