do you have any " not v" days?

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Hardly watch the TV in the winter especially as it is upstairs and we have no central heating. However kids watch plenty of vidoes. At least they don't know what an advert is.

Hi new here, but thought i'd add my opinion. My kids have their own tv/video/dvd in their playroom and generally they turn it on for kids tv in the morning, it's on in the background as they play, they sometimes stop and join in with the songs etc, then when kids tv finishes they turn it off and get out more toys... later the little one (almost 5) will try persuade the bigger one to (6 1/2) to play quietly while he watches a film, which can sometimes end up in a battle...generally they are good about not watching it, they are not hooked on any particular programme and i've never used it as a weapon/punishment. ie no TV for mis behaving... i think depriving them of it would only make it more attractive, and at the moment i'm happy they can take it or leave it by their own choice.

yeah mostly no TV

in our house cbeebies on usually only if grandad baby sitting (he loves tweenies and teletubbies). I don't put it on as it irritates me.

My poor dd has to listen to Radio 4.

The we watch about an hours tv every other day (the adults that is)

Aaaargh! No! Please don't tell me I'm supposed to have no TV days. I cook from scratch, they don't have turkey twizzlers or Dairylea lunchables, I take them to the park and the library, I buy Ecover washing up liquid, they don't have sweets...please don't deny me the TV, it's my No.1 Can't Live Without Parenting Tool. I have nightmares where the TV breaks down and I wake up screaming and in a cold sweat. Hands off my TV - God knows I need at least one parenting vice!

Oh, no tv!!! I looked at that title for ages before curiosity got the better of me

I used to bar TV before school when mine were little (and we don't have a kitchen TV which helps). Used to go through phases of strict rationing as well - earning TV time by doing something else first - but would forget after a couple of days!

Did anybody else ever see that family where they wired up an exercise bike to a generator to power the TV? Somebody had to pedal, minute for minute, to watch (they could do it in advance or do it for each other, didn't have to pedal while watching). I always thought that was an excellent idea!

Janh.

I also know a family (grownup now) who had no TV on intellectual principles - the kids were supposed to play piano or read or something. They were obsessed with TV - when they went to other people's houses they made a beeline.

Their grandparents live in the country on a sort-of farm and they would go there on a glorious summer day and watch TV with the curtains closed.

Hi just wanted to add my two penneth. When I lived on my own I didn't have a TV. My husband had 2, 1 we've got rid of cause it hasn't being used since I moved in. When I'm at home with DS the TV isn't on at all, but as soon as DP comes in it gets switched on . At the weekends it again only gets switched on if DP puts it on. DS does have DVD's which he watchs, but he only likes dancing to the songs in the DVD's so they usually only last about 15mins at the most.

I'm the same as some of the other ladies here, the idea of trying to fight the advertising of crp food and expensive plastic toys designed for the manufactures monetary gain fazes me, because it bl*dy works and I hear friends kids .. I want, I want. The other thing I struggle with is other people who very kindly buy presents for DS at birthday's and christmas and they follow the latest trends. They buy him whatever the latest gadget or gizmo in the nursery playground is. I really appreciate the gesture, just wish there was a bit more thought for our (well my really) preferences as we do try and take their parenting ethos into account when buying for their kiddies.

OK this sounds like a real rant and it isn't meant to be, just wanted to add to the debate,

Hope you have sunshine today, where ever you are.

We didn't have TV for years and I'm kind of ambivalent about it now (I tend to watch it far too much if it's there). In terms of the kids, the rules are no tv before school, and half an hour of TV when they come home before they start their homework. Dd1 (7) almost never asks to watch it, dd2 (6)will ask quite a bit but is easily distracted by being given an alternative. It's never on as background, but we watch a lot of "family" programmes together, eg nature programmes. Dd2 loves the fishing progs on Home and Leisure and she and dh discuss what fish they are catching, how big it is etc - very amusing to watch them!

my dd(8) has tv in her room, although its set up so she can only watch videos. that way I can monitor everything she watches. she is a little innocent in the sense she belives everything on tv and suffers badly from nightmares. As for myself I couldn't live without it sad I know

This is such a polarised debate.

DS1 watches about 0.5 hrs before school (while I get ready), and about 1 hr after school. On non-school days he also watches about 1 hour max after lunch, while DS2 is asleep and I have a rest. He eats well, is well behaved, doesn't understand the concept of adverts (only watches Cbeebies or videos), sleeps well, doesn't say 'I want I want' - in other words is perfectly normal, happy, well adjusted, polite, lively child of 5.

We have a TV in the living room. Will never have one in the bedroom or the kitchen. We eat together at the kitchen table. Sometimes for sandwich-type tea I let DS1 watch TV with a tray on his lap.

There is crap TV, and good TV. FGS just make an informed choice. Don't demonise the messenger, just choose the message! There are crap books and good books too!

I didn't think it was a debate, much less polarised...

I never said that tv was bad. Just that I'm really glad we don't have one, makes my life easier. I did watch about 6 hrs/tv day when I was a kid, glad my children probably won't do the same

There are people at the White Dot society who argue that surfing the Internet is "as bad" as watching tv all day. Now that is a polarised position. I know a Mumsnetter who has a tv, but doesn't want her chldren to watch any children's tv, only educational videos & documentaries. I hope she succeeds, but may be a losing battle. Already their granny has scuppered things by buying the boys (3 under 4) a Thomas the TE video, heehee (you can see I'm rooting for the subversive granny...)

also, as much time as I spend online, I can't figure out at all how people find time to watch telly. I can't even find time to read a newspaper.

honestly i seem to have no rules with my cildren as long as they arent violent to one another
you all make me feel so inferior, really you are not all normal are you?

Why isn't surfing the internet as bad or as good as watching TV?

And Zebra, there is a middle way between watching 6 hrs a day and not having a TV at all.

It is just as bad/good, wordsmith - nobody said it isn't (or is)(???)

We should ALL switch off internet/TV and go out and have lives again!!!

only not just yet...