Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
ann329851
we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
If you and your family like tv why do you want to go without it???
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
ANN WORSLEY
hiya. its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total shrine in our home. we spend far far too much time in front of it. so as an experiment im shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see what we can achieve as a family without it. just wondered if anyone else has done this ??
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <polykowholsteins@...> wrote: If you and your family like tv why do you want to go without it???
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <polykowholsteins@...> wrote: If you and your family like tv why do you want to go without it???
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Stephen
In February of 1999 we moved into this house. At that time the cable bill
was not in the budget and there was no antenna, so we went without. I've
watched tv very rarely since then and do not miss it. We have the lowest
netflix membership and once every few months may rent from a video
store. My daughters are here 3+ days a week and do not seem to miss it
here at all. At their mother's they watch it, one very little, one more often.
I found that living without the constant barrage from the rabid
commercialism of mass media was liberating, and my daughters are much more
aware of the psychology of chronic want that is so pervasive in our
culture. I noticed a marked decrease in the kids asking for things when we
shopped, or feeling like they just had to have the latest fad item. They
seem to evaluate things based on their own impression of the item and most
times find all the stuff that pass through our culture from week to week to
be useless and sad. Without the constant blatant and subliminal message
that this or that is what they need now they look at so much of the junk
our culture produces as just that.
Also found that once we lived without it for a while, trying to watch a
show that is interrupted every few minutes by commercials was not enjoyable
at all. Most tv series or movies that are at all popular make it to DVD
fairly quickly and watching them without interruption is so much better.
This is what we have found. It works for us. If you want to find out if
it will work for you I would recommend going without for six months. Any
less may not really show you what living without tv is like.
Stephen
At 5/25/2008 +0000 08:27 PM, you wrote:
was not in the budget and there was no antenna, so we went without. I've
watched tv very rarely since then and do not miss it. We have the lowest
netflix membership and once every few months may rent from a video
store. My daughters are here 3+ days a week and do not seem to miss it
here at all. At their mother's they watch it, one very little, one more often.
I found that living without the constant barrage from the rabid
commercialism of mass media was liberating, and my daughters are much more
aware of the psychology of chronic want that is so pervasive in our
culture. I noticed a marked decrease in the kids asking for things when we
shopped, or feeling like they just had to have the latest fad item. They
seem to evaluate things based on their own impression of the item and most
times find all the stuff that pass through our culture from week to week to
be useless and sad. Without the constant blatant and subliminal message
that this or that is what they need now they look at so much of the junk
our culture produces as just that.
Also found that once we lived without it for a while, trying to watch a
show that is interrupted every few minutes by commercials was not enjoyable
at all. Most tv series or movies that are at all popular make it to DVD
fairly quickly and watching them without interruption is so much better.
This is what we have found. It works for us. If you want to find out if
it will work for you I would recommend going without for six months. Any
less may not really show you what living without tv is like.
Stephen
At 5/25/2008 +0000 08:27 PM, you wrote:
>we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
>off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
David Johnson
Yep, we turned off cable (and thereby any reception!) over two years
ago. Had to come from my husband�he admitted it was his own version of
heroin (tee hee). We watch videos we�re interested in and my husband
and I are quite addicted to our nightly Netflix but happily so. Once
the movie�s over, it�s over. No flipping channels for hours, which
previously exhausted us and things didn�t get done. It�s been wonderful
this way! We have been thinking of maybe getting the basic 3 or 4 local
channels again with some rabbit ears, just so we can see PBS again and
see what�s going on in the world on the news, though we both listen to
NPR periodically throughout the day so maybe we don�t. Our two girls
are happy as clams getting into things in the woods, gardening, dressing
up and making up elaborate stories, etc. I notice they do repeat lines
from movies they�ve seen a lot but they also make up their own stories
which tells me the amount of media influence is ok.
~Melissa, in MD :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of ANN WORSLEY
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 6:04 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
hiya. its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total
shrine in our home. we spend far far too much time in front of it. so as
an experiment im shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see
what we can achieve as a family without it. just wondered if anyone else
has done this ??
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <HYPERLINK
"mailto:polykowholsteins%40yahoo.com"polykowholsteins@...> wrote:
If you and your family like tv why do you want to go without it???
Alex Polikowsky
HYPERLINK "http://polykow.blogspot.com/"http://polykow.-blogspot.-com/
HYPERLINK
"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/"http://groups.-yahoo.com/-
group/unschoolin-gmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1466 - Release Date:
5/25/2008 6:49 PM
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1466 - Release Date:
5/25/2008 6:49 PM
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
ago. Had to come from my husband�he admitted it was his own version of
heroin (tee hee). We watch videos we�re interested in and my husband
and I are quite addicted to our nightly Netflix but happily so. Once
the movie�s over, it�s over. No flipping channels for hours, which
previously exhausted us and things didn�t get done. It�s been wonderful
this way! We have been thinking of maybe getting the basic 3 or 4 local
channels again with some rabbit ears, just so we can see PBS again and
see what�s going on in the world on the news, though we both listen to
NPR periodically throughout the day so maybe we don�t. Our two girls
are happy as clams getting into things in the woods, gardening, dressing
up and making up elaborate stories, etc. I notice they do repeat lines
from movies they�ve seen a lot but they also make up their own stories
which tells me the amount of media influence is ok.
~Melissa, in MD :-)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of ANN WORSLEY
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 6:04 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
hiya. its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total
shrine in our home. we spend far far too much time in front of it. so as
an experiment im shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see
what we can achieve as a family without it. just wondered if anyone else
has done this ??
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY <HYPERLINK
"mailto:polykowholsteins%40yahoo.com"polykowholsteins@...> wrote:
If you and your family like tv why do you want to go without it???
Alex Polikowsky
HYPERLINK "http://polykow.blogspot.com/"http://polykow.-blogspot.-com/
HYPERLINK
"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/"http://groups.-yahoo.com/-
group/unschoolin-gmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1466 - Release Date:
5/25/2008 6:49 PM
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1466 - Release Date:
5/25/2008 6:49 PM
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
No flipping channels for hours, which
previously exhausted us and things didnt get done
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I love flipping channels for hours. I make a choice to do it or not. I get things done when I want or not. TV is not more powerful than me. I am empowered.
My kids are empowered.
People give to much power to TV and Commercials. I like good commercials.
My 5 year old that was never restricted on TV viewing does not like then and thinks they are a waste of his time unless they are funny.
We talk about commercials. My father worked in the advertising industry and we had plenty of discussions about it.
I do not understand why people get so scared of it.
TV is like just any other media.
My 5 year old watches very little TV now a days.
He has better things that he would rather do most of the time. My 27 month old likes it even less. She rather do other things too.
I also have wonder full memories of watching shows as a family growing up.
I mostly record my shows on DVR so I can watch later at night while everyone is as sleep and I do fast forward the commercials.
My DH only likes to watch sports and those are only fun if live.
No one family NEEDS to have TV and cable.
But to not have it because you fear it???
