Why Are There TV's EVERYWHERE?

S

Soosan

Cathlete
I was skimming through the "Pet Peeves" thread and was going to add this, but thought I'd start a new thread because I'm curious how many people here agree or disagree.

Wherever parents take children where the children need to be able to keep semi-quiet, there's a TV: doctor's offices, babysitting rooms (YMCA, church), stores (Gymboree, Ikea), parties where parents and kids are invited, cars... I could go on and on.

I believe we're doing our kids a disservice by anesthetizing them with TV and not allowing them to be bored once in a while. I allow my kids to watch TV but limit the amount. I'm always bummed if they go to a friend's house on a beautiful day and watch TV all afternoon. Ditto for all of the above examples.

Any opinions?
 
Heck with kids--I think we're doing ADULTS a disservice by having TVs everywhere! It's nice to sometimes *have to* sit in quiet and hear your own thoughts. And I go nuts if I miss a beautiful day because I'm inside watching tv. Not good for an adult's brain or creativity or personal growth--much worse for children. I agree with you 100%.
 
Not to mention restaurants, grocery stores, airports, yadda yadda . . . I'm with ya, Sooooooooooooosan (if that IS your real name today).

The older I get the more jaded I get with the Boob Tube, although to call it that disrespects boobs unconscionably.

BTW, how's Rocky doing with the Hard Core Series? Did he try all of my HC mish-moshes back to back in reverse yet? Is his tail in a knot?

A-Jock
 
I agree, and hope that I raise my children to *NOT* be addicted to the television set. I am not addicted to it at all...though I AM addicted to the internet which I guess is no better *sigh*...Even more so than watching tv, I wish to enforce strict rules upon video game playing as well. I see too many kids totally addicted to video games cause the parents let them play it whenever they want and put no restrictions on it.

JMO.:)

Have a great work out!

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?WENDYMIN

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]
 
I agree with you. I see comatosed-looking adults at the dentists sitting with the TV on in the corner and I wonder to myself if they are always this anaesthetized?

It bugs the hell out of me because I want to read and there's this interfering, low-grade noise that manages to filter through into my consciousness.

We don't have a TV for watching TV, because I refuse to pay for cable, it's just 72 channels of 24/7 crap, and so my kids are in the habit of always taking a book. They never watch the TV in public places. We read, chat, whatever.

But I have had to stop my kids from visiting the houses of certain friends when I learned that all they ever did there was sit in front of the TV because that's what the friend wanted to do and no-one ever offered them anything different. It insensed me.

Clare
 
My dentist has a tv up in the corner of the room for the clients to watch... unfortunatly for me, I hate it. It's Oprah or Springer of QVC. Ugh!!

I got my oil changed the other day and there was a TV in the waiting room. I turned to the wall and read magazines. :p This guy walked in and asked if he could change the channel. Points to him for politeness!! He was stoked about Double Jeopardy!!
 
Because people can't stand listening to other people's kids? I really don't like when my daughter goes to preschool and I find out that they watched a movie during the day. I don't pay $42 a day to have her watching a video!
 
Even in vehicles. That is one that I think is crazy. When we were younger and going on long trips we tooks books or puzzle books and kept ourselves busy. My mom would kick us outside on nice days and we used our imaginations to play.

I think that is what is wrong with kids today, too much TV and not using their imaginations enough. We go over to my brother-n-laws house and all his kids do is watch TV, play video games or are on the computer.

I usually read for an hour in the evening to relax, the TV is still on but I don't pay attention to it. Hubby doesn't understand how I can read with it on. Doesn't bother me, but then again I grew up in a noisy house so it is easy for me to phase it out.

Rhonda
 
I really agree with this. We were chdcking out churches when my children were younger and went to one where the children watched a movie and played games. I thought, this is not why I take them to church. I watch grandchildren and I try and keep lots of fun games, workbooks, paints markers and creative things for them to play with. Another thing I have seen is so many parents keep televisions in their childrens rooms, many with no supervision and cable. I find that extremely wrong.
Diane Sue
 
It's so funny you posted this b/c I was gonna do it myself today. Mainly b/c I was at the gym last night & noticed they had installed yet another 20 or so TVs. There is a bank of TVs in front of the cardio equipment. Each piece of cardio equipment has its own TV. Now they've placed them on the walls interspersed throughout the club. I started counting & figured there are at least 80 TVs in my gym. 80! E-I-G-H-T-Y freakin television sets!

So while everyone is there working on a hard body their brains are turning to mush.
 
Thanks for the affirmation, everyone! When my husband and I mention this to people, we just get blank stares. (Semi-comatose from too much TV, I guess.)

