Question about tv
Ren Allen
"I have always thought that watching TV all day fell in the same
category as eating chocolate or ice cream all day, something that even
as an unschooler I wouldn't allow - "
I think you should try that for 2-3 days. Try watching tv all day and
eating only ice cream or chocolate. You'll be so sick of it after your
little experiment, you'll not want any of it for a while.
If you make certain things "dessert", then they'll get treated as more
desirable. If it's all just part of life, it loses the fascination
very quickly and becomes another choice in a wide array of choices.
What keeps adults from eating chocolate constantly?...we now have the
choice and power to do so. Kids don't want to feel yucky either.
They might try it for a while, until they trust you not to limit
it...but the fascination will die down.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
category as eating chocolate or ice cream all day, something that even
as an unschooler I wouldn't allow - "
I think you should try that for 2-3 days. Try watching tv all day and
eating only ice cream or chocolate. You'll be so sick of it after your
little experiment, you'll not want any of it for a while.
If you make certain things "dessert", then they'll get treated as more
desirable. If it's all just part of life, it loses the fascination
very quickly and becomes another choice in a wide array of choices.
What keeps adults from eating chocolate constantly?...we now have the
choice and power to do so. Kids don't want to feel yucky either.
They might try it for a while, until they trust you not to limit
it...but the fascination will die down.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Ren Allen
"I wouldn't sit by and let my children
try cocaine, and I couldn't live with myself as a mother if I allowed a
steady diet of TV."
That's not really a good comparison. Cocaine is illegal and proven to
be harmful.
There are NO good studies on television to show it's harmful,
especially in an unschooling context.
Each family has to find their balance of course, but we've found that
trusting children in all areas, leads to more learning and joyful
exploration.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
try cocaine, and I couldn't live with myself as a mother if I allowed a
steady diet of TV."
That's not really a good comparison. Cocaine is illegal and proven to
be harmful.
There are NO good studies on television to show it's harmful,
especially in an unschooling context.
Each family has to find their balance of course, but we've found that
trusting children in all areas, leads to more learning and joyful
exploration.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Ren Allen
"There's a huge difference neurologically between
people who are blanking out in front of the screen and families who
are actively engaged in what they are seeing."
You know, if my kids are really interested in a show, they're very
focused. But more often than not, they're doing ten things at once.
They'll walk away from a show right in the middle (something I NEVER
would have done as a child) to play a game. They often play games
while watching something and acting out shows is a favorite activity
around here. Sierra will come up with costumes to represent characters
in shows, make up little skits etc... I can SEE the neurons firing away.:)
"Of course, we also eat dessert before dinner, so take it the way you
want. "
We almost always put dessert out WITH dinner. It's just another choice
of all the foods. Jalen ate only dessert one night (it had fruit,
butter, eggs so he still got good stuff) but he's also been known to
eat only brocolli! You never know...but dessert isn't more desirable
usually, unless it's something I haven't made for a while.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
people who are blanking out in front of the screen and families who
are actively engaged in what they are seeing."
You know, if my kids are really interested in a show, they're very
focused. But more often than not, they're doing ten things at once.
They'll walk away from a show right in the middle (something I NEVER
would have done as a child) to play a game. They often play games
while watching something and acting out shows is a favorite activity
around here. Sierra will come up with costumes to represent characters
in shows, make up little skits etc... I can SEE the neurons firing away.:)
"Of course, we also eat dessert before dinner, so take it the way you
want. "
We almost always put dessert out WITH dinner. It's just another choice
of all the foods. Jalen ate only dessert one night (it had fruit,
butter, eggs so he still got good stuff) but he's also been known to
eat only brocolli! You never know...but dessert isn't more desirable
usually, unless it's something I haven't made for a while.