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
previously exhausted us and things didnt get done
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I love flipping channels for hours. I make a choice to do it or not. I get things done when I want or not. TV is not more powerful than me. I am empowered.
My kids are empowered.
People give to much power to TV and Commercials. I like good commercials.
My 5 year old that was never restricted on TV viewing does not like then and thinks they are a waste of his time unless they are funny.
We talk about commercials. My father worked in the advertising industry and we had plenty of discussions about it.
I do not understand why people get so scared of it.
TV is like just any other media.
My 5 year old watches very little TV now a days.
He has better things that he would rather do most of the time. My 27 month old likes it even less. She rather do other things too.
I also have wonder full memories of watching shows as a family growing up.
I mostly record my shows on DVR so I can watch later at night while everyone is as sleep and I do fast forward the commercials.
My DH only likes to watch sports and those are only fun if live.
No one family NEEDS to have TV and cable.
But to not have it because you fear it???
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
julie leonard
When my older children were younger(they are 18 and 17 now). We did not have a tv for 8 years. I was a single mom, and could not afford it, and I was determined that "tv rots your brain" that they needed to read and learn and be active in life, not a watcher.
I thought I was doing something beneficial, I really wasn't... here's why...
1-they could not identify with other children who watched tv...making them sort of social outcasts.
2-they could read well, and loved to read.. but when we eventually got a tv, they watched everything, all the time.. they were starved of tv (although thier love for reading did continue)
3-they are no smarter than thier peers who did have tv in thier homes.
although it did help us to be closer in the evening, when many people sit in front of the tv and "veg out"... I think that we would have had a lot of good memories about movies or tv shows, that we watched together.
also, tv does invite and introduce many subject matters to your children, and that introduction allows you to speak to them about it. (especially the lifetime movies), lol
that is my take on "doing with out"
***Julie***
Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself.
----- Original Message ----
From: ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 4:27:28 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I thought I was doing something beneficial, I really wasn't... here's why...
1-they could not identify with other children who watched tv...making them sort of social outcasts.
2-they could read well, and loved to read.. but when we eventually got a tv, they watched everything, all the time.. they were starved of tv (although thier love for reading did continue)
3-they are no smarter than thier peers who did have tv in thier homes.
although it did help us to be closer in the evening, when many people sit in front of the tv and "veg out"... I think that we would have had a lot of good memories about movies or tv shows, that we watched together.
also, tv does invite and introduce many subject matters to your children, and that introduction allows you to speak to them about it. (especially the lifetime movies), lol
that is my take on "doing with out"
***Julie***
Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself.
----- Original Message ----
From: ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 4:27:28 PM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
marji
At 16:27 5/25/2008, you wrote:
born and then for several years afterwards. I never liked television
(maybe one or two things on TV were okay), and my husband felt he was
sort of addicted to it. We did eventually get a wee little TV with a
built-in VCR when Liam was about 6 or 7 and then satellite TV maybe a
half a year later. If I had it to do over again, I would have tried
to make sure we had TV with programming for Liam at a much earlier
age. Only because he likes it! If I felt that TV was taking over
his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could
to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most
interesting thing in his environment. By the way, getting a DVR
really, really helps because Liam is not bound by the TV networks'
scheduling. That makes it a lot easier for him to do other more
interesting stuff without being concerned about missing something he
really likes to watch.
I have yet to see the TV show he has liked to watch that has not
offered him *something* of value. And by the way, he is not at all
attracted to "educational" programming. Sometimes he has liked to
watch that show "How It's Made" (I think it's called), but he far
prefers MAD-TV and other Comedy Central silly shows (like Futurama)
and things on Cartoon network, etc. It's all good, really.
~Marji
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<http://gaiawolf.org/>Joyfully Parenting & Life Coaching
<http://gaiawolf.org/>GaiaWolf ~ Music for the Planet
<http://myspace.com/marjizintz>Marji's Myspace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons ofWe lived without a TV set for a long time before our son, Liam, was
>other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
>off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
born and then for several years afterwards. I never liked television
(maybe one or two things on TV were okay), and my husband felt he was
sort of addicted to it. We did eventually get a wee little TV with a
built-in VCR when Liam was about 6 or 7 and then satellite TV maybe a
half a year later. If I had it to do over again, I would have tried
to make sure we had TV with programming for Liam at a much earlier
age. Only because he likes it! If I felt that TV was taking over
his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could
to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most
interesting thing in his environment. By the way, getting a DVR
really, really helps because Liam is not bound by the TV networks'
scheduling. That makes it a lot easier for him to do other more
interesting stuff without being concerned about missing something he
really likes to watch.
I have yet to see the TV show he has liked to watch that has not
offered him *something* of value. And by the way, he is not at all
attracted to "educational" programming. Sometimes he has liked to
watch that show "How It's Made" (I think it's called), but he far
prefers MAD-TV and other Comedy Central silly shows (like Futurama)
and things on Cartoon network, etc. It's all good, really.
~Marji
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<http://gaiawolf.org/>Joyfully Parenting & Life Coaching
<http://gaiawolf.org/>GaiaWolf ~ Music for the Planet
<http://myspace.com/marjizintz>Marji's Myspace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
leah norling
we ended up without satellite or cable sort of by accident, and chose to
keep it that way. instead, we put the extra money toward upgrading our
netflix subscription. so, we are not truly without tv. we just select what
we want to view via netflix. we also watch joost on occasion on our desktop
computer (which has a tv tuner built in), and a few other online tv programs
and movies. the kids use the tv more for gaming (Wii), than for watching
DVDs most days, but neither are limited. so, i don't feel as though we're
depriving them of viewing experiences. i do not miss the additional barage
of advertising, but they still get plenty of that from other places. we've
always talked about advertising openly. so, it's not that i fear it, just
don't enjoy the interruption to my programs. ;o)
i can't say we get more done or are less apt to kick back and relax because
we don't have 100+ channels. you can't watch them all at once anyway. i'm
just as likely to 'waste' time surfing on my laptop as i would have done
flipping channels. i think i get more from net surfing than channel surfing,
but that's my preference anyway.
leah
On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 1:27 PM, ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
wrote:
keep it that way. instead, we put the extra money toward upgrading our
netflix subscription. so, we are not truly without tv. we just select what
we want to view via netflix. we also watch joost on occasion on our desktop
computer (which has a tv tuner built in), and a few other online tv programs
and movies. the kids use the tv more for gaming (Wii), than for watching
DVDs most days, but neither are limited. so, i don't feel as though we're
depriving them of viewing experiences. i do not miss the additional barage
of advertising, but they still get plenty of that from other places. we've
always talked about advertising openly. so, it's not that i fear it, just
don't enjoy the interruption to my programs. ;o)
i can't say we get more done or are less apt to kick back and relax because
we don't have 100+ channels. you can't watch them all at once anyway. i'm
just as likely to 'waste' time surfing on my laptop as i would have done
flipping channels. i think i get more from net surfing than channel surfing,
but that's my preference anyway.
leah
On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 1:27 PM, ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
wrote:
> we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
> off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
>
>
>
Pamela Sorooshian
Two of my daughters and my husband are sitting in the same room with
me. Three of us are on our laptops, my husband is folding laundry, and
we're all watching a show about Indiana Jones on the History Channel -
Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest. It is mostly about the history
of people who have searched for legendary artifacts. We're all talking
about it - and googling various things that have come up. LOTS of
interesting connections. There are commercials - we've been talking
about those, too.
