Eclectic Parent

I have a love hate relationship with television, both for myself and the kids. I don’t see anything wrong with having some downtime; my objection is when it too much downtime. I like watching tv myself (OK not most the shows that are on) but have to admit I accomplished so much more in the years we were tv free. The kids seem to cycle through television. First they watch a little carefully chosen tv (I must admit I like it when they are into science and animal documentaries more than cartoons) then slowly they watch more and more tv. They become less discriminating; it’s like an addiction. At first they want to watch something specific but then it becomes the act of watching tv. And they watch more and more and more. When they hit the point where they’d rather watch tv than go play I start thinking about limits: number of hours per day (what do you do if a sibling choses the show but they’re in the room), only watch preplanned things - no random bored turn ons, throw the whole tv out? Before I figure out some type complicated rule system and how to acually track or enforce it, they’ve usually gotten to the final step in the cycle and shut the tv off and gone to play.

Every once in a while they seem done with tv; it’s just become a habit but they don’t get to shutting the tv off themselves. Like today. I’d had enough walking through the room and watching them all staring at show after show. So I shut it off. No protests. No complaints. It was more like bonds being broken. Now D is using yarn, contruction paper and an empty toilet paper roll to make a kite. C is playing with his car/submarine kit that has various pieces you put together differently to make different vehicles. B is holding her baby’s hand while she sits on her doll potty and reading a book about the Sesame Stree monters visiting a fire station.

Would I prefer they were always busy in creative, mind expanding activities of their own invention? Maybe. But I don’t think it’s realistic. Everyone needs down time, both physically and mentally. Time to recharge your batteries. They also get all sorts of ideas from tv: from information about planets from Zula Patrol to why crocodiles need rain to breed from a documentary to all the crazy things that can be laughingly learned from Myth Busters. Could they get the  same information out of books? Definitely. But I also like the colors, sounds and moving pictures television provides.