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Deb
--- In [email protected], "Ren Allen"
<starsuncloud@c...> wrote:
set out to make some sugar cookies to decorate - that holiday baking
thang. DS helped out as he chose (decorating and such). As the
cookies were coming out of the oven, he said "What are these cookies
for?" I said "For us to eat" and he got the hugest grin! Took me a
bit aback as I realized that many times I'll bake cookies or
whatever because we're taking them to a gathering of some kind (a
birthday, a holiday gathering, a potluck, etc). Then and there I
mentally vowed to make more cookies "just for us". So a week or so
later (post holiday craziness), I made a batch of chocolate chip
cookies after dinner one evening. DS was thrilled and ate a bunch of
them - probably 1/3 of the cookies were gone by the time I was done
with the baking and cleaning up. Since then, I've made more cookies
at least once a week, sometimes more often depending on how things
are going. Last night I made yet another batch. He ate maybe 4 over
the course of about 2 hours and stopped. He's content knowing that
I'll make more readily, he can ask if he wants some on a particular
night and if at all possible (ingredients and time available), I'll
make them - and if not that night, then I'll do it the next
available time (the next evening usually). They've lost that allure
of something "special" and "limited".
--Deb
<starsuncloud@c...> wrote:
>! You never know...but dessert isn't more desirableI got a good lesson in this one over the holidays. One Saturday I
> usually, unless it's something I haven't made for a while.
>
>
> Ren
> learninginfreedom.com
>
set out to make some sugar cookies to decorate - that holiday baking
thang. DS helped out as he chose (decorating and such). As the
cookies were coming out of the oven, he said "What are these cookies
for?" I said "For us to eat" and he got the hugest grin! Took me a
bit aback as I realized that many times I'll bake cookies or
whatever because we're taking them to a gathering of some kind (a
birthday, a holiday gathering, a potluck, etc). Then and there I
mentally vowed to make more cookies "just for us". So a week or so
later (post holiday craziness), I made a batch of chocolate chip
cookies after dinner one evening. DS was thrilled and ate a bunch of
them - probably 1/3 of the cookies were gone by the time I was done
with the baking and cleaning up. Since then, I've made more cookies
at least once a week, sometimes more often depending on how things
are going. Last night I made yet another batch. He ate maybe 4 over
the course of about 2 hours and stopped. He's content knowing that
I'll make more readily, he can ask if he wants some on a particular
night and if at all possible (ingredients and time available), I'll
make them - and if not that night, then I'll do it the next
available time (the next evening usually). They've lost that allure
of something "special" and "limited".
--Deb
Ren Allen
"If some people have found that their kids respond differently, that's
fine by me. I'm not out to convert anyone to my way of thinking, only to
let folks know that there is more than one way for things to work. Every
family is different, and every child is different. In my house, we're
all a lot happier if the TV isn't on too much."
Hmmmm, you sound just like me five or six years ago!!
What you aren't realizing, is many of us felt the same way, had the
same attitudes and found we were DEAD WRONG.
So telling us that there's more than one way to think, is preaching to
the choir! We know. We've learned differently and are simply sharing
the difference.
I'm not out to convert anyone. I don't have to live in anyone elses
house, with anyone elses kids. I really could care less what different
homes do.
What I DO care about, is showing people that there are alternatives to
mainstream views, that there are other options than villifying tv.
My experience time and time again (after talking to literally hundreds
of families) is that the "effects" of television are really effects of
fear of loss, control and a parent not providing the needed framework
around lots of television viewing (ie; bringing them food, watching
with them, being available to smooth things out etc..)
Parents that limit, tend to leave the kids to the television for
longer periods of time, then wonder why meltdowns are happening (it
takes time for human beings to start walking away from something they
think will get taken away eventually).
They need you present. They need food at regular intervals, they need
you to be interested in what they're watching, they need offers of
other activities that might soothe them....they need your presence and
lack of judgement.
It's not necessary that we all agree. It's not necessary that you
begin to allow unlimited television...it doesn't affect whether you're
an unschooler or not. Take what you want from the list, leave the
rest behind. But lots of us will share our experience of going from
exactly what you described above, to kids that are not affected by
television negatively AND walk away from it quite often (or never turn
it on at all).
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
fine by me. I'm not out to convert anyone to my way of thinking, only to
let folks know that there is more than one way for things to work. Every
family is different, and every child is different. In my house, we're
all a lot happier if the TV isn't on too much."
Hmmmm, you sound just like me five or six years ago!!
What you aren't realizing, is many of us felt the same way, had the
same attitudes and found we were DEAD WRONG.
So telling us that there's more than one way to think, is preaching to
the choir! We know. We've learned differently and are simply sharing
the difference.
I'm not out to convert anyone. I don't have to live in anyone elses
house, with anyone elses kids. I really could care less what different
homes do.
