What do you think of TV

[kokonutmama]

Now that K is watching kids shows and is better able to understand what is going on, two things are happening:

1) he watches a lot of TV. 

2) I am getting very picky about what he watches

I find that I am glad that programming is better than I thought, he actually learns a lot of the pre school stuff from TV that I just don't bother with.  I don't think he needs to know the alphabet yet, but I'm glad that it's getting accomplished while he's watching TV, rather than nothing being accomplished at all.  There are certain things I don't like about the programming that I will allow if it's hard to avoid (I don't like non-humans behaving like humans and the word "animal" used to describe creatures in exclusion of humans, but these things are such a part of so many shows I otherwise approve of, I let it slide for now) but others I'm starting to phase out.  For example, I don't let him watch anything too stimulating.  Wow wow wubsy fits in that category.  I think that show is part of how Nickalodian justifies the expense of running a commercial free network.  It gets kids used to the Spongebob format.  No more Thomas either.  There are lessons in there, but they're way too complex for him to sort out and some of them I flat out disagree with.  Our favorite show right now is The Upside Down Show.  We watch it whenever we remember.  Today k actually asked me what time it was and when I told him it was noon, he said "what does noon mean? is it one o'clock? is it time for The Upside Down Show?"  I'm not sure if he likes it because he likes it or because he knows I'll watch it with him. 

We still watch grown up tv, too; we've had to have some conversations about language, violence, compassion for alligators, etc.  and I think he gets it.

[jnezmama02]

Hmmm...that's funny. The upside down show is one of the shows I least like on noggin.  I'm not a big fan of wow, wow wubbzy either. But, the girls will watch both if they're on.   I guess I don't have the hang up about animals acting like humans. When we are home, we do watch too much tv.  But, the kids have been having so many activities lately, that I think it actually helps them to unwind in the same way it helps adults unwind. Emily's fave shows continue to be Franklin, Little Bear, and Dora.  Jessie is starting to get out of these shows, though, and is starting to prefer full-length movies instead...most of the movies have less learning in them than the shows. OTOH, I feel like not EVERYTHING in their life needs to be "educational"...that sometimes it is ok just to be entertained.

[skeettafic]

We have the TV on most mornings while I'm getting ready - usually the Disney channel so its generally Higgleytown Heros and Tigger and Pooh with the occasional Wiggles if she's up a little earlier.

Its on and off in the eveings.  If she asks for it she can watch while I get dinner ready - some days she wants to play and others she wants to help me but every few days she asks to turn it on.  Usually its something like Dora or Backyardigans - if we are home a little earlier its Zabumafu which is all about animals (kinda like an animal planet show) and she LOVES it.  I actually wish it was on a little later because its one that I really don't mind her watching.

Usually its on again after bath and depending on what time she is going to bed its either Bearenstein Bears and Thomas or Piggleywinks on Sprout. 

DH is a pretty big TV watcher so I know its on more when I'm not home but it tends to be Discovery or Food network or Animal Planet.

BTW - Jocelyn LOVES the upside down show; I just think its kinda strange

[moogie]

Asha is not a fan of tv unless it stays still long enough for her to notice saya horse or a cat.

Charlie watches maybe an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon max.  Mainly Playschool which is an adult led program that is very popular and harmless.  she still loves dinosaurs.  She does play a lot on her own so thats good.

Generally i feel tv rots your brain, but still i watch it.  some shows are good for kids but most just masquerade as eductaional in my opinion.

[Lily84]

i agree that a lot of the shows just "look" educational and theyre not. I didnt want shane watching any tv and he didnt watch any until recently. i actually feel guilty when he watches it because hes so young, but i dont let him watch too much. i am really picky about what he can watch though. he watches some tv while im cooking breakfast and the a little more while im cooking lunch. depending on what time it is, these are really the only shows he is allowed to watch: sesame street, mickey mouse club house, the backyardigans. we have seen yo gabba gabba a few times, he seems to like it but i think its so weird. i HATE thomas, jay jay the airplane, dora, diego, sponge bob, wow wow wubzy, the wiggles, barney, and wonder pets. blues clues is okay but i dont like it all that much. he absoluetely loves watching animal planet, bindi the jungle girl, or funniest pets which is just fine with me. id rather him watch that than cartoons. anyone seen hip hop harry on discovery kids? WTH?!?  he will sit very quietly and watch for 20- 30 minutes at a time, twice a day, which i feel is too much for his age. he plays a lot by himself, and he still really perfers looking at books over tv though. 

[kiskar]

Ben likes TV, but rarely just focuses on it. He's usually playing and has it on in the background. (This is a bad habit of my own that I have transferred to my child.) We watch Noggin - he prefers Jack's Big Music Show, Dora, Diego and Blues Clues but has recently started liking Little Bill too. The few times he has watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, he has liked that too. A couple months ago, he discovered Cars, the movie, and wanted to "watch" it several times a day! He recently watched Dumbo - wow, that movie has a lot of adult content - and Bambi. I'm not sure I'm ready for him to start watching those movies. Other than Cars and Finding Nemo, he doesn't watch full length movies yet, although my mom said she wants to go buy Ratatouille today.

Kerry

[kiskar]

I guess I didn't even answer the question!

I worry a lot about Ben's exposure to things I deem to grown up for him. Recently at school, some of the other kids began making toy guns with Legos. Now Ben runs around shooting things with whatever he can make into a gun. It drives me crazy. I no longer watch most shows, including the news, during the time Ben is awake because I think there is too much profanity, sex and violence in even regular programming. Overall, I think TV is fine in moderation.

Did anyone see this latest report: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_CHILDREN?SITE=TNKNN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

K.

[jnezmama02]

Interesting report...I'm sure the findings will be disputed, but I think it is true that shows like power rangers has a different impact than shows like blues clues. I'm also glad to see something than the routine "all tv is bad".

[kokonutmama]

Kody loved Cars and also Dumbo.  We get Netflix and I try to choose movies we will both like.  We enjoyed Charlott's Web, though it lead to some heavy and less than enjoyable discussions.  He likes the muppet movies, too, which is my pleasure to listen to while I cut fabric!