No Cable/Satellite TV! Am I the only one left???

ByronBob · Sep 28, 2004

I just rented a ditchdigger to put Roadrunner in a few weeks ago. Never even thought of putting cable in. Don't/Won't pay for that stuff. My 5yr old was at a friends house watching the cartoon network one day on satellite. I sat down to rest and the cartoon was calling each other "fatso" and "stupid" and "dummy".

I was shocked to say the least. It just reconfirmed my feelings all along. It's not a positive role model situation for your kids. YOU ARE!!!!!!!

Do what you think is right. Stick by it. And never 2nd guess yourself. Your kids will love you anyway. If they see love they'll reciprocate it. Your certainly not alone and I like my rabbit ears (for free....)

rotr · Sep 28, 2004

My wife and I have raised six kids, first four with cable and the last two with satillite access (more access to more crap). We limited and monitored what was viewed up until they (individually) were around your daughters age.

The first six years of each of their lives they were raised viewing video tapes (only video tapes). As each got older they were introuced to certain TV programming, as we deterined their morals and ethics had been established.

Actual TV programming frustrated each of them as they couldn't understand initially that the programs could not be backed-up to watch a part over and over.

The next stage was when the kids began, on their own, to censor mine and my wifes viewing of programs. Seems they knew what was appropriate and not. This was the first showing payoff of that first six years of rearing and teaching right and wrong. We, being adults, didn't consider what we were watching to be bad (becoming caloused in the faster pace real world).

Anyway, I'm getting wordy and need to get to the point.

By age six, the morals and ethics have been fairly well established in a human child and they will carry those and live by them the rest of their lives. The other values of your child are instilled by what they see and interpret in the way of thier parents actions and responses.

So, it all boils down to you, as a parent, reap what you sow.

Of course the preceeding is my opinion and opinions are like sphincter muscles, everbody has one.

RonC.

shade2u2 · Sep 28, 2004

Bob,
I think that you’re right on track regarding TV.

We built our house in the sticks where there is not cable with mast, antenna, booster and rotor for about $250 while not planning to get satellite. We are 50-100 miles from most TV stations but receive the following channels: 2 PBS, FOX, PAX, UBsomething, 2 CBS, 3 NBC and a few others when the weather is right. This is plenty of selection for us (including 10 yr old daughter). In my eyes, we still watch too much, but we’re reducing it. I will guess that our daughter is the only one in her class without cableORsatelite. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Our best friends, (Lawyer & College Prof) have always had 1 TV with rabbit ears receiving only PBS with 5 boys (ages 6-14). Social awkwardness shouldn’t be a consideration for having more TV. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
My daughter is in swimming, basketball, softball, 4H, choir (definitely usually only 1 of these at a time) and most importantly into playing on 5 acres of woods with a couple of neighbor kids, friends invited over from school and the toads, salamanders, frogs, etc that are her “friend” as she puts it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
In addition too much TV, it’s tough for kids today to learn how to “just play”! I may get some disagreement here, but too many organized activities for kids can be a problem. Kids shouldn’t have to be in “something” every day (sometimes 2 somethings) in order to be well rounded. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Our world is way too competitive & it’s a shame we can be so compelled to raise our little “super people”.
Well, I just rambled on with some off the cuff opinions… sorry for that… interesting thread... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bob_Skurka · Sep 28, 2004

I never would have guessed 2 things when I posted my initial question.

FIRST, I never would have guessed that our family was so similar to so many others who have written saying that they have/are raising their children with limited TV.

SECOND, I never would have guessed that my wife & I are "normal" because we limit TV time. OK well maybe we are fairly normal given the random sample of TBN posters. But we are obviously abnormal as parents when compared to the other parents at my daughter's school. But that is OK with me.

The reason I questioned this (again) is because at school the kids were all talking about how wierd it is that we don't have cable/satellite at our house and that we have TV limits. I really assumed that SOMEONE else in the world, or at least at school, had similar beliefs about limiting TV. I guess I should have known better since I have been to every house of every child that my daughter plays with. In many of the homes the TV is an electronic baby sitter. I'm not saying that the parents are not involved and I am not saying that the parents don't take their kids out places, but TV is a much bigger part of their lives than it is of our lives.

With our proximity to Chicago (60 minutes to downtown), it always shocked me when we would invite one of my daughters friends to spend the day with us at a museum or a zoo in Chicago and our trip would be the child's FIRST visit to the CITY. We've now taken most of them to several of the different museums and to our favorite zoo, we've taken some to Chinatown, others to parks. But almost every time it has been a first for that child. Personally I think I'd rather go to the zoo than see an animal on the Animal Planet, and I'd rather visit a museum than see a mummy on the Discovery Channel. And I think my child appreciates it more too. I guess I feel the same about riding a bike or walking a dog (things I need to do more often but need to find the time between all of my daughter's busy scheduled activities).

Her grades are good, she is at the top of her class. She has amazing creative talents and won art contests (but it still looks like a mess of paint on paper to me). She plays the violin well (but violin music sounds like cat torture to my ears). Her friends come to our house far more often than she goes to their homes because the kids prefer it that way. She is a bit chubby, but healthy and enjoys soccer, swimming and horses as well as reading alone, playing with dolls and drawing with chalk on the driveway. I'd say she is well rounded and has many interests. I guess we must be doing something right.

So after getting a couple dozen responses to this thread, I guess I am now sure we are doing the right thing. And for those of you who might be considering doing the same thing, I think that much of this has to do with what you do WITH your children. I don't think my daughter "misses" TV shows, I think she has other activities that occupy her time and when she has a bit of time she will watch TV but we need to continue to focus on LIVING LIFE not on the 27" LIFELESS BOX. Thank you all for the affirmation.

BubbaJr · Sep 28, 2004

but I do admit to questioning our judgement every now and again as we have become the 'nutcases' who don't have cable so there must be something 'wrong' with us. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your judgement, and your daughter is living proof. You have my vote for Father Of The Year Club . /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

slowrev · Sep 28, 2004

Good Job Bob, hang in there. You might raise some humans that are not vidiots and actually think for themselves. btw I personally think we should all boycott TV (except RFD TV ) untill at least after the election /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ben

Bob_Skurka · Sep 28, 2004

OK I KNOW THIS IS A STUPID QUESTION . . . but what the heck is RFD TV and why shouldn't I boycott it too?

DaveNay · Sep 28, 2004

( OK I KNOW THIS IS A STUPID QUESTION . . . but what the heck is RFD TV and why shouldn't I boycott it too?
)

RFD-TV

Some interesting shows.

Dave

slowrev · Sep 28, 2004

Bob,
Not a stupid question at all if you don't have satellite or it is on some cable. Good station, one of the few. Very educational on agriculture , horses, etc. no bs on there. Well some of the music shows I don't like but that is a matter of taste or lack thereof /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Sort of stupid of me to mention it to ya.

Ben

skent · Sep 28, 2004

many replies in just a day!

We live an hour from Balto/Washington and get the networks just fine off the air. Typically watch local news and PBS stuff when its on. I'm sure I would enjoy TLC and Discovery but it's a luxury I can't afford right now with two in college. A friend got a dish a few years ago. It was over $100 month for some ungodly number of channels (Even had BallRoom Dancing Channel?!?) . His wife commented that they seem to never watch complete shows because it takes too long to scan thru the "good" ones.