We don't sit around watching only "educational" tv - this just happens
to be what is on right this minute. Last night we watched hours of
"The Office." That experience gives us a large base of shared humor -
it comes up in our conversations all the time. Again, lots of
connections.
Even when the kids were really young, the same kind of bonding and
connections happened with children's tv shows - sometimes
intentionally educational shows, sometimes shows that anti-tv people
would point to as "junk." ANY time we parents watch shows with our
children, seeing them through our children's eyes, wonderful
opportunities for bonding and connection-making exists. Those who
don't allow tv are really missing out on something great.
Can they live happy unschooling lives without tv? Of course. They
could live happy unschooling lives without books, too. Or without a
beach (we live near the ocean). Or without art supplies or bicycles or
legos or Disneyland. People may not live near an ocean or be able to
afford a Disneyland pass, but TV is cheap and everywhere. So why give
up something so beneficial?
I think that parents often subconsciously think of it as a sacrifice
that will somehow keep their children safe. I understand this. We love
our little ones so MUCH and feel so strongly that they are such a huge
responsibility, and we are terrified when we realize how much of what
they will experience in life is out of our control.
Unschooling takes courage and doesn't work well in a fearful
environment. Unschooling also helps parents become less and less
fearful, over time. I think that's why unschoolers began to question
the conventional wisdom among "good" parents that TV is necessarily
harmful. We got the habit of thinking specifially about our own kids,
not thinking of them as "generic" children, but as individuals. We had
the guts to ask ourselves, "Exactly how would watching tv really harm
Roya or Roxana or Rosie?" (Fill in your own kids' names.) We looked at
the real evidence in front of our own eyes. We also went back and read
the anti-tv books and articles and realized that they didn't apply to
kids who were living the way our kids were - our kids had lots of
time, for example, to read and play AND watch tv. Our kids weren't
escaping from school-induced stress by vegging out in front of the tv
- they were actively engaged in their tv-watching. It wasn't the kind
of passive zombie-like experience that the anti-tv "experts"
described. Over time, we stopped being afraid or nervous and started
reveling in the real-life experience of enjoying all the amazing
variety of experience available through television.
We have so MANY good memories centered around tv. My kids are 17, 20
and 23. I have absolutely NO regrets about our tv-watching. I wouldn't
want to have missed it!
-pam
me. Three of us are on our laptops, my husband is folding laundry, and
we're all watching a show about Indiana Jones on the History Channel -
Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest. It is mostly about the history
of people who have searched for legendary artifacts. We're all talking
about it - and googling various things that have come up. LOTS of
interesting connections. There are commercials - we've been talking
about those, too.
We don't sit around watching only "educational" tv - this just happens
to be what is on right this minute. Last night we watched hours of
"The Office." That experience gives us a large base of shared humor -
it comes up in our conversations all the time. Again, lots of
connections.
Even when the kids were really young, the same kind of bonding and
connections happened with children's tv shows - sometimes
intentionally educational shows, sometimes shows that anti-tv people
would point to as "junk." ANY time we parents watch shows with our
children, seeing them through our children's eyes, wonderful
opportunities for bonding and connection-making exists. Those who
don't allow tv are really missing out on something great.
Can they live happy unschooling lives without tv? Of course. They
could live happy unschooling lives without books, too. Or without a
beach (we live near the ocean). Or without art supplies or bicycles or
legos or Disneyland. People may not live near an ocean or be able to
afford a Disneyland pass, but TV is cheap and everywhere. So why give
up something so beneficial?
I think that parents often subconsciously think of it as a sacrifice
that will somehow keep their children safe. I understand this. We love
our little ones so MUCH and feel so strongly that they are such a huge
responsibility, and we are terrified when we realize how much of what
they will experience in life is out of our control.
Unschooling takes courage and doesn't work well in a fearful
environment. Unschooling also helps parents become less and less
fearful, over time. I think that's why unschoolers began to question
the conventional wisdom among "good" parents that TV is necessarily
harmful. We got the habit of thinking specifially about our own kids,
not thinking of them as "generic" children, but as individuals. We had
the guts to ask ourselves, "Exactly how would watching tv really harm
Roya or Roxana or Rosie?" (Fill in your own kids' names.) We looked at
the real evidence in front of our own eyes. We also went back and read
the anti-tv books and articles and realized that they didn't apply to
kids who were living the way our kids were - our kids had lots of
time, for example, to read and play AND watch tv. Our kids weren't
escaping from school-induced stress by vegging out in front of the tv
- they were actively engaged in their tv-watching. It wasn't the kind
of passive zombie-like experience that the anti-tv "experts"
described. Over time, we stopped being afraid or nervous and started
reveling in the real-life experience of enjoying all the amazing
variety of experience available through television.
We have so MANY good memories centered around tv. My kids are 17, 20
and 23. I have absolutely NO regrets about our tv-watching. I wouldn't
want to have missed it!
-pam
On May 25, 2008, at 6:40 PM, julie leonard wrote:
> although it did help us to be closer in the evening, when many
> people sit in front of the tv and "veg out"... I think that we would
> have had a lot of good memories about movies or tv shows, that we
> watched together.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
Pamela Sorooshian <pamsoroosh@...> wrote:
we're all watching a show about Indiana Jones on the History Channel -
Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Wasn't that a great show?
We went to see the movie Friday.
I love Indy.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
we're all watching a show about Indiana Jones on the History Channel -
Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Wasn't that a great show?
We went to see the movie Friday.
I love Indy.
Alex Polikowsky
http://polykow.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschoolingmn/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
DJ250
I agree, I get more out of web surfing, too.
----- Original Message -----
From: leah norling
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 10:59 PM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
we ended up without satellite or cable sort of by accident, and chose to
keep it that way. instead, we put the extra money toward upgrading our
netflix subscription. so, we are not truly without tv. we just select what
we want to view via netflix. we also watch joost on occasion on our desktop
computer (which has a tv tuner built in), and a few other online tv programs
and movies. the kids use the tv more for gaming (Wii), than for watching
DVDs most days, but neither are limited. so, i don't feel as though we're
depriving them of viewing experiences. i do not miss the additional barage
of advertising, but they still get plenty of that from other places. we've
always talked about advertising openly. so, it's not that i fear it, just
don't enjoy the interruption to my programs. ;o)
i can't say we get more done or are less apt to kick back and relax because
we don't have 100+ channels. you can't watch them all at once anyway. i'm
just as likely to 'waste' time surfing on my laptop as i would have done
flipping channels. i think i get more from net surfing than channel surfing,
but that's my preference anyway.
leah
On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 1:27 PM, ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
wrote:
> we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
> other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
> off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1464 - Release Date: 5/24/2008 8:56 AM
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
keetry
--- In [email protected], marji <marji@...> wrote:
resist teasing him a little (in good fun). I know what channel he
wants me to put it on but I had to ask. "What do you want to watch?