What I DO care about, is showing people that there are alternatives to
mainstream views, that there are other options than villifying tv.
My experience time and time again (after talking to literally hundreds
of families) is that the "effects" of television are really effects of
fear of loss, control and a parent not providing the needed framework
around lots of television viewing (ie; bringing them food, watching
with them, being available to smooth things out etc..)
Parents that limit, tend to leave the kids to the television for
longer periods of time, then wonder why meltdowns are happening (it
takes time for human beings to start walking away from something they
think will get taken away eventually).
They need you present. They need food at regular intervals, they need
you to be interested in what they're watching, they need offers of
other activities that might soothe them....they need your presence and
lack of judgement.
It's not necessary that we all agree. It's not necessary that you
begin to allow unlimited television...it doesn't affect whether you're
an unschooler or not. Take what you want from the list, leave the
rest behind. But lots of us will share our experience of going from
exactly what you described above, to kids that are not affected by
television negatively AND walk away from it quite often (or never turn
it on at all).
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Ren Allen
"True learning happens when kids get to
interact with stuff that is meaningful to them. Tv is just one tool in
making that happen. It makes their world bigger, it seems to me, lack
of tv would make their world smaller."
I agree. But there was a time when I thought tv robbed us, that it
made us act negatively (my attitude was the only negative thing
really) and it turned their creativity off.
Was I ever wrong!! I am amazed by the creative ideas my kids get
going, based on some "spark" from a show or ad.
The other night, I was snuggled up with Jalen (on his doggie pillow:)
and he tells me he wants a "fisher stick".
HUH?
So I asked him questions about what a "fisher stick" does, and how it
works and he describes to me in great detail:
"I want a fisher stick and you put a hooker on the wope and put it
down in the water and the hooker catches a fish and you use the
spinner thing and get the fish, then you cut it up and put it on the
fire (at which point he says "like this" and shows me with big hand
motions what the fire looks like) and eat it. That's COOL!"
So if you haven't figured it out, he wants a fishing pole and to cook
and eat the fish over an open fire. We need to go camping!!
It was an ad he saw on television that sparked the whole idea.....now
we need to go catch that kid some poor fish.;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
interact with stuff that is meaningful to them. Tv is just one tool in
making that happen. It makes their world bigger, it seems to me, lack
of tv would make their world smaller."
I agree. But there was a time when I thought tv robbed us, that it
made us act negatively (my attitude was the only negative thing
really) and it turned their creativity off.
Was I ever wrong!! I am amazed by the creative ideas my kids get
going, based on some "spark" from a show or ad.
The other night, I was snuggled up with Jalen (on his doggie pillow:)
and he tells me he wants a "fisher stick".
HUH?
So I asked him questions about what a "fisher stick" does, and how it
works and he describes to me in great detail:
"I want a fisher stick and you put a hooker on the wope and put it
down in the water and the hooker catches a fish and you use the
spinner thing and get the fish, then you cut it up and put it on the
fire (at which point he says "like this" and shows me with big hand
motions what the fire looks like) and eat it. That's COOL!"
So if you haven't figured it out, he wants a fishing pole and to cook
and eat the fish over an open fire. We need to go camping!!
It was an ad he saw on television that sparked the whole idea.....now
we need to go catch that kid some poor fish.;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
April Morris
Oh, me too! We didn't even have a TV for the longest time. Then hubby's
teen sister moved in with us with her TV. We started with lots of controls
and restrictions. I just knew if allowed to watch TV as much as they wanted
they would make bad choices, watch too much, succumb to the "I wants"
because of commercials.....as we began our slow change to unschooling, I
learned how wrong I was. Our process to unschooling took quite a few
years.....but our youngest has always been unschooled and never had TV
restrictions or regulations (besides that of being involved and interested
in what he was watching). He is the least likely to watch TV and has never
wanted to watch anything inappropriate for his age. I just knew my ideas
were right and good. I only wanted what was best for my kids. But I was
willing to question why I believed what I did and this allowed me to see a
different way to view a lot of things. It didn't happen over-night, change
came slowly and in little steps, but it did come. And I am so glad.
