Well o.k. today is the first day. The t.v. is usually on in our house from 8 am to 11 pm everyday. I think it was Kay who mentioned on another thread about turning off the t.v. and the effects on children's learning.

I have been campaigning to have the t.v. moved into the basement, just need to convince DH. Our t.v. is in our family room where DS and I spend most of the day.

DS was sitting on the floor this morning mesmerized by the t.v. he always stops playing during the commericals. I think the music attractes his attention. So I shut off the t.v. and he went back to playing.

I am committing to not watching t.v. during the day, so from 8 am to 7 pm for the month of March.

Anyone out there who has the t.v. on all day as well care to join me?

Now if I could just get off the computer! LOL

By My2cuties on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 01:40 pm:

I thought about that post as well, funny you should mention it..lol

We really only watch movies but some days Katelyn just wants to play and watch movies back to back to back and I am just so tired of it, so I have cut it down to 1 movie a day. Now I am seriously considering doing this, and watching 1 movie a week. Every little bit helps right? lol

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 01:51 pm:

I have just made a transition as well! We put the TV in our bedroom! I don't really want her to watch at all! So we will see how it goes! Today is the first day- so far -out of sight out of mind!!!

By Boxzgrl on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 02:12 pm:

DD doesn't watch much tv and can entertain herself quite well. I let her watch Barney and Jay Jay in the morning and the tv is usually off the rest of the day unless I have CMT on. Then DH and I watch tv after DD goes to bed. Believe me, you will love not hearing constant background music all day long, lol!

By Heaventree on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 02:38 pm:

I don't know about having the t.v. in the bedroom, could cause other problems!

By Palmbchprincess on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 02:40 pm:

My kids watch Dora, Blue and the Backyardigans every morning, and the TV is frequently on all day. The bad thing is it's the first thing Shane does when he gets up, (after potty) and is often the firsst thing he'll ask to do when we come home. They fight over who turns it on. I think this is a good idea, though I think I might go insane with the "TV? Mommy? TV!" questions all morning.

By Alberobello on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 06:39 pm:

I did this two weeks ago and it has been good so far. We never had the tv on all day but my son was kind of obsessed with it so we decided to cut it right down. We got rid of cable in his room (which is also the living room otherwise i wouldn't put a tv in his room) and we are down to renting two videos from the library on the weekend.

It has been hard in the way that when the weekend comes he thinks he can watch the two videos as many times as he wants. My goal is to get him to watch one video or dvd on the weekend, and maybe two hours of children's cartoons of the bbc (with no adverts) on sunday mornings.

But also my goal is that once he learns how to entertain himself and starts doing other things he will ask for the telly less and less. I really believe in this, i feel very passionate about it and wish i would have done it sooner. I definetely believe that children loose their imagination and concentration if they watch too much telly.

I really want my son to use his imagination and to start discovering things and living the real life and not just through the stupid box. I know there are many good things that television offers like nature documentaries and all that, but i think, from my own experience that children first need to learn to appreciate their surroundings because otherwise they get too used to the television format, which is very entertaining, easy to digest and so fast that they don't even have to think about anything, just take it all in. I was getting really worried about my son's lack of concentration and lack of ability to invent new games for himself. Heaventree, I really wish you all the best, let's do it! Wish me luck too .

PS: I have to say, thati can already see a small difference in him, i don't have to repeat an order 15 times, now he responds after the third time, which is an improvement! also i find that i can talk to him more, have a proper conversation not just about Bugs Bunny or Lilo and Stitch. And he IS playing more with his toys and doing more creative stuff.

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 07:15 pm:

Well, we have our tv on all day long. I especially use it in the evenings for background noise because my hubby works third shift, and I am uncomfortable without it. I know, I am strange.

However, my kids rarely watch it. Right now it is on cartoons, and my dd is in the dining room using her pottery wheel, and my ds is drawing keys and treasure chests, and cutting them out.

Earlier today, they made magnets out of plaster and painted them.

And before that, they build a house for a toy hamster out of legos.

And before that, my dd read in her chapter book for school while my son, who is only five, made another book with very detailed pictures of a video game he has in his head.

So, even though the tv is always there for them, they very rarely choose to take advantage of it.

Sometimes I am begging them to watch a movie! LOL!

And as soon as good weather is here, I will have to drag them into the house at night to take a bath and get ready for bed. They would stay outside and play constantly if it were an option.

With us, television is never an issue. I guess we're lucky!

By Alberobello on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 07:28 pm:

Adena, I have two friends that are like that. The telly is on all day in their houses and the children don't seem interested in it at all. I guess it is because they are so used to it that it is not a novelty anymore, it is not a challenge for them, or something forbiden than they can't watch so they prefer to do something else. In my house however there has always been anxiety over the television because i rarely watch it so it is never on and i always wanted my son to play instead of watching telly. SO i guess my son felt our (mine and his dad's) anxiety about it and it became his way of getting more attention. I don't know how to explain it. Many times i have thought to keep the telly on for days and days so my son would become like my friends' children (less interested in the tv set) but i can't stand to have it on unless i am watching something so i opted for the other extreme. I know different things work for different families and i am willing to give this a try. My case is bit difficult because we live in a very small flat in a main, busy road so we have to use a lot of imagination to keep entertained when we stay indoors!

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 07:59 pm:

I completely understand. I think my children are kind of "desensitized" to the television!

I do count myself lucky though because I have family members whose children would watch it constantly if allowed.

Good luck though!!!

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 08:18 pm:

The tv is on and off during the day. It will be on awhile. DD plays whether it's on or off. I'll turn it off. And as some point later, she'll turn it on to watch something. It's not a big deal. She might sit still for a 15 min segment sometime, see something that makes her think of something and off she goes after a toy to mimick what she's seen. I do censor the tv that is on though. I do NOT like the chldrens shows that are all fighting action or bratty kids shows. But there are some good shows on. She rarely stops moving to be mesmerized by it.

By Heaventree on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 - 08:37 pm:

Well today was a bit hard, not terribly difficult but just slightly. I like the t.v. on for company. It just seems too quiet in the house and I feel lonely without it. Sometimes being a SAHM is so very isolating and the t.v. provides a view of the outside world that I miss so much sometimes. It's kind of like coming here. The people on t.v. have become a part of my everyday life. However, I was thinking today that I really don't need to watch all those shows. I'm mainly additiced to talk shows, Oprah, Dr. Phil, Montel. But I also watch re-runs of Law and Order and the morning and afternoon news programs. Oh and I love cooking shows - The Barefoot Contessa is one of my favourites.

I'm sure as time goes on it will become easier and hopefully warmer weather and less snow is on the way! We are in the middle of a major snow storm.

I will have to find other ways to entertain myself just like DS. Our little adventure together.

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and I'm happy I'm not the only one addicited to t.v.