PANARAMA......................TOO MUCH TV FOR CHILDREN..........................NOW.............

[RTKangaMummy]

NOW

ooh - off to watch that then! thanks!

YOUre welcome

bbc1

Is TV Bad for My Kids?
HOW YOU CAN TAKE PART

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Panorama physically removed televisions, games consoles and computers from children's homes and kept them in storage for two weeks.

Many of the parents who took part in ban said that going "cold turkey" made them realise just how dependent they and their kids had become on TV, computers and games consoles.

Could you give up TV for a week?

Take part in the Panorama TV experiment.

We'd like to expand on this by challenging families across the UK to give up telly, video games and computers for seven days. (Although you are allowed to log onto the Panorama website to get information about the project!)

It's very easy to take part - from Tuesday 19 June you'll be able to sign up online; stop watching the box for a week; and then fill in our questionnaire to tell us how you got on.

Each day we'll post new hints on what to expect and how to cope.

Watch Jeremy Vine explain the experiment
Get an idea of what to expect from Sue Palmer, author of "Toxic Childhood, and Katherine Mayor, one of the parents who took part in the Panorama programme.

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WHY do these parents not realise that kids don't need TV to fall asleep? Or that they would play more if they didn't watch so much of it? And why do they rely on the TV to "control" their kids?

I'm

Hmmm - lazy parenting - cannot believe that 85% of over 5s have a TV in their bedroom !

• my dad and stepmum let my 10yr old brother watch tv ALL the time. He is overweight now and has dark circles under his eyes. In half term I took him swimming on the Friday and asked what he had been doing all week - he replied 'watching telly'

My dd is only a baby - I hope I can always stand by the good intentions that I have for her growing up.

Oops, didn't notice this thread

We have just been on our hols for 2 weeks without any electical items NOT EVEN MY PHONE. The kids didn't even notice but they did have the full attention of two adults and a beach and swimming pool. At home the kids haven't got a tv in there rooms but i will admit i do use it as a baby sitter in the mornings so they don't wake me at 6.30. I'm usually awake with the baby through the night. Would we cope without one for a week?

Going to have a chat with hubby and see if we could cope without the tv, anyone else going to join us?

I am tempted but not sure, need to think about it. I'd miss Greys Anatomy

its the pc that might be hard for me not that worried about tv as love reading. Also dh nearlly had all clear from snip! Its ok in the summer you can chuck the kids in the garden.

the pc - i can second that! how would i manage without mn?

I think coping without a TV when you have pre-schoolers at home all day would be REALLY difficult. Less so when they are at school and a) you get to have a break from them and b) they are more self-reliant.

Haven't watched the programme yet, I've taped it. But I would guess that there's going to be very little middel ground portrayed between NO TV and TV at all hours, in bedrooms, on whilst eating tea, etc etc.
The examples used will be extreme ones, I'm guessing and ones that most parents would already know is damaging. IT's not rocket science is it?

It was half the children from a yr3 class so across the board i think. I have a ds(3) so would be hard then.

Did not compare TV watching children with non TV watching children. So why take half the classes TV's and leave half with TV's?

Just watched it back @ the parents who wouldn't part with their own fckin viewing for TWO* WEEKS!!!

loved the dramatic ending - the faily had made a big decision & even invited the tv crew along to witness them dumping the tvs - fromt he bedroom. lol. OK better than noting but a bit of a build up.

Also loved at the end "what rules do you now have?" "well, now don't have tv on in the mornings, except for the news." Errr, so the tv is on in the mornings, but mum puts on news instead of kids stuff. The tv's STILL BLOODY ON!!

Oh yes and that dad putting the footie on the pc, but not letting kid see it. Why didn't he just go down the pub or do without? Ignorant arse.

Oh that was just plain mean!!!

I was irate with the dumping the tvs - they were perfectly good tvs, why not freecycle or something?!?! I did love the "from the bedroom" though

panaorama used to be a serious news programme. now it is a televised version of the Jeremy Vine show, complete with jv!

a small cut above tonight with... but only just.

Aren't these programmes just 'Daily Mail TV'? Find some middle class woe, and turn it into an hour long programme. TV is not the devil, and any sensible person will just watch what they want and be done with it. I used to watch a fair bit of TV in the 1970's, but who cared? I would watch the programme I liked, then turn it off and go outside to play (unsupervised, with my mates, probably eating chocolate biscuits whilst cycling in the middle of the road, no helmet and sometimes not even any shoes ).

Why are we all so paranoid that we're 'doing it wrong'? And anyway isn't a TV programme about the ill-effects of television a bit of a contradiction?????

well said grumpy!

Tee hee, making a tv programme about not watching tv... does that mean you'll be sat in front of the TV watching people sat in their own homes not watching tv?

my tv is downsized and in the conservatory ..just can't quite get rid of it