~April
Mom to Kate-19, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-10.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art www.artkunst23.com
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Gandalf the Grey
teen sister moved in with us with her TV. We started with lots of controls
and restrictions. I just knew if allowed to watch TV as much as they wanted
they would make bad choices, watch too much, succumb to the "I wants"
because of commercials.....as we began our slow change to unschooling, I
learned how wrong I was. Our process to unschooling took quite a few
years.....but our youngest has always been unschooled and never had TV
restrictions or regulations (besides that of being involved and interested
in what he was watching). He is the least likely to watch TV and has never
wanted to watch anything inappropriate for his age. I just knew my ideas
were right and good. I only wanted what was best for my kids. But I was
willing to question why I believed what I did and this allowed me to see a
different way to view a lot of things. It didn't happen over-night, change
came slowly and in little steps, but it did come. And I am so glad.
~April
Mom to Kate-19, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-10.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art www.artkunst23.com
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Gandalf the Grey
On 1/20/06, Ren Allen <starsuncloud@...> wrote:
>
> "If some people have found that their kids respond differently, that's
> fine by me. I'm not out to convert anyone to my way of thinking, only to
> let folks know that there is more than one way for things to work. Every
> family is different, and every child is different. In my house, we're
> all a lot happier if the TV isn't on too much."
>
> Hmmmm, you sound just like me five or six years ago!!
> What you aren't realizing, is many of us felt the same way, had the
> same attitudes and found we were DEAD WRONG.
> So telling us that there's more than one way to think, is preaching to
> the choir! We know. We've learned differently and are simply sharing
> the difference.
>
> I'm not out to convert anyone. I don't have to live in anyone elses
> house, with anyone elses kids. I really could care less what different
> homes do.
> What I DO care about, is showing people that there are alternatives to
> mainstream views, that there are other options than villifying tv.
>
> My experience time and time again (after talking to literally hundreds
> of families) is that the "effects" of television are really effects of
> fear of loss, control and a parent not providing the needed framework
> around lots of television viewing (ie; bringing them food, watching
> with them, being available to smooth things out etc..)
>
> Parents that limit, tend to leave the kids to the television for
> longer periods of time, then wonder why meltdowns are happening (it
> takes time for human beings to start walking away from something they
> think will get taken away eventually).
>
> They need you present. They need food at regular intervals, they need
> you to be interested in what they're watching, they need offers of
> other activities that might soothe them....they need your presence and
> lack of judgement.
>
> It's not necessary that we all agree. It's not necessary that you
> begin to allow unlimited television...it doesn't affect whether you're
> an unschooler or not. Take what you want from the list, leave the
> rest behind. But lots of us will share our experience of going from
> exactly what you described above, to kids that are not affected by
> television negatively AND walk away from it quite often (or never turn
> it on at all).
>
> Ren
> learninginfreedom.com
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Ren Allen
"But on *this* list, it is NOT to be referred to in a negative manner."
I hope on *this* list, we can allow for some discussion about the
why's and how's of unlimited television and give people time to digest
new information...right?;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
I hope on *this* list, we can allow for some discussion about the
why's and how's of unlimited television and give people time to digest
new information...right?;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
S Drag-teine
I think unlimited television has its pros and cons - I wouldn't want my son
(five and half) to be able to choose to watch whatever he wanted. We are
limited because we have broadcast and we watch a lot of movies and PBS. He
is allowed to choose but within reason.
Shannon
~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~
I'm glad we switched!
We are now safer and healthier, using toxic-free products and saving money,
too.
Call (212) 990-6214 for a 10 minute prerecorded presentation or contact me
directly.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ren Allen
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 2:22 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Question about tv
"But on *this* list, it is NOT to be referred to in a negative manner."
I hope on *this* list, we can allow for some discussion about the
why's and how's of unlimited television and give people time to digest
new information...right?;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Yahoo! Groups Links
(five and half) to be able to choose to watch whatever he wanted. We are
limited because we have broadcast and we watch a lot of movies and PBS. He
is allowed to choose but within reason.
Shannon
~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~
I'm glad we switched!
We are now safer and healthier, using toxic-free products and saving money,
too.
Call (212) 990-6214 for a 10 minute prerecorded presentation or contact me
directly.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ren Allen
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 2:22 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Question about tv
"But on *this* list, it is NOT to be referred to in a negative manner."
I hope on *this* list, we can allow for some discussion about the
why's and how's of unlimited television and give people time to digest
new information...right?;)
Ren
learninginfreedom.com
Yahoo! Groups Links
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jan 21, 2006, at 1:07 PM, S Drag-teine wrote:
could watch anything he wanted?
