Weekly TV,Yes or NO?

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eager mum
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:50 am

Weekly TV,Yes or NO?

Post by eager mum »

We have two Sons, one is 13 yrs and the other 10. The eldest is at a GS. Boys being boys we restrict them from playing on their DS and watching TV in the week except for an hour and a half on Wednesdays.In our opinion this would help them focus until Friday when they resume watching TV and playing games till Sunday night. They both feel our decisions are hard.

Any advise please as to how anyone manages this especially if you have a child in a GS where a lot is expected as per home work?

Thanking you in advance.

Eager Mum
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

My personal opinion is that it is a little harsh, perhaps set a rule like homework first or homework at a set time. A complete ban may be counterproductive as they will resent the work.

Also a part of the social culture inteh playground/form room will be discussing programmes which have been on in the week. ( I can still remember endless Monty Python quotes)

But as I stressed this is my personal opinion, based on my experience with my own 2 (now 19 and 15) children
solimum
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Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

tv

Post by solimum »

It seems a little inflexible, and may end up with them watching almost at random at the weekend and on Wednesdays rather than making sensible choices. Are there particular programmes they are keen to watch? Do they have a tiring journey home from school and perhaps might find half an hour of The Simpsons a relaxation? Would they be interested in the occasional docmentary in the week (bring back Tomorrow's World! but Horizon can sometimes be interesting, and depending on their interests there are History, Nature etc programmes you could watch with them). I'd hate to encourage anyone to watch more TV especially when a lot of it is rubbish, but if there is something they are keen to watch on another day it can provide a useful incentive to get homework/ music practice / rabbit-feeding / room-tidying finished more quickly. The older one might value some additional privileges or being allowed to stay up to watch a more "grown up" programme (I can still remember staying up past 9pm to watch "I Claudius" from when I was a teenager....)
medwaymum
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:45 pm
Location: Medway & Kent

Post by medwaymum »

There are some good programs out there! Ok, avoid the american 'dribble' ie. Hannah Montana, Drake and Josh. But my children love 'Coast' which is a great program. I agree you don't want them to end up like zombies in front of the box but come on, half an hour of children's tv after school to wind down won't hurt, will it? :D
Also, when I was a kid I had a friend whose parents wouldn't let her watch Grange Hill. Well let me tell you she conveniently arranged to regularly visit other friends houses and watch it there!
My daughter (no saint I assure you) is allowed to watch a reasonable amount of tv, and recently she was at a friends sleepover when the friend put on a repeat of 'Waterloo Road'. Knowing I would not approve she told her friend she wasn't allowed to watch this. I wonder what would have happened if I wasn't as compromising?
Good luck - let us know what you decide.
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi

My two (one in year 9 at GS and one in year 6 going to GS in sept) watch whatever they want to watch whenever they want. The only proviso is that they go to bed at the set times (there are no TVs in the bedrooms. ).

I have always tried to make them responsible for their own actions (most important to do this for your kids) - if the homework needs doing then do it, otherwise they can explain why. maybe it is just genes but they do seem quite industrious - so far this evening all homework has been done and a concerto composed and the Simpsons watched.
Oh and they have been watching some tapes of the munsters too....


Herman
proud mum x2
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Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm

Post by proud mum x2 »

Hi I have a boy in Y11 G.S sitting mock GCSE's at the moment.He has just come in from football training and had a half hour in the bath!! He usually watches a bit of tele,a bit of time on his computer (limited on weekdays) and homework (or revision)all timetabled by him. I feel that we are trying to give him the freedom to be self disciplined.Our daughter also arranges her own free time(she will be going to the same G.S in Sept)Sometimes they both need to be reminded to focus on the important things, but generally they are becoming very good at deciding when to do the things they have to.They both have televisions in their rooms, and this has never been a problem for any of us.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

I remember when I was at grammar. Quite a few years ago, I must admit, but even so...

I did my homework at some point . May have been on the bus to school, but whatever. I went to local music centre orchestra & percussion ensemble on Saturdays, windband on Thursdays after school. Had a couple of other clubs after school on other days. Did concerts & the like (some even paid me). Involved in local drama clubs. Watched TV quite a lot (M*A*S*H especially after the co-op shop on Friday evenings). Sat next to Dragons Den's Evan Davis in economics (that gives you may age, and yes, it was a mixed grammar).


I'm happy, relaxed, reasonably well paid. My parents - non-pushy, working class.

Some of my friends who had really pushy parents ended up dropping out - maybe at Uni, maybe before, and are now happy & enjoying life.

By and large we had fun and relaxed after school. The only one who was really pushed left the school after 2 years and ended up at the local comp as he couldn't take the pressure. After all, we were children and children need to play and have fun as well as working at school!
Capers
cam
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:57 pm

Post by cam »

I generally think the quality of the programmes they're watching is more important than the quantity (or lack of). There is an awful lot rubbish on at the weekends - most specifically the frantic children's programmes. If you check out the OU websites there's some great (and interesting) stuff all week. http://www.open2.net/programmes.html
I wouldn't worry too much if they're watching educational stuff and learn to be a bit discerning - perhaps then they'll appreciate how dreadful some programmes are.
If concerns me when television is catagorised as 'bad'; we don't ban our children from libraries in case they choose the wrong book - we encourage then to balance their reading.
Good luck, I hope they find some programmes they enjoy.
Bewildered
Posts: 1806
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:29 pm
Location: Berkshire

Post by Bewildered »

My 5yr old DD recently asked me a question, and as I was replying she looked up and said 'but mummy that was a rhetorical question, you're not supposed to answer.' :oops:
DS1 looked over, and said 'she's been watching Lilo and Stich' as an explanation. You can imagine my surprise.

Every one has their own views, and I believe alot can be learned about day to day life from programmes and it also allows children the freedom to learn how to become more discerning. As has been mentioned children will talk about what they've seen at school.
Mine are only allowed 1hr a day, on the computer at the weekend. Any extra time they earn by doing chores and doing well in home 11+ revision tests(as an incentive). In the week I make sure that after school and a snack any homework is done, and then the rest of the evening is theirs to play, watch TV, read, listen to music, or whatever they choose. We're currently on a scrabble playing stint in the evenings, as DS1 got a deluxe set for Christmas; even DD joins in :)

We do try to put the Discovery channel on occasionally, though. :wink:
eager mum
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:50 am

Weekly TV,Yes or NO?

Post by eager mum »

Thank you all for your responses, I really appreciate your thoughts. We shall be discussing with our Sons on Saturday in anticipation of coming to a comprise.


Regards
Eager Mum
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