The History Channel? Discovery Health?" He gave me the eyeroll and
said, "Moooooooooooooooom!" LOL Cartoon Network it is. :)
Alysia
>My 4yo got up this morning and said he wanted to watch TV. I couldn't
> I have yet to see the TV show he has liked to watch that has not
> offered him *something* of value. And by the way, he is not at all
> attracted to "educational" programming. Sometimes he has liked to
> watch that show "How It's Made" (I think it's called), but he far
> prefers MAD-TV and other Comedy Central silly shows (like Futurama)
> and things on Cartoon network, etc. It's all good, really.
>
> ~Marji
resist teasing him a little (in good fun). I know what channel he
wants me to put it on but I had to ask. "What do you want to watch?
The History Channel? Discovery Health?" He gave me the eyeroll and
said, "Moooooooooooooooom!" LOL Cartoon Network it is. :)
Alysia
Barbara Perez
I "grew up" without a TV until the age of 4, simply because it was not part
of my parents' world. In those early years, I lived in a tiny apartment
where my grandma took care of me while my parents worked (mom was still in
medical school or an intern). She and I talked a lot while she cooked and
cleaned, and I played pretend with my dolls, wrote on my chalkboard, and
read little books we got at the corner news kiosk. Grandma took me to the
park every single day, walking down stimulating city streets (full of
printed signs to read, architectural patterns, pedestrian traffic, that sort
of thing).
At four I began preschool and when one day I came back asking "what is
(insert name of popular kids' TV show) my parents though: "Oh no, she'll be
a social outcast". They figured I was already on that path because I could
read and preferred to spend most of my choice time in the "quiet corner"
with books and the occasional puzzle, rather than with the kids (mostly but
not all boys) whom I consider too rowdy in the "block corner" or the
sometimes cliquish girls (yes, four years olds can be cliquish!) in the
"house" corner. (As a side note, I'm not sure why I never showed any
interest in playing the "mom" or the "sister" or the "baby" - on the other
hand later at 10 or so I enjoyed and thrived in the role of Sabrina in many
imaginary "Charlie's Angels" episodes! LOL)
So, we got a TV. Of course, TV there at that time was not unlimited with all
the channels 24/7 like we have now, so I was naturally limited to a couple
of 1-hour-long afternoon live musical/variety-type shows that included maybe
one or two cartoons (which my mother didn't like - she disapproved of
associating "inane violence" with humor a la Road Runner, but she still let
me watch them, while stating her opinion). By the start of school, I'd lost
interest in the "preschool shows" and was too busy playing with friends
after school, reading, and generally living life...plus there was nothing
really interesting on TV except for maybe Little House on the Prairie and
the Magical World of Disney, on Friday nights and Sundays, which we watched
as a family. This was on black and white until I was about 7, I think. It
was also around that time that Carl Sagan's Cosmos aired. And at some point
I remember my family watching the Roots mini series, too (mostly without
me). But my point is TV shows then were definitely an event, not something
that was on all the time.
To me, that is a *healthy* model of living with TV.
Fastforward to my late teens, now we have a big (color!) screen and cable
AND a satellite dish and all sorts of channels including MTV and morning
game shows and CONSTANT news and late night informercials and a cartoon
channel and, and...Life at home almost invariably happens to the soundtrack
of the TV in the family room, the hub of the home. But at least there was
just the one TV in the house, and whenever we were all at home we would most
of the time all be in that one room, simultaneously doing other things (my
mother even set up her sewing table in there, my dad reading the paper or
occasionally playing a a card game or board game with me).
So, IMO, bonding around the TV can also be healthy for a family.
Now, most of my adult life, certainly the past several years we've lived
without cable (except for when my mom would come to visit, then she enjoys
her home and garden shows while busy baking or sewing or crocheting, and at
times the kids would watch a lot of Animal Planet and Kids Discovery
Channel) but with a steady supply of library videos and more recently
Netflix, which like someone else says, has among its advantages that it
"starts and ends".
We are soon to get FiOs, and a bigger, flat screen, and a dedicated
'media/computer' room. I am very ambivalent about this - I can see the joy
in recovering our family room from under all the Guitar Hero and World of
Warcraft so that it feels "light and calm" enough again to read books and
build models and play instruments in (rather than having to go into a
bedroom for any of those!) I'm *hoping* we will be like those here who have
said they have control of the TV, not the other way around. I am optimistic
that I won't "lose" my family in that room (or alternatively end up in there
24/7 myself in order to be with them), but only time will tell!
I hope you'll all forgive me for writing this long statement here, but it's
been helpful for me to distill what I really believe makes a healthy family
relationship with TV. This includes it being an "event" or series of events
(vs a constant background), and a source of family bonding (vs isolation).
Of course things aren't black and white and I know there will be days
(particularly days when someone happens to be down with some virus or we're
just pooped after a camping trip and devote a day just to hanging out in our
PJs and doing tons of laundry, etc) when the TV will be on for hours on end,
and that is perfectly fine with me, s long as it doesn't become a way of
life for us. It's just that I hear of so many people with 3-4-5 TV
households where family members are each isolated in their own little world,
and know so many kids talking about having watched shows that are IMO
completely inappropriate for them in content, with their parents not even
realizing it or not thinking there's anything wrong with it. To each their
own, I just don't want our life to be like that.
of my parents' world. In those early years, I lived in a tiny apartment
where my grandma took care of me while my parents worked (mom was still in
medical school or an intern). She and I talked a lot while she cooked and
cleaned, and I played pretend with my dolls, wrote on my chalkboard, and
read little books we got at the corner news kiosk. Grandma took me to the
park every single day, walking down stimulating city streets (full of
printed signs to read, architectural patterns, pedestrian traffic, that sort
of thing).
At four I began preschool and when one day I came back asking "what is
(insert name of popular kids' TV show) my parents though: "Oh no, she'll be
a social outcast". They figured I was already on that path because I could
read and preferred to spend most of my choice time in the "quiet corner"
with books and the occasional puzzle, rather than with the kids (mostly but
not all boys) whom I consider too rowdy in the "block corner" or the
sometimes cliquish girls (yes, four years olds can be cliquish!) in the
"house" corner. (As a side note, I'm not sure why I never showed any
interest in playing the "mom" or the "sister" or the "baby" - on the other
hand later at 10 or so I enjoyed and thrived in the role of Sabrina in many
imaginary "Charlie's Angels" episodes! LOL)
So, we got a TV. Of course, TV there at that time was not unlimited with all
the channels 24/7 like we have now, so I was naturally limited to a couple
of 1-hour-long afternoon live musical/variety-type shows that included maybe
one or two cartoons (which my mother didn't like - she disapproved of
associating "inane violence" with humor a la Road Runner, but she still let
me watch them, while stating her opinion). By the start of school, I'd lost
interest in the "preschool shows" and was too busy playing with friends
after school, reading, and generally living life...plus there was nothing
really interesting on TV except for maybe Little House on the Prairie and
the Magical World of Disney, on Friday nights and Sundays, which we watched
as a family. This was on black and white until I was about 7, I think. It
was also around that time that Carl Sagan's Cosmos aired. And at some point
I remember my family watching the Roots mini series, too (mostly without
me). But my point is TV shows then were definitely an event, not something
that was on all the time.
