amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

amyorama · 03-04-2004, 02:59 PM

Did you give it to Goodwill, or is it stashed in your basement? I debating whether or not to get rid of the TV. The other day my DH was watching the kids and used it as a babysitter, can't say I'm innocent of doing the same. This needs to stop and I am an "all or nothing" kind of gal, so I can't just say "No TV" while it sits in my living room. Thoughts, mamas???

Kbsmama · 03-04-2004, 06:04 PM

I think if I had a basement or a seldom-used closet, I would stash it there. Of course, we are no where near rid of our TV(s), but I would be inclined to keep it for an occasional movie night or something. If I really felt it needed to be gone, I would donate it somewhere, I guess. I'm lots of help, aren't I?

gypsimama · 03-04-2004, 06:49 PM

Goodwill, almost 3 years ago.

Kaight

lazygirrl · 03-04-2004, 06:58 PM

we took ours to the dump

mikifrogspapa · 03-04-2004, 09:48 PM

I will not be getting cable the next place i live (living with ma and pa at the moment GAAD I'm ready for a job) but will be keeping the TV, VCR and DVD.

For me it's easy to say no TV. But I do want it there for educational video purposes. I just brought home a video on the solar system and watched it with DD, it was over her head, but she loved learning the planet names nonetheless.

In fact, KD found a site that is like netflix, but with just educational videos, and when I have a freakin joooooooooooobbbbb!!!...... (ok, a little tense there) I'll be joining. Can't remember what it is, so I can't post it yet. Maybe KD, can fill us in.

Anyway, I just thought I'd bring up the whole idea that TVs - if you already have one anyway - can be useful if used correctly. KWIM? and may not be worth ditching completely. So, if you don't think you'll be doing it for learning or for home videos or some other stuff, then just ditch it, but if you can forsee using it for somehting, then stash it in a not-too-hard to retrieve area.

But at least unplug it, because it sounds like you want to at least take a step that rules it out of day to day living.

Am I making sense? I feel like I'm rambling... Hope this post was of SOME value.

Sunflower_Momma · 03-04-2004, 10:23 PM

We definitely still have our two tvs. One of them being as large as a small country. DH very much enjoys his television, but he has come to see the value of the peace we feel when it is not on. It is almost never on when dd is awake.

As for me, I've been incredibly stressed out lately (related to my job), to the point of nearing depression (which, given my job, is ironic). One of the absolute biggest helps I have found has been to stop watching television. I feel so much better.

I had some former friends who kept a monitor and vcr, but did not have television.

I know we could never do it, but I do think that if you want to, cold turkey is the only way to do it.

gypsimama · 03-04-2004, 10:59 PM

Just adding back in that if we want to watch something, we either rent it and take it to the library to watch it on their tv/vcr or rent it on dvd and watch it on our computer. A compromise for us, as our biggest problem is the commercialism/consumerist aspect of television. I just saw in a magazine that Sesame Street is now "sponsored by" McDonalds

Gimme a break, stop marketing to kids!! Sorry, but a REALLY touchy subject for me.

Best of luck in however you reduce/eliminate tv viewing.

,
Kaight

arasmama · 03-05-2004, 02:28 AM

Gave it to friends. We watch movies on the computer dvd player.

As an aside, we have something here called "kill your television". You take it to The Evergreen State College and drop it off the library building.

KD · 03-05-2004, 03:02 AM

DVD HSing <--- there you go Ian

I would reply more but I dread threads like these *sigh* Dh has made it *clear* he would never give up the tv and I just don't see how it would be fair to *force* him. I would love not to have it. I think after a week I wouldn't miss it at all. As it is it is just fluff to me. I can't seem to even sit down and watch a DVD more than once or twice a year!

Good luck to you!

Selissa · 03-05-2004, 04:34 AM

We gave it to the communal house hold that is my two brothers (18 & 20) and my mom. We also watch dvds on the pc...actually the picture is better than on a tv anyway. or we go to mom's house to watch videos. I'm already slowly stocking mom up on educational video's for ds.

We also gave my mom our car, though to be fair we do get to use it whenever she doesn't need it.

Katie · 03-05-2004, 05:08 AM

I would love to rid this home of tv's.

I've been known to accidentally "break" things I no longer want in the house. Geez, talk about passive agressive, eh? I can honestly say I've thought about how to stage the tv's demise. But, it wouldn't do me any good to accidentally drop the tv because there are another 3 or 4 to replace it!!!!

Katie

~Meeshi~ · 03-05-2004, 08:05 AM

Well, if you're not ready to trash the thing or give it away, there are still ways you can make it so your household does not focus around the TV.

I think one of the best things to do, is to completely unplug the TV and put it away when you're done. Either stash it in a closet, under an end table, or cover it with a blanket or tapestry. Make it so it's not as easy as just flipping on the switch, and zoning out to the tube.

Then move your living room furniture so it is set up for socializing with friends and family, not so everything is facing the TV. So many people have commented on how nice it is to have all of our furniture facing in toward the middle of the room, makes it more open to communication...

Life without commercial TV is, for us, just so much more peaceful....

MotherMoon · 03-05-2004, 11:09 AM

I limit TV watching LOTS. It helps that the girls' schools do not have TVs. They often do not think about it when they get home.

And, they watch very little broadcast TV. Mostly, it is movies. They both LOVE the Discovery Channel's _Walking with Dinosaurs_. I just wish I had gotten it on DVD. Tapes wear out.

My mom had a good way of limiting TV. It was in a closet. The door stayed shut on it a lot, especially since our books, colors, etc. where at the other end. With sliding doors, only one end could be open at a time.

I would love to have that. I can't completely get rid of the TV. DH lives for it, literally. But, he is not as bad as his parents. Two TVs and two radios are on if they are awake (or asleep in their recliners). If they are in bed asleep, three radios are on. UGH!

Anyway, DH and I watch movies after the girls are asleep. We do Netflix. It is nice snuggle time. We read to each other sometimes too.

Casmi · 03-05-2004, 12:33 PM

I have been turning ours off more and more. At first my girls wouldn't even be in the same room, and come running in when I turned off the TV saying "Why did you turn off the TV?" Now they don't say anything when I turn it off, or even ask, really, to have it turned on.

I don't have it on alot in the mornings. I will turn it on occasionally - stick in a DVD - when I'm doing school with my oldest and the other girls are too rambuntious to give us some quiet time. They become bored with sitting at the table with us after a few minutes.

Quote:

I think one of the best things to do, is to completely unplug the TV and put it away when you're done. Either stash it in a closet, under an end table, or cover it with a blanket or tapestry

I agree here.

AvalonMom · 03-05-2004, 04:39 PM

We still have a TV but also only watching while DD is asleep.
Plus we recently turned off the cable (YAAY!). It is fabulous.

Quote:

Originally posted by Sunflower_Momma
As for me, I've been incredibly stressed out lately (related to my job), to the point of nearing depression (which, given my job, is ironic). One of the absolute biggest helps I have found has been to stop watching television. I feel so much better.

I feel the exact same way. Watching TV not only stresses me out but also depresses me to no end. For DH on the other hand its relaxing.