Really? Why haven't I thought of this stuff? I mean I really should just create some random characters and make them dance to music. Maybe add in some bright colors and swirly backgrounds. Little plush character toys that all the kids would beg their parents for. I could make millions! I recently sat down and watched an entire episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, it happened to be the one with Jack Black. Which was in fact pretty humorous to watch. He seemed to have a smidge of sarcasm.
I used to watch a lot of television as a kid. My mother had cancer when I was really little and I stayed with my Grandparents all the time. I can remember one morning getting pissed off that Sesame Street was a rerun. "Ahhh I've seen this one before!" I don't think that it ruined me. I always did well in school. I DVR Mr. Rogers for the kids. He comes on Saturday mornings at 5am. I haven't looked for Reading Rainbow yet but I need to. "Butterfly in the sky I can go twice as high..." It's so easy to plop them in front of an educational show but is it really teaching them anything? How am I limiting the growth of some other part of their brain by doing so?
What do you do if you think your child watches too much TV? Turn it off. I promise they will find something to do. They may whine or groan at first, but once they see you are serious and it's staying off they will eventually retreat to their rooms and do something creative. Call it "TV free time," or "Special Room Time" or a favorite in our house "Alone Time." I have tried just putting on something for me, but they will watch it too, can't have them watching Jerseylicious now can we? When I first did TV free time I thought it would be a lot harder than it actually ended up being. Now they ask for "Alone Time" in their rooms! It makes the house a bit more peaceful for all of us.
How do you make TV free time successful? Make sure they have lots of engaging toys and books in their room that they have access to, or if they are smaller in the family room. Also it really helps them want to play in their room if its clean. This one is really hard for us. So to help them I give them each 5 minutes of "help" to get their room clean (this way I'm not just doing it all myself, although faster it wouldn't teach them anything), while I'm helping one the other does theirs by themselves. It has made such a difference. We clean it up at night so that the next day starts out fresh. I think it is so important for them to be bored and have to find something to do.
It's TV free time in our house right now. So peaceful! And it makes TV a treat.
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When my children were born we lived in Germany and had no tv. When we moved back to the US a year ago we chose not to have tv as a way to save money. They get to chose a dvd or 2 at the library each week and they get to watch an episode of Blue's Clues or Thomas on Netflix, but they don't watch something every day and when they do it's more likely to be me needing a short break than it is them asking for it. They never seem to run out of ideas of things to do :)
ReplyDeleteLisanne we just started "paying" for TV this year. It is amazing how many channels and commercials are just on for kids and to get them to pressure their parents into buying all of that stuff! I think that for most Americans it is just a way of life, so to speak. I don't necessarily think that all of it is bad but moderation is definitely the key. Sometimes Barney is a moms best friend, there is so much you can get done in 24 minutes!
ReplyDeleteWe have only DVD, Netflix and internet on our T.V.'s, and although Netflix streaming is almost as accessible as cable or satellite, we have NO commercials!!!! I also have more control over what is uploaded into our account for Ryan to be able to watch. It's very nice really. We don't have T.V. on hardly at all in our home because of this. And when we do, its a treat. Right now we have been watching as our "family movie" time, the History Channel's The Universe series, in depth, current shows that explain the latest findings and images of space probes and telescopes! It's really cool. Everyone needs to visit the Theory of Relativity, etc more than once in their life to understand all the nuances and complexities!
ReplyDeleteI really like your approach to having "T.V. free time." And you are so correct in that you have to have good alternatives for their entertainment, AND be willing to devote yourself and your time to your children.