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stacykay
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 9:14am | IP Logged
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I forgot about adding this before. I was listening to Steve Wood one evening, probably while driving to a practice  . He and his daughter, Stephanie, were discussing tv or no tv. She mentioned that, in her experience, the kids she came across in college, who grew up without tv, kinda went a little crazy on campus with tv viewing. She said they watched many shows that weren't terribly appropriate, and she thought more so than the kids who had been exposed to it while growing up. That was just her take on it.
In talking to a couple of local and very devout priests, I got two opposite opinions of tv viewing from them. 
My beef is why can't they make shows like "I Love Lucy  " anymore? I know, in our society, s** sells  . It is just such a pity!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Nina Murphy
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 11:07am | IP Logged
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This is a good point.
We didn't have a TV at all for years and once we actually got one, the older children wanted to "discover" every video out there that they'd heard about. (Not that they did, but the desire may have been inflated?) My younger children, conversely, have "grown up" with a TV and DVD's being just part of life....and they don't really care, to be honest with you----they take it for granted and don't ask to watch them that often.
We have never had cable (well, we had it for 4 months while we tried it as an internet connection----kept going down) and knowing us, I think we would watch a LOT more stuff that we just don't need to be watching. There is such widespread access to TV series on DVD that we have just gotten those: I Love Lucy, being a favorite, and Little House.
But on the other hand, there are cooking shows, TLC (did a special on mega-large families, I guess), access to late-breaking news, Sports as has been mentioned, Macy's Parade!/holiday specials, etc. that are nice to have cable for.
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God bless,
~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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Bridget
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 12:17pm | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
| She mentioned that, in her experience, the kids she came across in college, who grew up without tv, kinda went a little crazy on campus with tv viewing. . |
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See, my parents had the opposite experience. Their kids whose early childhood had no TV can take it or leave it now. Their younger kids that had more exposure watch much more now.
Maybe it's more of a temperament thing.
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God Bless,
Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
Our Magnum Opus
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stacykay
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 1:37pm | IP Logged
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Bridget, I tend to agree with you on the temperament. My boys have all had similar viewing opportunities (until we stopped cable,) and some would like to watch more, and some could care less. But with or without cable, we have always been very restrictive in what the boys can watch. It doesn't seem to have bothered them. I wonder if anyone has done a study on this? I grew up watching a fair amount of tv (my next oldest sibling moved out when I was 5! so I had alot of alone time.)  I have to admit I do miss watching some things, like the TLC special Nina mentioned, and other things. Ultimately, I would prefer to fill my hours with family and Faith, but there is sometimes that desire to "veg" out and laugh at Lucy  .
Nina- I wish we had HGTV to watch the Rose Bowl Parade! (my favorite,) uncut and without all the "brilliant" commentary!
Thanks, Bridget, for this to think about!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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mary
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 4:01pm | IP Logged
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we like our tv. how else could we watch alton brown's good eats, the history channel or survivorman? i guess i don't understand the problem with having a tv. it seems to me that it's a tool - like the internet. i could spend time reading online about hsing and ignore my kids during the day. or i could take a few minutes during my day, read some wonderful threads on this board and go form a liturgical year notebook group with our friends (something i never would have thought of on my own.) i think the tv, the computer, the telephone are all tools. they can be abused certainly, but isn't that about us and not the tool?
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Christine
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 5:45pm | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
| I was listening to Steve Wood one evening, probably while driving to a practice . He and his daughter, Stephanie, were discussing tv or no tv. She mentioned that, in her experience, the kids she came across in college, who grew up without tv, kinda went a little crazy on campus with tv viewing. She said they watched many shows that weren't terribly appropriate, and she thought more so than the kids who had been exposed to it while growing up. That was just her take on it. |
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I believe this is probably based on a child's temperament. As I mentioned, we did not really watch tv growing up. None of my siblings and I have ever watched a lot of tv. My brother and I find it a complete waste of time. I watch an occasional video, but I do so because my husband wants me to watch something with the family or with him.