To me, that is a *healthy* model of living with TV.
Fastforward to my late teens, now we have a big (color!) screen and cable
AND a satellite dish and all sorts of channels including MTV and morning
game shows and CONSTANT news and late night informercials and a cartoon
channel and, and...Life at home almost invariably happens to the soundtrack
of the TV in the family room, the hub of the home. But at least there was
just the one TV in the house, and whenever we were all at home we would most
of the time all be in that one room, simultaneously doing other things (my
mother even set up her sewing table in there, my dad reading the paper or
occasionally playing a a card game or board game with me).
So, IMO, bonding around the TV can also be healthy for a family.
Now, most of my adult life, certainly the past several years we've lived
without cable (except for when my mom would come to visit, then she enjoys
her home and garden shows while busy baking or sewing or crocheting, and at
times the kids would watch a lot of Animal Planet and Kids Discovery
Channel) but with a steady supply of library videos and more recently
Netflix, which like someone else says, has among its advantages that it
"starts and ends".
We are soon to get FiOs, and a bigger, flat screen, and a dedicated
'media/computer' room. I am very ambivalent about this - I can see the joy
in recovering our family room from under all the Guitar Hero and World of
Warcraft so that it feels "light and calm" enough again to read books and
build models and play instruments in (rather than having to go into a
bedroom for any of those!) I'm *hoping* we will be like those here who have
said they have control of the TV, not the other way around. I am optimistic
that I won't "lose" my family in that room (or alternatively end up in there
24/7 myself in order to be with them), but only time will tell!
I hope you'll all forgive me for writing this long statement here, but it's
been helpful for me to distill what I really believe makes a healthy family
relationship with TV. This includes it being an "event" or series of events
(vs a constant background), and a source of family bonding (vs isolation).
Of course things aren't black and white and I know there will be days
(particularly days when someone happens to be down with some virus or we're
just pooped after a camping trip and devote a day just to hanging out in our
PJs and doing tons of laundry, etc) when the TV will be on for hours on end,
and that is perfectly fine with me, s long as it doesn't become a way of
life for us. It's just that I hear of so many people with 3-4-5 TV
households where family members are each isolated in their own little world,
and know so many kids talking about having watched shows that are IMO
completely inappropriate for them in content, with their parents not even
realizing it or not thinking there's anything wrong with it. To each their
own, I just don't want our life to be like that.
> 1-they could not identify with other children who watched tv...making them[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> sort of social outcasts.
> 2-they could read well, and loved to read.. but when we eventually got a
> tv, they watched everything, all the time.. they were starved of tv
> (although thier love for reading did continue)
> 3-they are no smarter than thier peers who did have tv in thier homes.
>
> although it did help us to be closer in the evening, when many people sit
> in front of the tv and "veg out"... I think that we would have had a lot of
> good memories about movies or tv shows, that we watched together.
>
> also, tv does invite and introduce many subject matters to your children,
> and that introduction allows you to speak to them about it. (especially the
> lifetime movies), lol
>
> that is my take on "doing with out"
>
> ***Julie***
>
> Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: ann329851 <annworsley991@...<annworsley991%40btinternet.com>
> >
> To: [email protected]<unschoolingbasics%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 4:27:28 PM
> Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
>
> we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
> other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
> off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
Jodi Bezzola
marji <marji@...> wrote:
~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in his environment.~~
I'm so glad this was written. I've been feeling a little angst for a few weeks now, because it seems what my girls (3 1/2) are most interested in is tv. I don't offer, and I don't refuse, and they watch many hours a day. I don't have any intention on removing the tv because I really see it as a part of all there is to experience in their world. They have learned tons about animals from watcing Diego, for instance, and I see that as valuable. It just seems they have jumped mentally lately, to where they aren't that interested in what they used to play with and quite obviously need more around them that piques their interest.
So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set, coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home - for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the door if at all.
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer than the continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in this area, but I am.
Jodi
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in his environment.~~
I'm so glad this was written. I've been feeling a little angst for a few weeks now, because it seems what my girls (3 1/2) are most interested in is tv. I don't offer, and I don't refuse, and they watch many hours a day. I don't have any intention on removing the tv because I really see it as a part of all there is to experience in their world. They have learned tons about animals from watcing Diego, for instance, and I see that as valuable. It just seems they have jumped mentally lately, to where they aren't that interested in what they used to play with and quite obviously need more around them that piques their interest.
So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set, coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home - for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the door if at all.
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer than the continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in this area, but I am.
Jodi
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Amy
i vote for cupcakes. My daughter is 3 and 1/2 and NOTHING is as interesting to her as making and decorating cupcakes. She doesn't even eat them.... We now have 4 picture books of things you can do with cupcakes and frosting and it is truly never ending.
i think out popularity in the nieghborhood is going up too ... now that we have all these extra cupcakes to give away.....
seriously every freaking day we make cupcakes.
Love and Laughter,
Amy
snugglebugg.com/sagepixie
Wife to Casey
Mom to Quinlon
and Morgan Moira
Cleaning and cooking can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs, dust, go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
i think out popularity in the nieghborhood is going up too ... now that we have all these extra cupcakes to give away.....
seriously every freaking day we make cupcakes.
Love and Laughter,
Amy
snugglebugg.com/sagepixie
Wife to Casey
Mom to Quinlon
and Morgan Moira
Cleaning and cooking can wait for tomorrow,
For babies grow up, I've learned, to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs, dust, go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Gillian Goddard
Yes, I confess, no TV! I have lived without TV for maybe 18 years
but watch lots of movies these days - as do the other family members
- on the computers. We do occasionally download TV shows from ITunes
- Avatar is our all time favourite. It's funny in a way because on
the unschooling lists I feel like everyone has full 'tech support'
- TV, Video games, Wii's etc. - except for us and on the Waldorf
lists that I also belong to many people don't even have any computer
games in their lives - which we do. But I love both of these groups
and find ways to make them wholeheartedly integrated into our family
life.
Gillian
but watch lots of movies these days - as do the other family members
- on the computers. We do occasionally download TV shows from ITunes
- Avatar is our all time favourite. It's funny in a way because on
the unschooling lists I feel like everyone has full 'tech support'
- TV, Video games, Wii's etc. - except for us and on the Waldorf
lists that I also belong to many people don't even have any computer
games in their lives - which we do. But I love both of these groups
and find ways to make them wholeheartedly integrated into our family
life.
Gillian
Mara
I have a 3.5 y.o. (boy) as well, and he is also quite comfortable at home and in the yard. The T.V. shows they like could be a jumping off point for some new toys, if they like Diego, maybe some cool new animals, build a treehouse together, go on 'rescue' missions (like hiding different animals around the house and going off to find them).
