TV or Not TV... That is the Question.

Being a mother of two small children the topic of television often comes up. Media every where telling the parent of young children, "it's good for them, it will make them smart, they will love it". I got sucked right into the trap. Growing up, I watched TV and look I turned out ok...right? For the first two years of my daughter's life I had let her watch TV, from baby signing time to the disney channel. I thought that it was ok if it were age appropriate. From grandparents to friends to media studies people were constantly telling me it was ok. I got a break when I put Grey in front of the TV. We had family movie night, we got to sniggle up, pop popcorn and watch a movie. I felt like the TV was our family friend not knowing it was really the family enemy. 

I have gone back and forth with the topic on hand. I stopped television watching in our home, then slowly would allow just one or two shows a day. Again, thinking it was ok in moderation. It wasn't until recently I attended a conference and one of the speakers was talking about the human brain and what television does to it. He showed some videos of children being cut off from the "box"...OH MY GOSH!! I started to sob. I couldn't stop myself. These boys were out of control. It looked like they were on drugs.My heart still hurts for those children. After the conference I attended my daughters parent/teacher night. All the parents were there and the topic of the night was television. Just listening to some of the parents I was SHOCKED! Almost everyone there thought the TV in moderation was okay for their small children. Even after the teacher gave us some literature on the topic about brain, and the dangers of television. It was then that I decided to say "no" and we have been a TV free home since Oct 27th 20010!

Not having TV hasn't been as hard of a transition as I thought. My children asked for it once or twice the first couple days. I said "we don't watch TV anymore" they asked why and I told them that it hurts our brains... "ok, mama" Grey said and they went on doing something else. My children's behavior has changed. They don't have as many melt downs. They are extremely active and creative. They read books (as much as they can being 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 years old) they color and play pretend. The best part is that I haven't lost my mind!! I thought I would have, having the children always around, in my face. They aren't though. If they aren't playing with each other they are helping me cook, clean, fold clothes you name it, they like helping!!

I ordered the book Children of Cyclops by Keith Buzzell and am on the website Touch the Future, reading and gathering more information on this topic. It is facinating to me that more people aren't bothered by this and aren't stopping it! It's been a little hard standing up to people letting them know we don't watch TV. We seem to be an incoinvience to a lot of people. It was especially hard over Thanksgiving, our tradition since I was a little girl is to watch the Macy's Day Parade. This year I asked my extended family to turn it off. Even my husband was a little shocked. He knew it was tradition, but I did what I knew was right in my heart.

I think the hardest thing for my husband is not being able to watch football. He hasn't read the things I have read about television so he in the mindset that "in moderation". That is a heated discussion Sundays/Mondays! I have to say, even though he doesn't know why yet and he won't until he reads...he is respectful and waits until the kids are in bed to watch TV.