To wish I'd never offered this compromise which I will have to agree to?

[boschy]

Over the years, whenever my DD1, now 15, has asked for a TV in her room I have said no, and that if she still wanted one she could have one when she was 16. This is despite the fact that DH and I have a TV in our room so obviously v. hypocritical of us. I just didnt want a small/young child/early teen having a TV in their room. Reasons included lack of ability to monitor content, having to remember to switch it off at night, and, I do admit, a certain amount of snobbery - "no child of mine" etc etc etc.

However, she has the memory of a sodding elephant, and 16 is coming up in September (yeah, she's planning it already). So obviously, guess what she wants?!

I'm going to have to give in aren't I??

I think you are. And at 16 there is very little not on the late night porn channels that would be unsuitable viewing for her so I think it is fine to have it in her room.

Yup, fraid so. I can't stand tvs in bedrooms, I find them very distracting (can't resist turning the bloody thing on and then staring at it mindlessly for hours when I should be asleep) but it's not the end of the world really, there are worse things she could ask for.

Can you get a freeview box with parental controls just for her tv, I think some limit hours it works as well as which channels are available, there is a parental pin code you use to change the settings.

I think it's ok at 16, and the fallout from not sticking to the agreement would cause way more problems than the telly.

Now that she is asking though, you can use that as an opportunity to talk about how she will use it responsibly and follow any rules you want to have like what time it gets switched off at night, no tv before school etc.

I think at 16 she's old enough for most content of TV, though you can still lay down some ground rules, like a time when its got to be turned off...

You can't back out of this agreement now without looking totally U, because you would be!

yes I know, you are all right, I cannot back out. but yes, RULES! and it might be very difficult to get the sky box connected to work up there (she's in the attic which she loves, its not a punishment honest!) so there's not much to go too wrong with the basic channels is there? and she is very sensible.

There are late-night porn channels on Freeview. I would imagine that any that show actual porn are pay-per-view but I've never actually looked to check.

Most (maybe all) Freeview-capable TVs have a parental lock feature so you can block access to channels. Bear in mind, though, that if you re-scan the Freeview channels then any previously set blocks might disappear. One of my TVs does that and I have to remember to re-block the dodgy stuff.

Yep you are hope she enjoys her tv Mine have a tv wel i dont get a reception so its just a dvd player , you can monitor tv useage when they are small she may overdose when she gets it though , forbidden fruit and all that ,

If you are looking into getting a sky box up stairs, have a look in the local paper or contact a local TV aerial fitters as there is a system to do just that.
I personally think 16 is old enough to have a TV of her own, she will probably be wanting her own space away from mum and dad.

At 16 i do think you would be going a bit ott with blocking channels. You can set rules on usage and turning off time but there also comes a time where you have to trust them.

Says the mother of a soon to be 16 year old with sky multiroom

Buy her the smallest screen you can find (perhaps portable size ones might be a fraction mean!)... then she won't be that thrilled with watching it over the family TV.

And I'd set a rule no TV with friends in the room, and have rules about homework and TV (Ie. TV not on with homework, ideally not turned on before homework).

YABU. She is 16, she could leave home and have a baby and you are worried about what she may or may not watch on TV?

I dont think there is porn on freeview oh wait there is gay rabbit I dont even know what that is as you need to subscribe , but you can set channels up not blocking is it , and what is there she can see that she cant see on the internet or her phone if she really really wanted too ,

She's 16, FGS! Even I got a TV in my room at 16. If she watches unsuitable content, so be it. There are things I would put way higher on my list of worries than that by the time my DC reach 16 especially DD.

we had a tv in our room when we were about 12!
we weren't allowed to watch it late at night, but until about 9o'clock.

DS is 14 and has a huge telly in his room with multiview

Told my DD she could have a tv in her room when she went to Universithy.

I also told her (when she was 7) she could have a pony when she was 12.

She is now 12. Aaaargh!

At 16 she can leave home, get married, work and have a child of her own and you're worried about her watching a bit of telly? Do you think you might being a tad overprotective?

As for trying to lock out porny channels, that seems a bit ott. If she really wants to access porn, she could do so via the internet, which has all the grot the human heart could Desire on tap.

I had a telly in my room at 12. It was put there so we could play on the mega drive, but ultimately became my telly. Watched lots of things parents wouldn't've liked, especially during mid90s, but it did mean I could keep up with conversations in school.

My parents were unbelievably strict and religious. Make up and whatnot was banned - earrings certainly were. I was told (probably when I was about 10) I could get them pierced when I was 18 and old enough to make my own decisions. I don't think they actually thought I would

On my 18th birthday I walked into town from school in my lunch hour and had them pierced. I covered them with my hair as best I could but my Dad still spotted them gleaming away. I was given a ferocious telling off and sent to my room (at 18, mind!). I reminded them they had told me I could get them done at 18 and they denied all knowledge.

I love my parents who are less mad strict now, but the sense of injustice...dear me, I can still feel it, 14 years later!

She is going to HAVE to have that telly.

My 5 and 7 year olds have tellys in their room. I don't see what the big deal is. It means I don't have to watch bloody Johnny Test/the regular show/other current favourite in the living room.

My 11 year old got a TV for her Birthday in August, we haven't seen her since.
I'd hold off as long as possible but 16 is probably as long as anybody could tbh.

Think of the bargaining use it can provide (rubbish grades TV removed, back by the time you said you would be or TV removed etc.)

Yep, you're going to have to stick to your word.

Could you get her a tiny, miniscule pocket TV?!

My TV was taken out of my room when I started my GCSE's so tell her once she has finished them she can have one

Exactly what compo said.