Another thing if they don't like to go out but you would like to see what kind of toys they would like is shopping online with them (or without them, to give you ideas, and order some new cool things online). To get ideas you can look at sites like leapsandbounds.com, magiccabin.com etc. or type in a keyword into ebay and seeing what comes up. Sometimes you can get really cool selections of toys for not so much money.
Also, what I am just learning more of recently, just go do something new yourself that YOU are really excited about. Sometimes, they might tag along, watch you, or not, but if they see that you are still curious and trying out new things, the spirit of it is catching. I have really gotten into gardening lately, then decided to build a pond in the backyard etc, and they have been coming with me to different places like Garden Centers or the NE Wildflower Society and picking out their own plants, helping me grow things, and just doing all kinds of experiments in the backyard.
I could go on and on, but I am being called...
Good luck,
Mara
----- Original Message ----
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 7:35:46 PM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
marji <marji@gaiawolf. org> wrote:
~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in his environment. ~~
I'm so glad this was written. I've been feeling a little angst for a few weeks now, because it seems what my girls (3 1/2) are most interested in is tv. I don't offer, and I don't refuse, and they watch many hours a day. I don't have any intention on removing the tv because I really see it as a part of all there is to experience in their world. They have learned tons about animals from watcing Diego, for instance, and I see that as valuable. It just seems they have jumped mentally lately, to where they aren't that interested in what they used to play with and quite obviously need more around them that piques their interest.
So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set, coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home - for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the door if at all.
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer than the continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in this area, but I am.
Jodi
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Another thing if they don't like to go out but you would like to see what kind of toys they would like is shopping online with them (or without them, to give you ideas, and order some new cool things online). To get ideas you can look at sites like leapsandbounds.com, magiccabin.com etc. or type in a keyword into ebay and seeing what comes up. Sometimes you can get really cool selections of toys for not so much money.
Also, what I am just learning more of recently, just go do something new yourself that YOU are really excited about. Sometimes, they might tag along, watch you, or not, but if they see that you are still curious and trying out new things, the spirit of it is catching. I have really gotten into gardening lately, then decided to build a pond in the backyard etc, and they have been coming with me to different places like Garden Centers or the NE Wildflower Society and picking out their own plants, helping me grow things, and just doing all kinds of experiments in the backyard.
I could go on and on, but I am being called...
Good luck,
Mara
----- Original Message ----
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 7:35:46 PM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
marji <marji@gaiawolf. org> wrote:
~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in his environment. ~~
I'm so glad this was written. I've been feeling a little angst for a few weeks now, because it seems what my girls (3 1/2) are most interested in is tv. I don't offer, and I don't refuse, and they watch many hours a day. I don't have any intention on removing the tv because I really see it as a part of all there is to experience in their world. They have learned tons about animals from watcing Diego, for instance, and I see that as valuable. It just seems they have jumped mentally lately, to where they aren't that interested in what they used to play with and quite obviously need more around them that piques their interest.
So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set, coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home - for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the door if at all.
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer than the continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in this area, but I am.
Jodi
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Judy R
I went through this with my twin girls at about the same age - and I have no answers for you! (sucks, huh) - They are now 13 1/2 and I have found that they go in and out of this - and when something else comes along that they would rather do they will do it - nowadays they spend about as much time on the computer as they used to on tv...I think we have to be realistic about our modern world - our families are isolated (we were really isolated in the country) - kids don't just go over to each others houses and play in the streets and ride their bikes the way I did in my childhood - often what we think they *should* be doing is a fantasy of another time, not today's reality - do you go to playgroups and do they have fun once they get there? Sometimes you can use that to get them moving...
----- Original Message -----
From: Jodi Bezzola
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 7:35 PM
Subject: Re: [unschoolingbasics] Anybody here ..living without a tv ??
marji <marji@...> wrote:
~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in his environment.~~
I'm so glad this was written. I've been feeling a little angst for a few weeks now, because it seems what my girls (3 1/2) are most interested in is tv. I don't offer, and I don't refuse, and they watch many hours a day. I don't have any intention on removing the tv because I really see it as a part of all there is to experience in their world. They have learned tons about animals from watcing Diego, for instance, and I see that as valuable. It just seems they have jumped mentally lately, to where they aren't that interested in what they used to play with and quite obviously need more around them that piques their interest.
So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set, coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home - for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the door if at all.
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer than the continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in this area, but I am.
Jodi
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Carron Armstrong
We've never gone without TV. We have one TV hooked up to cable. I love
cable, with DVR. I'm not a TV snob, but I really like all the Discovery
Channels and anything that carries reruns of Law & Order or CSI. We don't
ever seem to watch anything during its first run on a broadcast channel.
Nobody turns TV on in the morning. My 11 yo daughter will sometimes watch
Style or Disney in the afternoon. My 15 yo son will record Family Guy and
several G4 game and tech programs.
This evening, we recorded the Andromeda Strain on A&E, but nobody's bothered
to watch it yet because we've all been doing other things. In fact, my son
has been on his computer playing World of Warcraft with my husband, who's on
a computer downstairs. My daughter's been in her room IMing her friends and
chatting on Mileyworld.
We don't watch TV nearly as much as the time we spend on the computer. I
don't know if that's good or bad. Just is.
Carron
cable, with DVR. I'm not a TV snob, but I really like all the Discovery
Channels and anything that carries reruns of Law & Order or CSI. We don't
ever seem to watch anything during its first run on a broadcast channel.
Nobody turns TV on in the morning. My 11 yo daughter will sometimes watch
Style or Disney in the afternoon. My 15 yo son will record Family Guy and
several G4 game and tech programs.
This evening, we recorded the Andromeda Strain on A&E, but nobody's bothered
to watch it yet because we've all been doing other things. In fact, my son
has been on his computer playing World of Warcraft with my husband, who's on
a computer downstairs. My daughter's been in her room IMing her friends and
chatting on Mileyworld.
We don't watch TV nearly as much as the time we spend on the computer. I
don't know if that's good or bad. Just is.
Carron
On 5/25/08, ann329851 <annworsley991@...> wrote:
>
> we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
> other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
> off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Deb Lewis
***its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total shrine in
our home.***
According to whom? Do your children say to you "Mom, the TV is our Shrine!" or have you decided your kids are watching too much TV?
*** im
shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see what we can achieve as a
family without it.***
There is nothing about the TV that stops you from doing things together as a family. There's nothing you can do without a TV that you can't do with one.
It's a mistake for an unschooling mom to decide on behalf of her kids that they're going to live without TV. You will be making their world smaller when you should be making it bigger. You should provide for them with as many of the resource you're able to so they have a lot of experiences and inspiration and entertainment. If you had a child who really liked to read you probably wouldn't take his books away. If you had a kid who liked to play outside you wouldn't make the outdoors off limits.