My daughter can watch anything she wants, has always been able to. We
had cable and now satellite so she's had access to plenty of things
parents wouldn't let their kids watch. Because she can try things
out, because she can bail out, because she knows I'm there to help
her if she has problems, she safely explores and understands her own
limits. I use http://www.screenit.com to help her know what's in a
movie before we see it. (It told me enough that I could tell her when
to cover her eyes during Lord of the Rings.)
I'm her partner, not her guard. She knows if she wants to try
something that's at the limits of her sensitivity, I'll be there to
help her.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I wouldn't want my sonWhat do you fear he'll choose? What do you think would happen if he
> (five and half) to be able to choose to watch whatever he wanted.
could watch anything he wanted?
My daughter can watch anything she wants, has always been able to. We
had cable and now satellite so she's had access to plenty of things
parents wouldn't let their kids watch. Because she can try things
out, because she can bail out, because she knows I'm there to help
her if she has problems, she safely explores and understands her own
limits. I use http://www.screenit.com to help her know what's in a
movie before we see it. (It told me enough that I could tell her when
to cover her eyes during Lord of the Rings.)
I'm her partner, not her guard. She knows if she wants to try
something that's at the limits of her sensitivity, I'll be there to
help her.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
sam
--- In [email protected], Joyce Fetteroll
<fetteroll@e...> wrote:
but I do have some questions.
Mine isn't about violence, but the question is driven by similar
concerns. How about other things, like sex or race?
I'm a big fan of Dave Chappelle. I really enjoy his comedy and his
show. I like the way he portrays race issues and the questions that
can arise. I don't know that this question is neccesarily about Dave
Chappelle, but he is someone who has very recently given me pause in
terms of what my boys can/should watch.
I'm curious for some input here and would like to know how similar
issues have been dealt with. If it helps, my boys are 7 and almost 3.
<fetteroll@e...> wrote:
> What do you fear he'll choose? What do you think would happen if heI can agree with a lot of this, and I'm not now trying to disagree,
> could watch anything he wanted?
>
> My daughter can watch anything she wants, has always been able to. We
> had cable and now satellite so she's had access to plenty of things
> parents wouldn't let their kids watch.
but I do have some questions.
Mine isn't about violence, but the question is driven by similar
concerns. How about other things, like sex or race?
I'm a big fan of Dave Chappelle. I really enjoy his comedy and his
show. I like the way he portrays race issues and the questions that
can arise. I don't know that this question is neccesarily about Dave
Chappelle, but he is someone who has very recently given me pause in
terms of what my boys can/should watch.
I'm curious for some input here and would like to know how similar
issues have been dealt with. If it helps, my boys are 7 and almost 3.
Joyce Fetteroll
On Jan 21, 2006, at 3:40 PM, sam wrote:
Do they want to watch movies with sex in them?
Helping them means helping them find what they enjoy -- and avoid
what they have no interest in. You don't need to show them everything
in the world if it wouldn't appeal to them. Just as you don't need to
make your husband watch Brokeback Mountain to make sure he has full
freedom ;-)
When my daughter was younger we saved the movies with more sexual
content, more violence than she liked, and talky movies to times when
she was off with friends.
When my daughter was very young we watched The Truth About Cats and
Dogs which was funny enough for her to enjoy it though there was one
scene where they were having phone sex and my husband said to my
daughter "Hey, let's go get some dessert," and they both trotted off
to the kitchen. The scene wouldn't have meant anything to her but
might have raised questions that neither of us felt competent to
answer in terms she understood. It's okay to distract! :-)
It's also okay if they want to watch something you're uncomfortable
with to share with them why you feel uncomfortable so the two of you
can figure out how to handle it. Maybe you'll want to skip past
something. Maybe you'll want to stop and talk about something.
There's lots of options between plopping them in front of something
and being a roadblock between them and it.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I'm a big fan of Dave Chappelle. I really enjoy his comedy and hisDo they want to watch Dave Chappelle?
> show. I like the way he portrays race issues and the questions that
> can arise. I don't know that this question is neccesarily about Dave
> Chappelle, but he is someone who has very recently given me pause in
> terms of what my boys can/should watch.
