Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand why children need a TV in their room?

361 replies

mrsruffallo · 28/06/2009 22:35

Following on from another thread-I am quite surprised how many kids have a TV in their bedrooms.
Surely they can read to go to sleep?
Or watch the one in the living room?
Come and enlighten me, why do children need their own one?

OP posts:
sweetkitty · 30/06/2009 20:50

DD1 has a 4yo friend and when we got to her house the TV in the living room is on constantly with cbeebies playing and no one watching.

She also has a TV in her room and it's left on playing DVDs all the time too and she watches it when she goes to bed, it's just a matter of time before DD1 asks for a TV but she is not getting one. I cannot stand cbeebies on 24/7

AandK · 30/06/2009 20:57

I can't stand that neither. One toddler group "friend" basically thought she was the mary poppins of motherhood but cbeebies was on permanently in her house and if it was ever turned off her dd would throw a fit. I believe a controlled amount of tv is good. My son is a big fan of Time Team and Grand Designs, I don't know if it makes him a geek but if he wants to have a good career as an architect now because of it then so be it xx

HerBeatitudeLittleBella · 30/06/2009 20:57

But that's the difference between using TV as noisy wallpaper, and using it as a valuable entertainment device.

Having said that, I'm glad my DC's are beyond the Cbeebies stage...

sweetkitty · 30/06/2009 21:16

I use it to my advantage for example if it hasn't been on all day and they are getting tired I iwll put it on for half an hour whilst I make dinner, as they haven't seen it all day they will sit and watch it, I don't mind an hour tops a day, we also watch a DVD a week too.

It's this constant blaring of cbeebies in the background that drives me insane

frogwatcher · 30/06/2009 21:44

Sometime ago somebody said something like why do they need 4 tvs if they are all training to be gymnasts and footballers. I presume that was aimed at my post from ages ago - sorry, went off to watch tele and drnk wine!!!! On a serious note, the family I spoke of are genuinely training to (hopefully) be successful sports people and do train hard. They are also genuinely lovely sociable kids. The four tvs enable them to actually watch what they enjoy for the relatively short amount of time they have to spend in front of the tv. Thats the advantage of tvs in each room!! When I was a kid I think a lot of people used to have family time in the evening staring at the box together (personally i was restricted with only watching very small amounts - not good when trying to be part of a group at school!). Difference now is that parents generally seem to do far more with their children as there is less freedom, so spend more time standing at football matches, swimming classes, etc. Therefore probably there is less time spent in front of the box so it is important to actually beable to watch what you want. In my experience - restrict it too much and it has negative effect and becomes wanted more. Allow it without restriction and boredom soon sets in.

QOD · 30/06/2009 23:02

I have to say - we have 4 tvs. My dh is a couple of stone overweight and watches tv 6 hours a day - dd is very slim and watches 2 to 3 hrs
I am HUGELY overweight and watch an hour to hour half tops
So the one who watches least is fattest, so that blows the obesity link out the window!

barnsleybelle · 30/06/2009 23:08

LOL at qod...nice one

Pottytroll · 30/06/2009 23:31

at QOD and Barnsleybelle

Bibithree · 30/06/2009 23:54

We have one in the livingroom and dd1 has one in her room, which doesn't actually work as a tv, it's used to watch dvds on - which is her quiet-time treat on the weekend.
As patient and lovely as she is with the dts, the poor girl relishes her hour away from them watching Dumbo or Fox & Hound before commencing battle with the dts again
I don't see anything wrong with her having one as long as use is monitored and it's not used as something to keep her quiet and out of the way.

SmilingEi · 30/06/2009 23:55

my DD has a tv (no aerial) in her room and a dvd player. we put it in her room as a last resort as she will not sleep!!
we tried pretty much everything to get her to go asleep on her own but she just... wont!!
it is very frustrating and i cracked under desperation for sleep!! we found that putting a slow paced DVD on like in the night garden etc helpd to relax her enough that she will actually fall asleep within an hour or two of getting into bed whereas before the TV we would be lucky if she fell asleep at all before 2am we have a routine now after 3.5 years of no sleep and sobbing (me and her) and i now dont feel like drowning myself in my breakfast every morning
TV is my friend and noone slags off my mates
each to their own i say! dont bother your heads with the whys and wherefores of peoples domestic set up as you dont know the reasons behind them and judgy judgerson only sees the shades of jeremy kyle in the families that allow TV in their childrens bedrooms!!

