To never have adult tv on when children are around?

[justwondering72]

My ds's are 6 and 3. They watch a bit of kids tv - cbeebies and nickelodeon usually. DH and I rarely get the chance to watch anything while they are up during the week, post dinner and pre bedtime being pretty hectic. But at the weekend we sometimes have the BBC news on during the day, or I might put something on while doing the ironing. Inevitably it attracts their attention even if they are doing something else at the same time. And I find my hand hovering over the remote to try and stop them hearing about wars, refugees, murders, missing children or any mildly violent or sexy scenes.

Am I being precious? Should I be letting them find out that the world isn't all mr maker and deadly 60? And being there to talk to them about what they see? Or are they still to young for these harsh realities of life? I'm not talking about horror or real adult entertainment, more like pre watershed programmes.

Well it depends on what type of adult TV.
Big Bang, Modern family, the Middle etc, no problem.

Game of Thrones not so much.

"flowery don't yours just want to play sometimes?"

Well yes of course, they play lots. I just don't sit down and watch telly when that happens really. I've usually got stuff to do or if I can grab 5 minutes I'll probably MN rather than putting the telly on.

"I just think it is really bizarre if children grow up thinking that it is acceptable for them to always dictate the choice of channel during the day. Really really odd."

I have to confess I'm bemused as to how you get from adults not watching adult telly during the day to that being children "always dictating the choice of channel".

My six year old came running in and word for word repeated the tv advert she had watched for a curling tong, she believed it like gospel it was then that I realised she had probably never watched an advert before.

I thank CBBies and recorded tv for saving me from that hell.

The radio on the other hand gives her a window into our cruel and frightening world. "Mummy five people have been killed" they don't need to know just yet.

Tv during day?
No, got better things to do. And watch plenty trash in evenings!

Never have adult TV on when the kids are around and my oldest is nearly 10 - but that's mainly because we watch very little and the stuff we do watch isn't suitAble (eg, am watching House of Cards at the Moment) and only after their bedtime. They're probably missing out eg, they didn't see anything of the Winter Olympics but We're just out of the habit of turning the TV on, especially on the daytime or kid-week.

I have switched off Radio 4 news / Today programme if there's a particularly grim news story on, especially involving young children.

Also we would never watch TV before the DCs are in bed. Nor do we watch it at weekends. We have a TV room and don't spend time in it during the day.

My parents always had/ have the tv on it's not something I want to do. It just draws you in, and everyone stops talking and stares at the box.

Dd (2.2) and I watch an episode of Call the Midwife today. Tbf she didnt have to sit and watch it but she did and seemed to quite enjoy it.

When dh came in the room she said "look daddy the lady had a baby out of her nooni"

We don't watch adult drivel anyway, but documentaries such as wildlife, under water etc are good for kids.
Saying that dd stayed over at gps and watched midsomer murders and Poirot so now she tells me she is old enough
When they are junior age they tend to watch Newsround which I think is at a level and content that is good for this age.

DD (4) loves The Big Bang Theory. I have the news on too but will flick over if's too graphic or upsetting.