DD wants a TV in her room!

[Tw1nkle]

We're thinking about getting a tv for our DD's room.
We currently have Sky, and whilst I would like to get rid of it, it costs a small fortune it does have REALLY good parental controls.

If we keep sky, we can get multiroom for my DD's room, and use the great controls.

However - she will be 5 - is this too young - even with the parental controls? She's pretty good, and would only have it on when she is allowed.

Advice appreciated!

[PeterParkerSays]

SPs, it just seems odd to just decide to do it. She didn't say "should I get my daughter a TV for her 5th birthday", or "my DD has asked for a TV" which would suggest there's another reason behind her buying it.

I guess I'm just asking why she wants to buy it.

[anon2013]

Normally it's because a school friend has been given one I find.

[PlotTwist]

Mine have tvs in their rooms (aged 10 and 12), the older one generally uses it to listen to the radio, and the younger one has a console attached to hers. Both prefer to watch actual tv downstairs, and neither has it on past bedtime - because I check.

[SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious]

The title says her daughter wants one.

I dont think its odd to decide to get something for your child.

[flowery]

We have calm-down time with a bathtime routine then reading a book together. I think that's got to be more effective as a calm down strategy than watching Star Wars, which would be my DC's film of choice!

Although I agree with SP that leaping to the conclusion that the OP's DD's behaviour must be a problem for her to be considering this is a bit of a stretch, it stands to reason that there must be a reason she is considering it, and I think replies would probably be more helpful if she were able to clarify what that reason is.

[MinimalistMommi]

Gosh, way too young

[SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious]

Flowery We do reading but sometimes TV is good enough for him. A couple of SpongeBob episodes, The Lorax or Charlottes Web are what he likes to watch.

The title says her daughter wants one. I thought that was the reason tbh

[chocoluvva]

Don't do it!

Only one reception room in this house, but only one tv. DD (16) watches stuff on her laptop in her room with friends occasionally.

They spend so much time looking at various screens already what with X-box, smart phones, lap-top, tablet and the one tv. It seems a bit sad and lonely for a little child to be watching tv all on her own- Though solitary tv watching does occasionally happen in this house eg when I'm cooking dinner, even then I'm in and out 'commenting' or listening to comments by the DCs.

I think all these 'screens' are partially responsible for the apparent demise of reading in bed - which is such a shame.

TVs in rooms are not conducive to healthy sleep patterns - the blue light interferes with our circadian rhythms.

[flowery]

My 6yo wanting something isn't good enough reason for me to get it him. I first consider whether it's a good idea, what the implications might be, and then decide.

Clearly the OPs DD wanting one isn't quite good enough reason for her to just go ahead and get it for her, otherwise the OP wouldn't be posting asking if it were too young. She obviously thinks it might be, which is why I'm asking why she thinks it might be a good idea to go ahead despite these concerns.

I'm just not sure what is achieved in a positive sense by putting a telly in a small child's room. Teenagers I can certainly see the sense, especially where there is no capacity for putting two downstairs - they stay up later and the whole watching different things issue comes into play.

[SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious]

Well at nearly 4 I have control over his telly. He knows how to put the DVD in but that's it. He isn't going to be up til early hours watching it. It doesn't affect his behaviour or keep him up. So I don't see it as an issue.

He likes to watch a film on a night and prefer to not watch the same film every night like he does. Its a win win for us both.

[PlotTwist]

My kids still read in bed. Mainly because that is allowed after bedtime and the tv isn't. If they ask me why, it's simple; because reading makes you sleepy and tv wakes you up. So that's the done thing in this house, if you can't sleep, read. Not tired? Read. Before they were independant readers, they were allowed to draw.

[MaryPoppinsBag]

We've just moved and now have a spare room which has become a playroom for my two (7&4) to escape to when I'm childminding.
We have put SKY multi room in there. And it's great if I'm honest, so the one in the lounge isn't on all day long. Its mainly the big one though who watches it as he like the Formula 1 channel and DAVE!
They've never needed one in their rooms as in the old house we had one in The conservatory.

Mine have always watched kids tv before bed with their milkshake and biscuits.

[mummylushes]

get her a tv with freeview. the childrens channels on freeview end at 7 so would not interrupt bedtime. My boys share a room have tv and dvd player. doesnt recieve any channels as need a digital aerial upgrade. So they watch sky in my room or downstairs. They never argue when I say times up all things off.

TV wont be a harm at all

[matana]

I wouldn't do it at 5 and probably never. Not having a tv in my room probably encouraged me to read and listen to music more. If I wanted to watch tv I sat with my parents or sisters, though admittedly we had a study which contained a tv so we could watch different programmes when we became teenagers.

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't like the assumption that if they don't read if they have a TV in their room. They use it to watch specific programmes, they don't put it on if there's nothing to watch.

My two manage to read as well as have a TV in their room. Imagine!

And as for not conducive to sleep, i am always falling asleep in front of the TV.

[SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious]

Really?! How do they manage that sparkling

my son watches it for an hour or so in bed. It suits us both. I had a TV in my room when I was younger and still managed to read. It even had VHS built in

[Lostinspace1]

We only had one TV in the sitting room when I was young and it meant the family would be together and talk. Seems weird to think of everyone peeling off into their own separate rooms to spend time watching 99% bollocks TV.

[BlackMogul]

It really depends on whether you wan her to be alone in her room at 5. What input will you be having in her life if she is stuck in her room with a television? I would say do not do it and watch tv with her so you enjoy it together. Controls are best used by a parent, manually, in the same room. Why would you expect her to be in her room so much?

[BookWorm37]

My DC are 8 and 10 and have never had a tv in their room. I made the decision not to ever have one in there and as a result they are avid readers and love to read before sleeping, they are also able to naturally fall asleep (ie without watching tv). It is also easier to monitor the appropriateness of what they are watching on tv by only having one in the lounge. Even the usual kids channels can have programmes which may have aspects you disapprove of or need talking through as you watch as a family.
Think carefully because once you get one there's no going back.

[chocoluvva]

Sparklingbrook - I know what you mean about falling asleep in front of the tv!

Apparently the nature of the 'blue' light emitted by tvs, computer screens etc interferes with the production of melatonin, the hormone which makes you feel sleepy. Teenagers begin to produce this hormone later and later in the day which is one of the reasons they often don't go to sleep until it's very late. Melatonin is produced in response to absence of day light. Apparently the light from screens acts like natural daylight to keep people awake (not you or me). Teenagers are more affected by it. Apparently.

My DD doesn't read in bed. Sigh. And she doesn't have a tv in her room. I can just imagine her watching rubbish till goodness knows when if she did though......

[SanityClause]

I don't really like televisions in bedrooms, but my DC all now have laptops or tablets, which they can watch things on (which I know is the same thing, really).

A few months ago, I discovered DS (9) watching the iPlayer at about 3 in the morning, so he now has to leave his tablet downstairs at night. It's the issue of lack of sleep that concerns me, not the content, as he usually watches science documentaries and that sort of thing (the geek!).

[DownstairsMixUp]

My lo is four and has a tv but it's just for dvds, it doesn't work on normal telly.

[GooseyLoosey]

No from me. At 9 and 10 I would not allow mine to have tablets in their rooms at night either. I want to try and make as much time for the family as I can and I know that there might come a point if they had TVs in their rooms that they would just disappear.

[CakesAreNotTheAnswer]

I don;t think anyone should have a TV in their room, no matter what age. It can really negatively affect sleep and I see no need for it especially if you have a good book