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In a message dated 5/13/2002 3:29:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
ninnyridge03@... writes:


> My self control was enormous, because you don't know how many times I ALMOST
> throwed something through the TV. So when I hear someone talk about
> watching ALL YOU WANT TO I think back to my situation then.

I know someone like that and it interferes HORRIBLY with family life. I don't
blame you at all.

I wonder if that guy had the kind of life that our unschooled kids had,
though.

There is a difference between not believing that restrictions on tv are
efficacious versus seeing our kids watch hour after hour, day after day, of
gruesome, scary, violent or too-sexual programming or EVEN hour after hour,
day after day, of nothing but cartoons or other stuff (even really good
stuff) and not worrying about it - just letting it go on for months or years.
I'd worry about my kid even if she watched hour after hour, day after day of
discovery channel <g>. I'd suspect depression or avoidance of something. On
the other hand, if my kid had just come out of school, I'd chalk it up to
decompression and let it go for a long long time while slowly enticing her
and supporting her in other interests.

Right now, my 11 yo is watching something on Nicktoons. It isn't anything
I've seen before - she's watching because she just came home from an
overnighter and she's exhausted and I suspect she'll soon fall asleep. If
not, it is just a break from the world for a while - sort of hoping nobody
will bother her since she appears, at least, to be busy. Not a bad strategy
around here. I want the dishwasher unloaded <G>, but I won't bother her - I
get the message loud and clear.

--pamS


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Betty Holder

Ok, I stand before you humbled with head down. I can easily see your point in watching TV with your kids. (I even do that some ,too) I guess it makes sense if you LIMIT them to certain programs and limit the amount of time with the TV they would become curious about what they're not allowed to watch. Mine is no different. He is limited to a certain amount of time with it tho. I do not FORBID him to watch it but if I had my way there would not be one in the house. But I don't make his life miserable concerning it (at least I don't think so <g>)
Let me try to explain why my views on TV are so tainted. I was married at a very young age to a man who could watch TV 24 hours a day. He *never had time* to do anything around the house. I have seen him get up on Saturday morning and sack out on the couch until it signed off that night, watching ANYTHING & EVERYTHING that came on. He only got up to get food and a beer or soft drink that he carried back to the couch. The only conversation I could have with him was during the commercials.
My self control was enormous, because you don't know how many times I ALMOST throwed something through the TV. So when I hear someone talk about watching ALL YOU WANT TO I think back to my situation then.
OK, he grew up without TV and I think he was totally in awe of it. By the time I divorced him I had come to HATE it. I still do. I hate the time that is wasted with it. I know there are some good things on it but it takes away from family interaction.
But we each have our way of raising our children, to the best of our abilities. And I respect your choice of how you choose to do that. This is a wonderful place to voice our opinions and be enlightened from other peoples opinion, too. I love reading and learning from all of you.
Thanks for the support.
Betty



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