Aug

20

Just get rid of the TV cable all together. TV is evil and rots the minds of children. It glorifies evil, immorality, bad attitude, consumption. I have not had TV for 35 years. Its absence has allowed time for the family, for exercise, for reading.

Throw it out.

Nigel Davies comments:

I'm not convinced that banning either computer games or television is the only way. There are lessons to be learned from television shows just as there are interesting computer games.

My son currently chooses not to watch television, earlier he had a period in which he watched a favourite show at every opportunity. He also plays a computer game called 'Hotel Giant' in which you build hotels and increase profits if you find out what the customers want.

He knows he's free to play shoot 'em up games if that's what he wants, but for some reason he's just not interested. OK, it's probably clear to him that I think this stuff is garbage so it doesn't come with parental approval. But he knows it's not banned either, and maybe that reduces the attraction. 

Jeff Sasmor comments:

We have 7 TVs in our house. Once over 14 I let the kiddies watch whatever they want.

My kids have had their own internet connected computers since they were 6 years old. I don't block anything.We have a PS1 PS2 PS3 Dreamcast Wii Gamecube NES.

Only 1 rule: No TV until homework is done.

Both have A- averages in HS. The older one is in college and is running a 3.8 in freshman year at Barnard, which is not an easy school. Neither is a libertine nor a drug user nor an underage drinker. Unfortunately I was never able to get them interested in Python programming.

Funny thing– with all that availability they don't watch that much TV. Younger one draws all the time (illustrator) and the older one writes all the time (fantasy fiction).

One good thing– they have me in the house every single day (well maybe they don't think that's all that good…).

I think parental encouragement and involvement in a non-shaming fashion is more effective for positive child development than anything else one can do. It worked for my family. I don't believe in any restrictions aside from those necessary for safety reasons.


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3 Comments so far

  1. Dan Costin on August 20, 2010 9:15 am

    If you want to pass your values to your children, then yes, TV is your enemy. It allows alternative views to seep into the house, resulting in the diminution of the absolute control one would otherwise have. So it’s a matter of how one views the outside world: should the children be able to pick what they are exposed to, or should the parents be able to enforce control and promulgate their thought genetics? I suspect the answer depends on whether you agree with the parents’ values.

  2. jg on August 20, 2010 9:20 am

    amen. broke down and bot a small onein anticipation of a federer-nadal wimbledon final. this after 16 years of no tv. so boring. anyways, berdych was good too.

  3. ed on August 20, 2010 10:16 am

    Sasmor,

    Your method worked because nature trumps nurture (given basic necessities have been provided for). Your libertine methods would have destroyed a lesser child, such as the typical ghetto dweller.

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