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Original poster

Does anyone NOT have a TV?

204 replies

H1ghw4y61Revisited · 29/10/2016 20:02

My little brother (12) is hoping to come and live with me in the new year. A friend of mine was joking about it today and said that will be the end of my having no TV in the house. Made me wonder if there are still people out there who chose not to have a TV in their house?

OP posts:
marvelousdcomics · 29/10/2016 20:03

We don't have a TV. I have 3 boys (14,12&10). Never been a problem.

SparklyLeprechaun · 29/10/2016 20:05

I've got one but I can't remember when was the last time I turned it on, if someone took it away I'd only notice because of the empty space on the wall, does that count?

MinnieMinchkin · 29/10/2016 20:06

I know people with no TV, yet still watch programmes online via phone, tablet or PC.

user1471449040 · 29/10/2016 20:07

we've never had one with catch up/iPlayer etc watch as much tv as want

usual · 29/10/2016 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shrieklesoda · 29/10/2016 20:08

I know quite a lot of people with no TV, usually for religious reasons. But I know at least one family who just don't have one because they don't want one.

SenecaFalls · 29/10/2016 20:12

I don't know anyone who doesn't have a TV. Most people I know have more than one.

Room101isWhereIUsedToLive · 29/10/2016 20:12

I don't have a tv. Just use my laptop for watching things. Don't think that a tv is a necessary item in this digital age.

sohackedoff · 29/10/2016 20:12

I didn't have a TV for years. my neighbours gave me their old one because they obviously thought it was because I couldn't afford one and worried my DS would miss out. do, We have one but no TV licence. We have a subscription to Amazon prime.

I cannot remember the last time I switched it on. My son will watch a film but not TV as most people think of it. It's great that they don't see adverts.

JeanLouise123 · 29/10/2016 20:13

We don't have a tv. Didn't have one as a teen either. Did as a child.

I do watch stuff online though, I imagine your brother can just do this too?

Original poster
H1ghw4y61Revisited · 29/10/2016 20:18

I don't have any particular objection to it, I just like a quiet house (I suppose I should say goodbye to that too Grin) If I just get wifi and a laptop for him that would do the job? At 12 would it be fine for him to have control of this all himself or would I need to be monitoring? That's probably more a parenting kind of question I guess. So many things I have not considered Confused

OP posts:
pringlecat · 29/10/2016 20:21

I don't have one. Actually, I do, but it's completely broken and I can't be bothered to throw it out.

No one believes me when I say I don't watch television, but it's true!

MillionToOneChances · 29/10/2016 20:22

My kids happily watch tv on phones and tablets. I don't think you necessarily need to monitor provided you have a good relationship and trust him.

Sunshineonacloudyday · 29/10/2016 20:22

Get a laptop and DVDs or Metflix is good for kids programmes and films. Schools allow children to watch a film now and then.

Ragwort · 29/10/2016 20:22

We have two tvs in the house but I rarely watch anything DH and DS monopolise with their choice of programmes. I grew up without a TV, of course it's perfectly possible. I never watch online or on a tablet wouldn't know how to.

Sunshineonacloudyday · 29/10/2016 20:24

Buy him a set of books to read. Get a bike to ride on so he can play with the kids in the local area.

LauraMipsum · 29/10/2016 20:24

We don't have one, just don't want one.

DD watches CBeebies on Iplayer sometimes (yes, we did buy a licence). I just don't really like TV much, I'd rather be on the internet or reading a book, and DP likes films more than TV.

19Hannah · 29/10/2016 20:25

Have one because it looks nice as the main feature of the room, rarely watch it though, just catch up on Corrie on my iPad 🙈

PedantPending · 29/10/2016 20:31

I have one, but I haven't switched it on for over a year.
My friend and her husband brought up their 2 children without a tv and some other friends of mine brought up 4 children without a tv. It is perfectly possible.
There is so much rubbish on these days, that I think a lot of people edit their viewing via Netflix or catch up on something like iPlayer.

CaoNiMao · 29/10/2016 20:34

I've never had one. I watch stuff on YouTube and iPlayer if the mood takes me!

Original poster
H1ghw4y61Revisited · 29/10/2016 20:35

So much more common that I thought it would be. My ex-oh used to laugh because my furniture had nothing to point at 😂

OP posts:
nennyrainbow · 29/10/2016 20:41

I had a friend at school whose family didn't have a TV ( and they were wealthy so it was a lifestyle choice). I don't know anyone now who doesn't have one.

We have one but I rarely watch it. Kids don't watch tv either although they use the screen for the Wii. Mostly they play computer games and surf. I don't think they would particularly miss the telly if we didn't have it. A home without wifi though....that would be another matter!

helpimitchy · 29/10/2016 21:01

Ours is now in the attic after sitting unused for months. Dh used to watch dvds on it, but he can watch those on his laptop anyway.

I don't think there's anything on worth watching from what I understand.

allowlsthinkalot · 29/10/2016 21:10

We don't have one. No reason other than we don't want one.

Laptop with wifi will be fine bit you will definitely need to be in control of it. No computers in bedrooms, parental controls, all open policy on social media and apps if he has those. He needs to know in advance that you will check the computer and that's a condition of use. Same goes for phone if he has one.

SenecaFalls · 29/10/2016 21:10

There is quite a bit that is worth watching.

Watching programming on computers and phones is essentially the same thing, just a smaller screen that can only be watched by one person. One of the reasons that I like having a TV is so that the family can watch things together.