Two people we know bought their 3-yr-olds TV/VCR combos for Christmas this year. I suppose they don't have to read them bedtime stories now.

You all should check out the site Tracy mentioned. That's one way to discreetly fight back!}(

A-Jock, Rocky hasn't stopped doing your mish-moshes since our Hardcores arrived. You should see how defined his tail is these days.
 
I agree!!!
I was in the beauty shop the other day waiting for my haircut when this lady walks in with a baby (probably about 18 months old) and she has a dvd of Finding Nemo in her hand. The TV was going with some soap opera ... I think it was One Life To Live. Now, I NEVER watch soaps but I was kinda getting interested in the story line. This lady takes the movie and pops it in the DVD player and the baby wasn't even interested in watching it. Then the lady tells whoever she was waiting for "I'm gonna walk down to somewhere to get something". So she leaves the movie playing and no one is watching it. I just thought that was WEIRD.

We went seven years without a TV. A LOOOOONG time ago I even signed up to be a member of SET. (Society for the Elimination of Television.) Ha ha I can laugh about it now.
As for television on long trips. I am SO THANKFUL for a tv on long trips. We drive from south TX to Michigan with six kids. Now, you tell me how to keep them all occupied. The TV was such a help to keep them calm. When the little ones were sleeping, the older ones would get to watch their movies. We don't own that TV but borrowed it just for the trip. I can't imagine my kids hopping in the car and watching TV just to go to the store. (Like on that commercial...).

Shirley
 
I personally don't like the idea of TV on long trips (even long ones) but I understand how some people like to use them. On our long trips, we've always listened to music (Raffi, etc) or stories on tape. My kids are now 4, 10, 12 and the older ones use walkmen to listen to books like D'Aulaire's (sp?) Book of Greek Myths, Harry Potter, etc. It really keeps them occupied.

BTW, D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths is excellent. It's read by Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Matthew Broderick and Kathleen Turner. A great intro to Greek Mythology for kids (and grownups!) And if you've never heard the Harry Potter series read by Jim Dale, check out one of the books on tape at the library. The number of different voices he uses for the characters is amazing! You can also buy them quite cheaply on Ebay.
 
"Enough is enough" for me when the buses started installing TV's!

Oh give me a break!!!!!

I'm only going to the ruddy mall

Marion





You have to stay in shape. My Grandmother started walking when she was 60. Today she is 97 and we don't know where the hell she is! - Ellen DeGeneres
 
I'm back just to add that I don't feel TV's have NO place in our lives...I just think that some people's lives are too dependent upon them...If I were on a long road trip with my children I wouldn't be against bringing a dvd/player to keep them occupied if need be, BUT by the same token, a TV is NOT going to "babysit" my children when we are at home. They will be doing other things the majority of the time. I believe that there can definately be a happy medium when it comes to tv watching...I don't watch a lot of it but I must admit that I would still go batty if it just flat out were not an option in my house one day.

JMO.:)

Have a great work out!

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?WENDYMIN

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]
 
I agree Wendy--I have the premium digital cable package--I'm rarely home but when I am I want choices.

But I don't usually watch anything but the premium channels. It's the ads that get me. I just can't take them.

I just think the gym is the wrong place for a zillion TVs.
 
We LOVE TV's....have them everywhere. Couldn't leave home without one....even have them installed in our bathrooms...who knows when one might have to sit for a prolonged period of time. Especially our 4 year old...he's in there for hours it seems. We have really creative kids...I'm sure it's due to the TV. :p :p :p :p

I'm also doing IMAX III on a 24 inch step. Rocky would be impressed. }( }( }(

Briee
 
Susan...just to add, the TV abuse is right up there with parents who let their kids eat ANYTHING....just to keep them from screaming.

A friend of ours has done some babysitting lately and kiddies are eating skittles, m&ms and such FOR BREAKFAST. Can't imagine how the rest of the day follows. They probably need the TV just to keep the kids "centered" on something as they are on their sugar high (or low...depends which end of it they are on).

Briee
 
>We LOVE TV's....have them everywhere. Couldn't leave home
>without one....even have them installed in our bathrooms...who
>knows when one might have to sit for a prolonged period of
>time. Especially our 4 year old...he's in there for hours it
>seems. We have really creative kids...I'm sure it's due to
>the TV. :p :p :p :p
>
>I'm also doing IMAX III on a 24 inch step. Rocky would be
>impressed. }( }( }(
>


LMAO, Briee---very funny post!!!:7 :7 :7


Have a great work out!

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?WENDYMIN

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]
 
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