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

[mrsruffallo]

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?

(I'd like to add that DD is 2.)

But come to me in a year or so's time and the answer might be different!

I agree with bella - why is it so bad for kids to have TVs?

My dd is 10 and she is a bright, intelligent, sporty and sociable individual. We spend plenty of time doing things as a family and I don't believe having a TV in her room is having any adverse effect on her.

She is an avid reader, she spends alot of her spare time outisde.

just because she has a TV in her room does not make her a TV junkie.

I'm not sure why I feel so riled by this debate?!

brad - that is sooo the effect that it had on me this morning...

Right, am off now to have a coffee with my friend who is over visiting from Spain.

Mine have DVD players in their rooms.
I think its great if they want a bit of a wind down lie in bed watch a disney dvd

I would draw the line at having Sky in their rooms though!

i don't understand why teh tv people on this thread are getting all het up no one has been particularily nasty. if youare confident in your parenting and your choices why do you give a dam whether other folk have tvs or not?

Katiestar, re: Child of our Time evidence - sociable children - the child who was playing a lot of computer games had fast reactions to whiteboardy things, he was also NOT very good at concentrating on other things, and bored easily. Do you not remember the other (farcical)scene where the mother gets in a state when the dad wants to take the child fishing, and she wants him to stay on the nice clean X-Box and not fall in the river and get drowned and or muddy?

On average the children that do best at school don't watch a lot of television and would certainly not have one in their bedroom.
Going to sleep with a TV, which many do, is not good for sleep patterns either.

I always cringe at the sight of a TV in a child's bedroom.

I agree chevre- why are people so easily riled?
I haven't condemned anyone.
It's not like I've said the only reason I can think of having a TV in a children's room is to keep them out the way and the house tidy instead of letting them play and make a mess is it?

I just don't think it's necessary. I can't see a point where one would even suggest a TV in a kids room.
No has explained why they deemed it necessary, apart from wanting to watch different things at the same time.
The thought of everyone in their own rroms watching TV depresses me greatly.

We only have one tv, in the lounge. DH and I don't have a tv in our room, and neither do the DC (9 and 6). I prefer my bedroom to be a calm place for sleeping, and I don't give the kids a choice

Ooh me too PP. I find it distasteful.

mrsruffalo
My ds has one in his bedroom.
He sometimes needs to be on his own. He can't read for pleausure and so watching a video calms and relaxes him.
He is not allowed to have it on before bedtime.
Is that ok

( you were looking for someone to give you a reason)

noone needs a tv
but my children hbave one in their rooms
so do I

my children do not sit glued to them all day
they dont go to sleep watching them

Bellavita, You either watch lots of television which must get in the way of other things like talking, playing games and general interaction or you have more money than sense.

distasteful? lol, i reckon some on mn lead very sheltered lives.

The ds's have a tv in their bedrooms. Have had since they were around 10ish IIRC> I do not want to watch their dvd's or endless game play (ps3 etc) in the living room ta very much!!

ds1 bought himself a 42" super duper telly for his room last year with his wages. Ds2 got his old crappy tv for his bedroom.

Pagwatch- I would suggest drawing or listening to a story CD to anyone else but I can't argue with you because I always love your posts soo much

Have to add that I'm pretty sure accross the continent where family life is far more important and meal times are together and life is, let's face it, better I'll bet my TV that their dcs don't have TV in their bedrooms.

The thought of other people being depressed about something that I allow my - fit, healthy and sociable - children to have depresses me.

I don't, however, feel the need to justify why they do have the TV in their rooms.

Pagwatch, you have a 'get out of jail free card'.

We don't have a television at all. Problem solved!

mrsr

But I cannot construct an evening around DS2 ( who also can't draw) when I have DD to play with and her school reading to do and three seperate suppers to make.
If I play with DS2 I have to leave DD doing ...what?

I have had a bad sleeper. I don't see how TV can solve that tbh