Controlling TV time
If setting the appropriate "TV ration" is hard (see Daily TV ration for a 2.5yr old?), now that my kids are older actually enforcing it is getting harder and stressful. They know their favorite show's schedule, are addicted to the Wii, and will use any distraction to turn the TV on; my son wakes up long before we do, and quietly closes our door before turning it on!
My tricks disconnecting devices and cables no longer work.
I'm considering buying a TV-rationing device, like "BOB" (see at Amazon). Do you have experience with something like this? Any recommendations?
4 Answers
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I don't have kids as old as yours, but I will speak from experience as the kid. I remember being in elementary school and my parents wanting to limit the amount of TV we watched. Basically, we would get home from school and then try to watch TV until one of my parents came home. It didn't matter that we knew we weren't supposed to be doing it. We were terrified of our parents and yet, TV was worth the risk. My dad tried unplugging it and harsh punishments, but nothing worked except for them actually being there. And since they were at work a lot, I basically watched 3-4 hours of TV a day all through elementary school. (They did not try removing the TV.)
If it makes you feel better, I still got all my homework done. I grew up not being addicted to TV or video games. I barely watched TV at all by the time I got to high school. Maybe I got it out of my system early.
For me, it was about having alternative things to do, and realizing what else is important. I felt like I could do whatever I wanted with my free time as long as I did my "job" well (homework & chores). Maybe there's a way to encourage that type of thinking with kids.
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PS I forgot to mention, I know this was a bit extreme but I had fun doing it.Even as early as age 8, I remember my father trying to teach us about time management by making us create our own schedules for what we should be doing after school until bedtime. They were very broad things, like bath, homework, reading, free time, dinner, get ready for bed, etc. And then he would approve them. It made me feel grown up and responsible and I was more apt to follow it because I had made it.
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Sounds like you've tried this and the kids are too old, but we use a power strip out of reach of the kids on both tv and computer. I haven't tried devices like BOB, but I hear they're really helpful. Alternatively, what about consequences for violating the tv rules, such as no tv at all (stick the thing in a closet for a week and see if they start behaving)? Wouldn't work with all kids, I know.
Kids certainly too old for small tricks like unplugging cables or keeping anything out of reach.
Our TV is too big for our closets :) but I've hidden the DVD player and the Wiimotes. Still, it is a lot of overhead, so this only works for egregious violations.
- Juan, Sep 8, 2010
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So our son is much younger (i.e., only 18 mo old), and perhaps we will have decided differently in the future, but we discontinued cable and TV a few years ago and never turned it back on. We still have TV's in the house (they're just never on), so my son doesn't yet know that it could be on, and he's not accustomed to it being on in the house.
Your situation is different, since they've already become accustomed to it, but what would happen if you just removed everything? I know, this is a bit drastic.
I do think a reasonable time of TV has it's place. Just like books and movies. They only watch DVDs or PBS, and they certainly learn a lot through the TV. Also, it is so part of kid's culture now that zero TV would in some way isolate them from their peers (that said, no Disney Channel is already isolating them!).
- Juan, Sep 8, 2010
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Update: I went ahead and bought "BOB". And I'm extremely happy. The kids watched with sad faces as I installed it, but they:
- Learned immediately how to use it
- Cooperate choosing what to watch (to pool their time) instead of fighting
- Play, draw, read, a lot more
- Make no drama when the time's up (OK, still a little)
In addition, I now have a most powerful incentive (or punishment) in my bag: 15 minutes more (or less).
You made me laugh! My kids certainly will try to watch as much TV as possible. And I'm not to worried, specially if they watch "good" shows. But I would rather have them playing, reading or creating something.
- Juan, Sep 8, 2010