> I'm curious for some input here and would like to know how similar
> issues have been dealt with. If it helps, my boys are 7 and almost 3.
Do they want to watch movies with sex in them?
Helping them means helping them find what they enjoy -- and avoid
what they have no interest in. You don't need to show them everything
in the world if it wouldn't appeal to them. Just as you don't need to
make your husband watch Brokeback Mountain to make sure he has full
freedom ;-)
When my daughter was younger we saved the movies with more sexual
content, more violence than she liked, and talky movies to times when
she was off with friends.
When my daughter was very young we watched The Truth About Cats and
Dogs which was funny enough for her to enjoy it though there was one
scene where they were having phone sex and my husband said to my
daughter "Hey, let's go get some dessert," and they both trotted off
to the kitchen. The scene wouldn't have meant anything to her but
might have raised questions that neither of us felt competent to
answer in terms she understood. It's okay to distract! :-)
It's also okay if they want to watch something you're uncomfortable
with to share with them why you feel uncomfortable so the two of you
can figure out how to handle it. Maybe you'll want to skip past
something. Maybe you'll want to stop and talk about something.
There's lots of options between plopping them in front of something
and being a roadblock between them and it.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
>>Just as you don't need tomake your husband watch Brokeback Mountain to make sure he has full
freedom ;-)>>
Oh that's too funny Joyce. ROTFLMAO!! My dear sweet enlightened husband has voiced his desire many times to NEVER see Brokeback Mountain.
As far as stuff like Dave Chappelle goes, we love him too. But his humor is very satirical and could be misunderstood and mimicked in a way we wouldn't want. We've always evaluated on a show by show basis. Some things we'd watch when the kids weren't around, some things we'd distract or fast forward during. Most times thought we'd talk A LOT about what was on the screen. With Dave Chappelle, it's important that my kids understand where the humor is coming from and what I think he's trying to accomplish with his satire. Weve had some great discussions about racism because of his shows.
I feel the same way about South Park. Of course my kids are older. At ages 7 and 3 we watched much tamer stuff most of the time. Although we did introduce Mel Brooks pretty early on. <g>
--
~Mary, unschooling mom to Conor (16) and Casey (11)
"Just today I'm going to be utterly present for my children, I'm going to be in their world (not just doing my own thing while they do theirs), I'm going to really hear them, I'm going to prepare myself to be present starting right now."
~Ren Allen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Melissa
On Jan 21, 2006, at 6:09 PM, zenmomma@... wrote:
meaning Josh was about eight, while the girls were five and four.
We've enjoyed watching it together, the dry humor has been fun, and
explaining why mommy and daddy thought weird parts were funny. The
only time I've regretted it was during "The Life of Brian" when the
girls got a full frontal. of course, they'd seen their bro nakie
enough times that they weren't shocked, but I did kind of do the
mommy wince, wondering if that was completely inappropriate.
josh has loved Mel Brooks movies, which is funny because his
aspergers keeps him from understanding a lot of the subtlety. of
course, we've used it to teach a lot of that too.
melissa
>LOL! We introduced Monty Python at the same time to all the kids,
> I feel the same way about South Park. Of course my kids are older.
> At ages 7 and 3 we watched much tamer stuff most of the time.
> Although we did introduce Mel Brooks pretty early on. <g>
>
meaning Josh was about eight, while the girls were five and four.
We've enjoyed watching it together, the dry humor has been fun, and
explaining why mommy and daddy thought weird parts were funny. The
only time I've regretted it was during "The Life of Brian" when the
girls got a full frontal. of course, they'd seen their bro nakie
enough times that they weren't shocked, but I did kind of do the
mommy wince, wondering if that was completely inappropriate.
josh has loved Mel Brooks movies, which is funny because his
aspergers keeps him from understanding a lot of the subtlety. of
course, we've used it to teach a lot of that too.
melissa
S Drag-teine
"What do you fear he'll choose? What do you think would happen if he could
watch anything he wanted?"
Well, his father has a thing for "slasher" flicks like Halloween and such...
I don't think any five year old needs to see that kind of film. Yes, he does
watch shows and movies that other parents wouldn't allow their children to
watch. Him and his father watch Simpson's nightly which appalls my
step-mother that I let him watch it and yes we have had to have discussions
about using intelligent words not "what the-!" He hasn't even finished the
sentence because Homer never does but I don't think it is appropriate
language and while I do have my bought of unintelligent explicates we all
work toward intelligent choose of words.