xx ei xx

TheYearOfTheCatMPADist · 01/07/2009 00:02

I refuse to even have a TV in our bedroom - I just don't think it is conducive to sleep and relaxation.

barnsleybelle · 01/07/2009 00:10

theyear... We find watching porn on our 42 inch plasma in the bedroom very conducive to relaxation and then sleep

Kazzi79 · 01/07/2009 00:49

Whats wrong with children having a tv in their bedroom? Its nobody elses's business what people choose to have in their own homes.
Not every child enjoys reading so why should they read a book at bedtime if thats not their thing? I personally find tv relaxing and my children have their own tv, they choose what they want to watch at bedtime and it usually sends them off to sleep.
I would argue my case with the anti tv brigade on here........but tbh I don't need anyone elses approval of how I choose to bring up my children

posieparker · 01/07/2009 07:16

Yes you're right why make the dcs read when they can watch TV? I think I've heard it all.

abraid · 01/07/2009 08:40

'We find watching porn on our 42 inch plasma...'

Whatever.

Kazzi79 · 01/07/2009 08:54

My point is, children should have the freedom to choose how they relax and what works best for them, tbh nothing bores me more than reading a book. If a child chooses to read a book in bed thats fine, if a child chooses to watch tv in bed thats also fine, its no one elses business. I personally think the problem lies with people who look down their noses at other parents' personal choices, tv is only a problem if children aren't getting other stimulating activities in their life, if children have a fun life then a bit of tv doesnt do any harm.
Why force a child to read a book if they don't like reading? To me thats just bullying and bullying is wrong!
My children have happy lives and tv hasnt traumered them! I think I'd be more worried if I was the sort of parent who questions other peoples parenting styles and choices, usually those type of people are the ones that need to criticise others to mask their own lack of parenting skills

posieparker · 01/07/2009 10:05

It's well documented that TV at bedtime is a very bad choice though. It damages sleep patterns.

Actually one of my dcs is not a big reader so I read to him instead, after his obligatory school book.

Of course people question other people's parenting choices, it helps us either confirm or condone our own choices.

posieparker · 01/07/2009 10:06

condemn, not condone

clemette · 01/07/2009 10:10

"tbh nothing bores me more than reading a book"
Not condemening your preference but this makes me feel really, really sad. I wonder how many children "don't like reading" because their parents find it boring.

stillstanding · 01/07/2009 10:14

Actually, Kazzi79, I couldn't disagree more with your statement that "children should have the freedom to choose how they relax and what works best for them". They are children and don't know what's best for them. That's what parents are there for.

And imo (supported by experts' research on the subject) too much tv is bad for children and I suspect that tv in the bedroom can often equate to too much tv.

Original poster
mrsruffallo · 01/07/2009 10:15

God, Barnsley Belle your posts are so smug and depressing.
You're 'not poor' , you've got a big plasma TV and 4 more in your house, you watch porn on it, whoop a de doo for you

OP posts:
barnsleybelle · 01/07/2009 10:15

Can i just add that my very last post about porn on the plasma tv was written by my brother who stayed over at my house last night. he clearly got onto my laptop after i went to bed. I have found a horrible thread he started and he has commented on many others using my nickname.
I'm horrified and very cross and he thinks it's funny.

Original poster
mrsruffallo · 01/07/2009 10:18

And I don't think there is an anti TV brigade on this thread- just anti TV in bedrooms or anti tv watching at the expense of family life from what I can tell.
Yet another thread where people get defensive and dismiss anything a little bit against the norm as something to not be ignored or taken the piss out of.
This is getting me down

OP posts:
Rubyrubyrubyinthegame · 01/07/2009 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FAQinglovely · 01/07/2009 11:02

"and I suspect that tv in the bedroom can often equate to too much tv. "

But surely that only applies if they're up there watching it all the time. They could just as easily not have a TV in their room and watch too much TV downstairs......

and no - my children don't have a TV in their room - well there's on in DS2/3's room - but it's for weekend PS2 playing out of DS3's grabbing hands .

Swipe left for the next trending thread