Instead of taking the TV away, *add* new things to your life. Go for more trips, more walks, more hikes, more picnics. Play more games, make interesting foods, plant a garden, cook outside, go swimming, go boating, go camping. Wander around a mall, go to a museum, an art gallery, a craft store. Go ride Bumper Cars, visit an archery range, a climbing wall, a fish hatchery. Get a trampoline, put in a sandbox, go play tennis, get some new video games, rent funny movies. Get Tivo and record your kid's favorite things so that family outings don't mean they have to give up something else they love. It's your job to get creative and make the world a big and interesting place for them.
Deb Lewis
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
our home.***
According to whom? Do your children say to you "Mom, the TV is our Shrine!" or have you decided your kids are watching too much TV?
*** im
shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see what we can achieve as a
family without it.***
There is nothing about the TV that stops you from doing things together as a family. There's nothing you can do without a TV that you can't do with one.
It's a mistake for an unschooling mom to decide on behalf of her kids that they're going to live without TV. You will be making their world smaller when you should be making it bigger. You should provide for them with as many of the resource you're able to so they have a lot of experiences and inspiration and entertainment. If you had a child who really liked to read you probably wouldn't take his books away. If you had a kid who liked to play outside you wouldn't make the outdoors off limits.
Instead of taking the TV away, *add* new things to your life. Go for more trips, more walks, more hikes, more picnics. Play more games, make interesting foods, plant a garden, cook outside, go swimming, go boating, go camping. Wander around a mall, go to a museum, an art gallery, a craft store. Go ride Bumper Cars, visit an archery range, a climbing wall, a fish hatchery. Get a trampoline, put in a sandbox, go play tennis, get some new video games, rent funny movies. Get Tivo and record your kid's favorite things so that family outings don't mean they have to give up something else they love. It's your job to get creative and make the world a big and interesting place for them.
Deb Lewis
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pamela Sorooshian
On May 27, 2008, at 6:17 AM, Deb Lewis wrote:
I mean - if they're watching a lot of TV, what ARE they watching? I
bet they have favorite shows. I bet there are things you could do
related to those shows. My youngest daughter loved the Arthur tv shows
- we bought her a little Arthur lunch box and she used to get up in
the morning and make herself a lunch and put it in her Arthur
lunchbox. Then she'd eat it later in the day. We'd talk about what she
wanted to have for food in her lunch box - so there was a cool period
of time when we were talking a lot about foods and we were shopping
and she'd carefully pick out what she'd decided on - an apple or
banana or string cheese or whatever.
Another show my kids all really loved was Reading Rainbow. They'd make
up their own versions of the segments at the end of the show when the
kids come on and say, "If you liked ......that book....., then you'll
love .... this one....". We'd video them.
We often got tapes of the music from shows they liked a lot. And, just
THIS week, my 17 year old bought two Animaniacs cd's - and we've
listened to them all week. It has been years since we listened to our
old Animaniacs cassette tapes and it brought back such wonderful
memories!
Really - if kids seem to be "doing nothing but watching tv," then I
suggest you stick with the principle of supporting their interests!
Don't toss the tv out the door - instead, revel in it. And expand on
it - use it to make all kinds of other things happen in your
children's lives.
Unschooling could be called "Learning through Connections." Or maybe,
"One Thing Leads to Another Learning." It is hard to imagine anything
much better than tv as a place to start with finding connections and
letting one thing lead to another
Sometimes parents who think their kids are watching too much tv do the
opposite of supporting their interest. They won't buy toys or foods or
clothes that are tv-show related, for example. I'm encouraging you to
REVEL in what they love. When they grow up, they'll continue to revel
in what they love! THAT is the attitude toward life I wanted my kids
to have and they do. They love what they do and they do what they
love. This includes higher education, hobbies, careers,
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> Instead of taking the TV away, *add* new things to your lifeAnd base them on what your children already love - some tv shows, right?
I mean - if they're watching a lot of TV, what ARE they watching? I
bet they have favorite shows. I bet there are things you could do
related to those shows. My youngest daughter loved the Arthur tv shows
- we bought her a little Arthur lunch box and she used to get up in
the morning and make herself a lunch and put it in her Arthur
lunchbox. Then she'd eat it later in the day. We'd talk about what she
wanted to have for food in her lunch box - so there was a cool period
of time when we were talking a lot about foods and we were shopping
and she'd carefully pick out what she'd decided on - an apple or
banana or string cheese or whatever.
Another show my kids all really loved was Reading Rainbow. They'd make
up their own versions of the segments at the end of the show when the
kids come on and say, "If you liked ......that book....., then you'll
love .... this one....". We'd video them.
We often got tapes of the music from shows they liked a lot. And, just
THIS week, my 17 year old bought two Animaniacs cd's - and we've
listened to them all week. It has been years since we listened to our
old Animaniacs cassette tapes and it brought back such wonderful
memories!
Really - if kids seem to be "doing nothing but watching tv," then I
suggest you stick with the principle of supporting their interests!
Don't toss the tv out the door - instead, revel in it. And expand on
it - use it to make all kinds of other things happen in your
children's lives.
Unschooling could be called "Learning through Connections." Or maybe,
"One Thing Leads to Another Learning." It is hard to imagine anything
much better than tv as a place to start with finding connections and
letting one thing lead to another
Sometimes parents who think their kids are watching too much tv do the
opposite of supporting their interest. They won't buy toys or foods or
clothes that are tv-show related, for example. I'm encouraging you to
REVEL in what they love. When they grow up, they'll continue to revel
in what they love! THAT is the attitude toward life I wanted my kids
to have and they do. They love what they do and they do what they
love. This includes higher education, hobbies, careers,
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
wisdomalways5
--- In [email protected], Jodi Bezzola
<jodibezzola@...> wrote:
richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in
his environment.~~
have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem
like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do
and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home -
for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the
door if at all.
change things around in there room then they suddenly want to play
again. one night my 5 yr old asked me why they have not been
watching all their movies- I told her I guessed she had been busy
doing other things but she could watch them in the morning if she
wanted.
The same thing happens with computer- they wanted to use it
constantly for days and then for a few weeks they never play
Julie
<jodibezzola@...> wrote:
>get rid of the TV but do whatever I could to make his environment
> marji <marji@...> wrote:
>
> ~~If I felt that TV was taking over his life, then I would not
richer so that TV is not necessarily the most interesting thing in
his environment.~~
>coloring books, etc., but I recently purged lots of their toys that
>
> So...I'm kind of stumped. We have puzzles, a wooden train set,
have just been laying around un-played with, and it doesn't seem
like there is enough selection of interesting stuff for them to do
and get interested in. They also really seem to like being at home -
for the last few months it's like pulling teeth to get them out the
door if at all.
>sometimes my girls go in phases- lots of tv and then no tv- or if I
> Ideas? Please?? > Jodi
>
change things around in there room then they suddenly want to play
again. one night my 5 yr old asked me why they have not been
watching all their movies- I told her I guessed she had been busy
doing other things but she could watch them in the morning if she
wanted.
The same thing happens with computer- they wanted to use it
constantly for days and then for a few weeks they never play
Julie
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer
than the
continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in
this area,
but I am.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Sometimes it's nice to just "go with the flow" for a while.