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Pretty Lilla Rose
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Leonie
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| Posted: Jan 20 2007 at 10:33pm | IP Logged
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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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I'll agree with Elizabeth on this one - a TV and videos are positives for our family. Yes, we monitor how much the TV is on and what shows we watch and no one is glued to the TV. But the family time can still be there, talking about the sports or the news or the show or the movie.
Its how we use the medium, I guess.
And I personally discourage my kids from sitting too long at anything - be it with books and reading or TV. I say ~ get up and do somthing physical then get back to it - don't sit too long! 
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Paula in MN
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| Posted: Jan 21 2007 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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mary wrote:
| i think the tv, the computer, the telephone are all tools. they can be abused certainly, but isn't that about us and not the tool? |
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I agree with you, Mary.
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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stacykay
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| Posted: Jan 21 2007 at 10:29am | IP Logged
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We do a lot of videos, some fun, some educational . Back when we had cable, my boys really enjoyed the history and science shows. So many things to see, that we could never afford to take them to, or see otherwise.
I admit to being glued to it when our dear Pope John Paul II passed away  , his funeral , and then the anticipation of our new Pope, and the announcement- I can still picture the balcony when they announced his name !
If I ever felt they were inside too much, and too much screen watching (tv or computer) I would have them outside; but that never happens much, as they all want to be outside as much as possible!
So, I do agree that it is a helpful tool, and just needs parent supervision.
I have one friend who goes to a non-Catholic Christian church, and she and I discussed this, having the "popular toys," so that the neighbors' children would want to come to your house. They opted to get the play station, or whatever it was, but made it clear only certain games could be played and that it was in an area that was easily visible to the adults.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 21 2007 at 11:35am | IP Logged
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Well, I grew up totally without TV - not for any moral reasons, but we simply lived where it was not available. I didn't miss it and think that it provided a certain protection for me - and encouraged reading and more activity not to have it. However, I was a bit out of it when we moved back to the states and everyone was talking about all these shows I'd never heard of. Also, I'd never seen, nor could I follow a football game and we live where football rules. So I did watch game after game after game trying to figure out all those piles, etc. I did finally figure out the rudimentaries of the game from watching. I did not go off the wall watching TV and my dh and I were quite adament on a marriage prep survey that TV was not an acceptable entertainment if we were short on funds. The officials thought we were being stubborn until they realized that we were willing to do inexpensive/free things like take a walk or hike on nature trails and state parks - all free, we just didn't see TV as entertainment.
However, when we thought about what we would do, we didn't throw the TV out. We simply don't turn it on. From a very early age, all the children learned that the TV was not turned on without permission - and that is so ingrained, they are still that way. We also never allowed TV viewing anywhere but at home. In their younger years, we did unplug the TV when we had guests (mostly adults or older folks who did not know our family rules where it would have been awkward to say anything - like with great grandma) and they just thought our TV was broken . When we were elsewhere, we had to distract when they were younger, but they much preferred other things as they got older. When we watch something, we do it together. We did not want the TV to be a substitute for family time or time visiting and talking, and so we make sure that we are very conscious about when and what we do watch. I don't think we have the TV on for more than once/ month at the very most and that is mostly videos of our choice. Now, there might be more to see if we had cable - but right now that isn't in the budget, even though we'd love to get EWTN.
Another family we know, got their TV/VCR in the car. They figure that the fact that they have to get up and go out to the car together to watch, makes them really think about it. The children are all beautiful and are very, very discerning. They have commented about things in movies they have seen, that most of the rest of us miss. They are in no way non-social and do fine in college, etc. They do seem more of another world in terms of the great joy and innocence. I've never met anyone quite like them - very nonjudgemental, very communicative, very kind and welcoming - but so very, very special. I'm sure this has a lot more to do with the whole picture than whether or not they watch or have a TV.
Janet
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: No TV as a social liability
