Would no TV at all be noticeably depriving a child?

[Lexilicious]

Plans for redecorating living room include painting a big wall over a gas fire with a sort of light grey matt paint to serve as a projector screen. DH wants a £700 (yikes!) TV projector to hook up with his surround sound speakers, y'see. I think this is a great idea because not having a TV means one less thing to dust get dusty - and we can put the digital receiver box and DVD player in a cupboard out of sight/reach.

I'm aware that TV for under-2s is widely considered to have no positive value and may even be damaging. In older toddlers I can see there could be educational aspects but I dread the day when we have to know all the songs from whatever programmes are in vogue. In school age kids I know (from bitter experience!) that not being up on the goings on in Grange Hill, Neighbours or whatever is, like, social death.

So, by having an adult-controlled-only TV device are we condemning our 6 month old to being a deeply uncool social pariah? Joking aside, when he goes to other kids houses eventually is he going to be transfixed by the goggle box to the total exclusion of interacting with everyone?

we have this exact set up ( but we have a RC screen!)

you can get tv on the puter
bbc i player
itv catch up
4OD

or try tvcatchup.com

so if your child wants to watch the latest HSM equiv aged 6, then they do not have to miss it.

for example i watched the totally trashy X factor series on the big screen and loved it.

my kids friends love it too.

No - but it would be totally depriving me of some peace and quiet sometimes

RC - reflective coating? Looked into special paint but it's £££££. And DH thinks a roll-down screen will be annoying if you've got the windows open and it's flapping about a bit.

Ah yes, the TV as babysitter. As this is my PFB, I still firmly believe I will never resort to sticking on a fireman sam DVD and taking refuge in the kitchen with a stiff gin. at 10am.

"adult-contolled-only device". I think that you will probably find that by 4 your child is better able to operate most household gadgets than you, so I odn't think that it will be a problem.

I grew up with no tv, water from a spring, home-grown goats etc,

I was considered odd by my friends but it is not social death!

We have tv now and kids only watch the Simpsons and a bit of weekend kids tv, a dvd sometimes and thats about it.

So sompared to other kids thay don't watch much, but I don't think it has harmed them.

re gadgets - as long as he works out how to use the coffee machine I won't mind.

remote control

i got it off a company on ebay. was under £200

I think that when they are older, no TV at all could be mild deprivation (I remember when I was a kid we didn't have a tv for a while, and the teacher asked a question relating to a tv program which I therefore couldn't answer so lost the chance at a gold star. hmphhh injustice )

But an adult-controlled TV sounds absolutely perfect. My DD is 11 and never uses the TV without asking me first - it's simply never occurred to her that its a right - and even then, while she's happy with dealing with DVDs she's never bothered to learn to use the Sky remote. Theres only a few programs she's bothered about anyway. She does watch things like x-factor with her friends but certainly not transfixed by it - they spend most of their time 'interacting'.

Oh, and that projector job may make your kids very popular in years to come. DD's friends have one (the screen is a cunningly constructed roller blind, very clever) and they usually have 'film night' on a friday - all in their PJs on the sofa with popcorn and a good DVD.). Definitely cool!

[DDs friends with cool kit think we're cool because we have a telescope and a willingness to do kitchen chemistry. Conformity is NOT all!]

We have same thing & dc aged 5 & 3. I do find that the 5 year old comes home asking about tv programmes people are talking about at school, but show him bits on computer & thats fine. Can get watch cbeebies stuff on computer / dvd.

I find it really sad taking him to playdates where tv is on from the moment they walk in til they go to bed including through their dinner. Stick to your guns your kids will benefit loads from all the stuff they are doing while they arent slumped in front of tv.

TV is waste of time, as well of space. We have a tv as DH is sports mad, but our DC's viewing is severely restricted (by the big bad ogre....me) and mostly on iplayer or pre-recorded anyway.

Don't fall for the "tv is educational" bollocks... When other people put the tv on for some respite from their kids, mine lay on their beds looking at storybooks, with a story cd on. If that's all they know, that's what they're happy with!

And I was raised in a family where we weren't allowed much tv, and was never transfixed by other peoples gogleboxes in the way you describe. Sounds like you've got a great plan.

I've not got a TV.

My girls do not appear terribly deprived, they play more with their toys and read books (and ocassionally attempt creative ways to kill eachother!).

My girls do watch TV at other peoples houses, but I've seen how they become glued to the TV, and I'd rather not have that at home!