Quentin watches all of the Hero movies even HellBoy which opened a whole
discussion about Heaven and Hell and that some people believe there is a
place that bad people go and a place that good people go when they die.
After watching Indiana Jones: the Temple of Doom... We discussed that there
were movies that Quentin probably shouldn't watch just now. We did get him
to watch until the end. My sister's suggestion that watching a movie even if
it is scary that if you see it to the end usually ends with a "good" ending
and will help clear the scary part. Since I knew that Indiana beat the bad
guys and saved the day, we decided to watch until the end and he hid his
eyes when he got scared.
There have been movies that he has asked over and over to watch and I have
discussed with him that it might scare him and that he might want to wait to
see these movies until he is older. We had the discussion over and over
about Van Helsing and eventually he said that it was okay if it was scary
that he really wanted to see it and that we would be here if he got too
scared and could turn it off.
Now, he can tell you the story with enthusiasm which he does every time
because he can't remember the name of the movie.
I guess that there isn't much I don't let him see but there are a few that I
warm him of and most of it is that discussion with my DH that the movie
isn't one we should watch while cuddling with the kids in from of the Telly.
Shannon
~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~
I'm glad we switched!
We are now safer and healthier, using toxic-free products and saving money,
too.
Call (212) 990-6214 for a 10 minute prerecorded presentation or contact me
directly.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joyce Fetteroll
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 2:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Question about tv
watch anything he wanted?"
Well, his father has a thing for "slasher" flicks like Halloween and such...
I don't think any five year old needs to see that kind of film. Yes, he does
watch shows and movies that other parents wouldn't allow their children to
watch. Him and his father watch Simpson's nightly which appalls my
step-mother that I let him watch it and yes we have had to have discussions
about using intelligent words not "what the-!" He hasn't even finished the
sentence because Homer never does but I don't think it is appropriate
language and while I do have my bought of unintelligent explicates we all
work toward intelligent choose of words.
Quentin watches all of the Hero movies even HellBoy which opened a whole
discussion about Heaven and Hell and that some people believe there is a
place that bad people go and a place that good people go when they die.
After watching Indiana Jones: the Temple of Doom... We discussed that there
were movies that Quentin probably shouldn't watch just now. We did get him
to watch until the end. My sister's suggestion that watching a movie even if
it is scary that if you see it to the end usually ends with a "good" ending
and will help clear the scary part. Since I knew that Indiana beat the bad
guys and saved the day, we decided to watch until the end and he hid his
eyes when he got scared.
There have been movies that he has asked over and over to watch and I have
discussed with him that it might scare him and that he might want to wait to
see these movies until he is older. We had the discussion over and over
about Van Helsing and eventually he said that it was okay if it was scary
that he really wanted to see it and that we would be here if he got too
scared and could turn it off.
Now, he can tell you the story with enthusiasm which he does every time
because he can't remember the name of the movie.
I guess that there isn't much I don't let him see but there are a few that I
warm him of and most of it is that discussion with my DH that the movie
isn't one we should watch while cuddling with the kids in from of the Telly.
Shannon
~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~.~>|<~
I'm glad we switched!
We are now safer and healthier, using toxic-free products and saving money,
too.
Call (212) 990-6214 for a 10 minute prerecorded presentation or contact me
directly.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joyce Fetteroll
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 2:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Question about tv
On Jan 21, 2006, at 1:07 PM, S Drag-teine wrote:
> I wouldn't want my son
> (five and half) to be able to choose to watch whatever he wanted.
What do you fear he'll choose? What do you think would happen if he
could watch anything he wanted?
My daughter can watch anything she wants, has always been able to. We
had cable and now satellite so she's had access to plenty of things
parents wouldn't let their kids watch. Because she can try things
out, because she can bail out, because she knows I'm there to help
her if she has problems, she safely explores and understands her own
limits. I use http://www.screenit.com to help her know what's in a
movie before we see it. (It told me enough that I could tell her when
to cover her eyes during Lord of the Rings.)
I'm her partner, not her guard. She knows if she wants to try
something that's at the limits of her sensitivity, I'll be there to
help her.
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yahoo! Groups Links