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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not want my nearly 6 year old to have a TV in his bedroom?

101 replies

saxony · 26/07/2011 19:40

How many on here have TVs in their children's bedroom. I don't agree with it while he so young but I don't want to be mean either. He asked me today as he has been with his 2 cousins and they have a TV in their room and watch cartoons before bed. Me and my son read books before bed, which would mean that that would get sidelined too perhaps.

Just curious about the general consensus.Thanks....

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 26/07/2011 19:45

You are the parent, and you get to make the decision. If you dont feel it is right, then dont allow it.

Personally I dont think a child so young should be falling asleep to the tv, and story reading is more than enough.

thehereandnow · 26/07/2011 19:45

My children are 23 and 18, they had TV's in their room from the day they were born. Hasn't done them any harm.

DuelingFanjo · 26/07/2011 19:46

I agree that a tv in the bedroom at such a young age is not a good thing.

bruffin · 26/07/2011 19:46

I have a 13 and 15 year old who don't have a tv in their room. Neither of them seem that bothered about it.

OrdinaryJo · 26/07/2011 19:47

We wouldn't even consider it for our nearly-6DS. He spends more than enough time watching telly as it is, without being holed up in his bedroom, so no YANBU. But I suppose neither are those who do, it's up to the parents I guess.

Original poster
saxony · 26/07/2011 19:49

Cheers for replying. I told him he wouldn't be having one any time soon but I know most of his friends have one. Just curious for other people's opinions...

OP posts:
doesntfitin · 26/07/2011 19:49

Mine all had TVs in their rooms from a young age
Do whatever you want ,but the general MN opinion is it is the worst thing in the world ,and your DS will turn into a delinquent as soon as he watches cartoon network especially if watched in his bedroom

apprenticemum · 26/07/2011 20:03

Goodness no YANBU! The bedroom is for sleeping in, and always should be. Even I don't have TV in my bedroom. My DD (11) has a seperate room called The snug where she can watch TV, Play Wii, use the computer, watch DVDs etc but when it's bedtime she goes to her bedroom and reads for a bit ( in years gone by I, like you did the reading). It helps her to relax and settle down for the night.
For goodness sake, start as you mean to go on, once the electronics make their way into the bedroom, you will be on the highway to hell!

MaryBS · 26/07/2011 20:05

My 2 are 9 and 11 and neither of them is allowed a TV in their bedroom

PGTip · 26/07/2011 20:07

No chance, I have niece & nephews who had TVs from young age and watched them all hours unmonitored. Our dc 6&4 can have TVs in their rooms when they earn the money to buy them. We only have 1 tv in our house and it has been said by family/friends that that is unusual!

EuphemiaMcGonagall · 26/07/2011 20:09

DD is 9 and does not have a TV, but she has a personal DVD player and watches Horrible Histories DVDs in her room, but we control for how long, and it has to be switched off at least an hour before bedtime.

Ismeyes · 26/07/2011 20:09

DD is 5, but I wouldn't let her have a TV in her room because I don't have one in my room and the ancient non-flatscreen we have is adequate for us all.

Its not the screen time as such that bothers me, I spend lots of hours in front of screens myself. Its more the difficulty in monitoring what she watches on the TV. If she asked for one, I would consider letting her have one just for DVDs, but not all access TV.

bibbitybobbityhat · 26/07/2011 20:10

Yanbu. My dc are 10 and 7 and I wouldn't contemplate them having tvs in their rooms for years yet. This is quite the norm where I live/amongst my dc school friends.

Tvs in childrens bedrooms is a weird status symbol, bit like urban 4 x 4s, that the vast majority of the population detest and are judgey about. Or at least they do in mumsnetland.

rocketleaf · 26/07/2011 20:10

We don't have a tv in our room so theres no way DD would. Mind you she is only 2 months old right now and sleeps in our room so it's the same thing. ;-)

Personally I think 6 is too young. There have been studies to show that watching tv before bed makes for more disturbed sleep at any age which is why we don't have one.

timidviper · 26/07/2011 20:11

Mine were not allowed TVs in their rooms until they were much older than 6, possibly even teenagers.

Ultimately if you do not want him to have one just say no!

doesntfitin · 26/07/2011 20:13

I would love a snug though

Unfortunately council houses don't have them (doesn't live in MNland)

Witchofthenorth · 26/07/2011 20:16

Mine do have TVs in their room, although they are for DVD use only which allows me to monitor how much they watch. I wouldn't put sky tv in their room though ( although I have in mine ), going by the posts though, I am in the minority. It is up to you op, if you don't want it, then don't allow it :)

BeautifulBlondePineapple · 26/07/2011 20:16

No way my kids are ever having TVs in their rooms. FWIW DH & I don't have one in our bedroom either.

We only have 1 TV in the living room. I wouldn't mind having a 2nd TV so we could watch different things occasionally but I don't like the idea of kids holed up in their bedrooms watching whatever they like at any time of day/night.

TerrysNo2 · 26/07/2011 20:17

No way is DS having a TV in his room until he is at least 15/16 - its just antisocial and I am sure children don't need further encouragement to watch TV.

That's my decision. We also don't have a TV in our bedroom and I don't ever want one, I'm not a big fan of lots of TVs in houses, I think it isn't good for family interaction and sharing.

Henrythehappyhelicopter · 26/07/2011 20:18

Mine had tvs in their room from a very early age. Still read stories at bed time.

They watched the TV for half an hour and then had lights out, didn't leave it on until they were asleep.

It is your decision, but I don't think it is a big one.

DS is 10 and I don't think he has turned the tv on in months.

virgiltracey · 26/07/2011 20:19

definitely way too young. far more important that its a relaxing space for winding down and listening to a story.

catgirl1976 · 26/07/2011 20:20

YANBU. I really don't like the idea of TV's etc in childrens rooms full stop. I personally think 6 is too young and it sounds like you do too - so your child your rules. I can see this one causing future rows between me and DH as I am very anti and he thinks a tv, pc, console etc are all fine in a bedroom where as I think a bedroom is for sleeping in. I don't have a TV in my bedroom, nor would I.

doesntfitin · 26/07/2011 20:20

I love watching TV in bed

squeakytoy · 26/07/2011 20:23

I think for those saying that their kids wont ever have a tv in the bedroom because they themselves dont have one in theirs, are being a bit unfair.

To an older (say 10yrs+) child, their bedroom is their own personal space, in the way that the living room is their parents domain in an evening.

RedHotPokers · 26/07/2011 20:23

I intend to attempt to hold out until they start secondary school.

2 reasons for letting them have them then:

  1. I think teenagers need their space. I remember (just) being a teenager and I would have rathered chew my own arm off than sit watching telly with my parents of an evening.
  2. I shake with dread at the thought of my DCs being awake almost as long as I am in the evening. I need space!

Six is a bit young IMO.