In a few months, they may not want to stay home for ANYTHING. You'll be
wishing they would just S-T-O-P and veg out a while at home!
If they seem "stuck," maybe start finding new and exciting places to
go. But realizing that things often come in phases is good too! Enjoy
the quiet days!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer
than the
continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in
this area,
but I am.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Sometimes it's nice to just "go with the flow" for a while.
In a few months, they may not want to stay home for ANYTHING. You'll be
wishing they would just S-T-O-P and veg out a while at home!
If they seem "stuck," maybe start finding new and exciting places to
go. But realizing that things often come in phases is good too! Enjoy
the quiet days!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
-=-=-=-
If you're equating living without a TV as "limbless" and worrying about
"surviving" without it, I think it's a very bad idea to get rid of the
TV.
If, on the other hand, the TV holds no value and won't be missed at all
by any family member, then it makes sense to give it away.
But to get rid of something that gives pleasure? Exactly what's the
point? To prove it's possible?
I'm not getting the point. Seriously.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
From: ann329851 <annworsley991@...>
we are just about to ''go without ''. and i know there will be tons of
other stuff to do. but i must admit..i feel like someone has chopped
off one of me limbs !!! anyone else survive without it ?? ann
-=-=-=-
If you're equating living without a TV as "limbless" and worrying about
"surviving" without it, I think it's a very bad idea to get rid of the
TV.
If, on the other hand, the TV holds no value and won't be missed at all
by any family member, then it makes sense to give it away.
But to get rid of something that gives pleasure? Exactly what's the
point? To prove it's possible?
I'm not getting the point. Seriously.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: ANN WORSLEY <annworsley991@...>
hiya. its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total
shrine in
our home. we spend far far too much time in front of it.
-=-=-=-=-
So....you don't LIKE it, but it has some magical power over you? You
sit in front of it because....it's holy?
The language you're using sounds wrong.
It's a box.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
so as an experiment im
shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see what we can
achieve as a
family without it.
-=-=-=-=-
Do books have that same hold over you all? The computer? The dog?
The...ahem...the *garden*?
-=-=-=-=-=-
just wondered if anyone else has done this ??
-=-=-=-=-
Nope. Not us. But we do go days and days when it's not turned on at all.
In fact, we just spent eight days in hotels this last two weeks. Only
one day did *I* watch anything at all (last night). And Ben retired
early one night to watch a movie.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
From: ANN WORSLEY <annworsley991@...>
hiya. its not that we like it so much. more that its become a total
shrine in
our home. we spend far far too much time in front of it.
-=-=-=-=-
So....you don't LIKE it, but it has some magical power over you? You
sit in front of it because....it's holy?
The language you're using sounds wrong.
It's a box.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
so as an experiment im
shoving it into the loft for a while, and we will see what we can
achieve as a
family without it.
-=-=-=-=-
Do books have that same hold over you all? The computer? The dog?
The...ahem...the *garden*?
-=-=-=-=-=-
just wondered if anyone else has done this ??
-=-=-=-=-
Nope. Not us. But we do go days and days when it's not turned on at all.
In fact, we just spent eight days in hotels this last two weeks. Only
one day did *I* watch anything at all (last night). And Ben retired
early one night to watch a movie.
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen <mtic@...>
If you want to find out if
it will work for you I would recommend going without for six months.
Any
less may not really show you what living without tv is like.
-=-=-
Yeah. Maybe.
Or you could just make your life more interesting than what's on the TV.
Maybe see what you can come up with that's better than what some
network can think up.
Making the TV seem more powerful than a person is icky.
BE exciting. DO cool stuff. If what's on TV is actually neater and more
fun than what you're providing, TV is the smarter choice. Seriously.
If you can't be more interesting than the TV, you *should* be watching
TV!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
From: Stephen <mtic@...>
If you want to find out if
it will work for you I would recommend going without for six months.
Any
less may not really show you what living without tv is like.
-=-=-
Yeah. Maybe.
Or you could just make your life more interesting than what's on the TV.
Maybe see what you can come up with that's better than what some
network can think up.
Making the TV seem more powerful than a person is icky.
BE exciting. DO cool stuff. If what's on TV is actually neater and more
fun than what you're providing, TV is the smarter choice. Seriously.
If you can't be more interesting than the TV, you *should* be watching
TV!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
kellynrachel
Is it possible that the TV is just more centrally located than
anything else? If it's something that is bringing pleasure and
information, why would you remove it? Have you thought of moving it
to a less central location?
My kids were crazy for the Wii when it was in the living room. They'd
skip sleeping and get up early and fight over it when it was new and
in our living room. Now that it is comfortably in a peripheral room,
there is less obsession with it though it is still just as readily
available as it was before.
Just a thought. Out of sight, out of mind may be enough to change
your perspective on the whole issue.
Curious... what activities do you plan to replace the TV-watching time
with?
Rachel
anything else? If it's something that is bringing pleasure and
information, why would you remove it? Have you thought of moving it
to a less central location?
My kids were crazy for the Wii when it was in the living room. They'd
skip sleeping and get up early and fight over it when it was new and
in our living room. Now that it is comfortably in a peripheral room,
there is less obsession with it though it is still just as readily
available as it was before.
Just a thought. Out of sight, out of mind may be enough to change
your perspective on the whole issue.
Curious... what activities do you plan to replace the TV-watching time
with?
Rachel
Jodi Bezzola
Thanks Kelly, as usually you help with perspective with just a few words. As with *everything* since we started this RU path, any issue has been with me and not them. I had an epiphany the other day when I realized that I'm pushing against it because *I'm* bored. I was remembering that before I had kids, everything exciting to me was outside my house, because I'm not a crafter, a scrapbooker, a baker, a knitter, etc., I was very active and invoved with lots outside the house. So now I find myself wandering around (while my girls are *perfectly* happy playing, watching tv, reading, etc.) wondering what on earth to do with myself. I think I devoured 1000 books from last summer until now, and I seem to not be too interested in reading right now, so I'm back to what is that Jodi loves to do?? I will do some more exploration with that this week. Someone else mentioned just allowing them to enjoy the gentle, quiet days at home...good advice too :).
Jodi
kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer
than the
continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in
this area,
but I am.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Sometimes it's nice to just "go with the flow" for a while.
In a few months, they may not want to stay home for ANYTHING. You'll be
wishing they would just S-T-O-P and veg out a while at home!
If they seem "stuck," maybe start finding new and exciting places to
go. But realizing that things often come in phases is good too! Enjoy
the quiet days!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jodi
kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From: Jodi Bezzola <jodibezzola@...>
Ideas? Please?? I'm sure some of you could make me a list longer
than the
continent is wide, so it's a little embarassing to be so stumped in
this area,
but I am.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Sometimes it's nice to just "go with the flow" for a while.
In a few months, they may not want to stay home for ANYTHING. You'll be
wishing they would just S-T-O-P and veg out a while at home!
If they seem "stuck," maybe start finding new and exciting places to
go. But realizing that things often come in phases is good too! Enjoy
the quiet days!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]