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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to stop my children watching talent shows?

64 replies

3fornow · 29/08/2010 14:34

they seem to dominate the channels and give kids the wrong things to want to aspire to. also some of the music is just awful!

OP posts:
tokyonambu · 29/08/2010 14:36

I won't have the shows in the house. They have no redeeming features whatsoever. As I spent twenty years without a television, my intermittent threat to simply get rid of it has some force. Same with soaps.

Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 14:44

My only worry is if there is an impact in their socialising ability at school? The majority of kids seem to do nothing but watch one show to the next so it becomes a big topic of conversation for them. Any thoughts?

OP posts:
onimolap · 29/08/2010 14:48

YANBU.

I know my children have far too much telly time, but unless it's CBBC, sports or a family film, we watch with them. I cannot bear this type of show so they don't see them (I do put up with some other shows I don't like, so I'm not a complete meany).

Not had any effect on DS(9)'s socialisation, though I know a lot of his friends watch.

cat64 · 29/08/2010 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

haycia · 29/08/2010 15:01

You boring bunch of people. Don't know the ages of your children 3fornow but if they are older rather than younger then you aint doing them no favours,
How will they feel when their friends are talking about ---- on xfactor and they dont have a clue?

Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 15:03

you're right cat64 and I got a proper strop this morning after I said that eldest (10) couldn't watch the one on sky but i just couldn't let them after catching them watching some of their other music on the net. it was disgusting.

OP posts:
Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 15:08

not sure i'm boring haycia just think there should be more to their lives than x factor and the rest. when does it stop?

OP posts:
GrumpyOldHorsewoman · 29/08/2010 15:12

I wish more people would follow your lead and then maybe they'd go off the telly altogether. Big bag o'shite, they are. Cheap telly, very mediocre talent and bloody boring to have so much TV prime time devoted to them, not to mention all the shitty 'news'paper column inches devoted to here-today-gone-tomorrow contestants. Unfortunately DH and teenage daughter love all that crapola so my Saturday evening TV is pretty much stuffed all year round.

haycia · 29/08/2010 15:12

Yes they should have more in their lives, but unfortunatly they want to watch what their friends watch,

Im not saying you shoud let them watch xfactor and such shows, thats up to you as they are your kids but sometimes they need to be in the know of up to date stuff to get on in the school enviroment.

huffythethreadslayer · 29/08/2010 15:13

My dd is 9 and has never watched one of these shows because we don't. If she asked to watch one, I'd say o.k. but luckily (for us) she never has.

I was once accused of inflicting child cruelty on her when I said we wouldn't watch that kind of thing for a pension. Personally I'm glad to see that dd isn't showing any interest at all in this kind of thing. And though her friends watch it, she doesn't feel left out for not watching...she just says, they can watch what they like, I'm not interested!

usualsuspect · 29/08/2010 15:15

Do you intend to ban these programmes for ever? when do you let your kids decide for themselves? my dad never let me watch top of the pops Grinnot because it was a bad programme but because star trek was on the other channel Grin I still resent him for it now Grin..and what do you do when they go to their friends houses ,especially the teenagers? how can you police their TV veiwing then

puddlepuss · 29/08/2010 15:20

I love all that 'crap'! My kids are too young to watch it as it's on after their bedtime but I can't see the harm in them watching the odd show when they're older as long as I bring them up to have good self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities.

Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 15:25

i don't know. i personally don't like them at all but let the boys watch the odd episode & then i just got so upset/angry seeing them watching some disgusting rap on the net where all these young boys from the band are lurking about talking about underage sex and other awful stuff that i felt i had to ban them full stop.

OP posts:
cat64 · 29/08/2010 15:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

haycia · 29/08/2010 15:28

What has xfactor and such programmes got to to with the net?

haycia · 29/08/2010 15:31

I am sure many do cat64 but there are many kids who just like to fit in with their peers and if that means discussing the last episode of xfactor then thats what makes them feel happy and accepted.

usualsuspect · 29/08/2010 15:33

The X factors contestants choice of songs are pretty tame though ...

Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 15:35

the band from the programme also have other stuff on the net as well. perhaps i am boring but yout tell me if you think this is acceptable -

OP posts:
turtled · 29/08/2010 15:37

I find it very hard to believe that watching a couple of episodes of the x factor is going to affect their development Hmm

And they are kids. Kids tend to like pop music.

puddlepuss · 29/08/2010 15:56

3fornow, that's why I would restrict internet use, not watching harmless shows like the X factor. I'm a great believer that you can't protect your kids from all the 'bad' things but you can do your damn best to bring them up knowing right from wrong and acceptable from unacceptable.

Original poster
3fornow · 29/08/2010 16:05

yes but when it is the same band that is also on the show can you still seriously let them watch it?!?

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 29/08/2010 16:08

I never understood a word of that you tube video [old]

puddlepuss · 29/08/2010 16:12

I'm assuming for them to be performing on tv they wouldn't have been swearing or rapping about fingers and girly bits so yes. If they didn't look at YouTube they wouldn't know about the rude stuff.

ByTheSea · 29/08/2010 16:27

My children like the X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent (although we may start on So you think you can dance)and I enjoy watching it with them as it's something else we can do as a regular family bonding thing. I'm sure I wouldn't be watching them if I didn't have children in the prime age range (8-14), but hey ho.

turtled · 29/08/2010 16:28

Agree with puddlepuss.

Limit the internet. Not the prime time saturday night tv that is aimed at them.

My parents didn't allow us to watch soaps/itv/listen to pop music. We were the "weird" kids, children are fickle.

I think it is wrong to force your own beliefs about these things onto children, they may well decide they don't like it for themselves but if you don't give them the chance they will be even more curious.