on our India trip the children were on a TV overload, and I thought we needed to detox.
so its now almost 50 days of zero t.v. here…
it’s an experiment that has worked v.v.v. well…
1. the boys are playing together. more than ever.
2. imaginative play — increased in firstborn’s case. baby param – no sig. change
3. it used to be my magic switch to shush the kids if the phone rang and i wanted to chat or if i was cooking… no longer. now baby param takes all my calls. and i speed cook.
4. the worst part: even if they watched tv for half an hour a day… it’s after effect sorta creeped into the whole day. and turned into whining, not being able to play together, needing me to entertain, a part of their minds was still zoned out. i think.
5. tv in kl is better than the ad-infested mess that tv in chennai is. still. off is best.
Twopointthree kids, sixpointsix ideas on raising them 
On March 7th, we complete EIGHT years without a TV!!!
Way to go Mim’s family….now you and I both only children without TVs 🙂
LOLing at speed-cook!
and we are also on a blogsilence for v. long…
i cameback.
now you comeback.
or i might buy you a tv.
But…but…I am chattering on your blog no? I am not phully blog-silent. Pliss not to bring the idiot box anywhere near me 😀
Wow! Kids apart, I think TV for adults is also a bad idea, and really like that one, you dared to experiment with no TV and two, it’s worked well.
when me and the mmmim were married, we didnt have tv for the first year together… was a really good idea (no cric matches)
and a lot of travelling together.
we have done it (well, not done really, it just happened by itself) since >500 days now. effects:
1. the kids are their own babysitters.
2. even when i am on the phone – which is a LOT. or working. or blogging 😉
3. they have many real friends with who they can hang out all day and not get bored
4. they dont get bored in any case
5. their default option when they have time (which is a lot) is to read
6. they do lots of craft – and some of it is seriously good stuff (even if i am biased)
7. their extra classes dont seem like taking too much of their time because they have lots of time anyway
end of post. i am off my blog, so thanks for the space!
and 6. is great. you are just in time to jump back into blogging with a pic of 6. comeback lah
okay, will put up a pic of the 100 tomatoes from our garden. they spend lots of time there anyway.
woww!MIM I hope I can do this..really,I am trying to cut down A’s TV time..and more than the time,its the after effect that bother me most.I am so glad someone else feels that way(about the after-effects!)…how did u get the husband to stay off or does he not care too?
My problem is getting the husband to stay off!!!gaah!
ononononono. the mmmim chose our last flat because it had (i kid you not) 6 televisions. (never mind that 5 werent working.
so that is the kind of man i am working with.
so he’s completely glued still.
humpf!Men!!
i just took a baby step at this. I took away the channels my kids are addicted to so they didn’t spend as much time on TV. To be fair I also made sure the OH & I lost our favorite channels as well. But then the darn Netflix still ensures we watch TV. Now it’s just the programs we really want to watch instead of random crap that’s streamed all day.
what’s a netflix?
Netflix is paid subscription to something like video on demand. You can watch all TV shows, movies (English & International), documentaries and the whole 9 yards streaming via your computer or on TV via a netflix enabled device. They also mail you the DVD if they don’t have a particular item in their collection on streaming video.
Netflix was my only friend,last time I was pregnant.We were in Arizona..and I didnt know a soul there.. 😦
That’s an odd coincidence Trish. I live in Arizona 🙂
Netflix is monopolising arizonians there’s a trend.
@Sand- I wish I knew u then:P PHX?
@MIM-LOL!! yeah sure!!
We’ve reduced it to 30 mins but your point abt the effect creeping into the whole day… it is difficult to do zero tv since we have a tv at home for the inlaws … but seriously considering…
oh that’s how tv came into our homes here in KL as well… the in-laws are addicted to their serials and all that…
and the tv was really on 24/7…
agree. it’s difficult to start a turn-off programme, if they are watching.
egad. i’m the only hitler DIL then. kindly interact with your grandkids i tell my folks, you can watch your telly when they’re not around.
*hitler DIL/daughter
it would work if they werent addicted, chox.
it’s v. sad to see how tv is incorporated into their routines.
I agree..we cant talk to my g’ma.. She tells me to call back after so n so time..when she is done watching her fav. serials!! LOL!
Awesome…I should try this with R’s dad..hope it works 🙂 R isnt too bothered about TV anyways
nope. wont work with the dads. am sure
Me too want the formula to take the tv out of husband’s lives.now that world cup fever is on..
Tv is less of a trouble around here…need to apply this to youtube now
world cup is ruining our weekend all the way upto april 2. gah.
youtube fan = dimpled toddler no?
oh yes..he has his own ‘compotuter’ which can play nothing else except e i e i o.
did u put baby param to school…i am having school thoughts myself …the thoughts of sending to school only when he turns 3 are gradually pushing themselves out of the window.
awesome!
speed-cooking is a way of like for me too, haha – we don’t own a tv either, haven’t for the past six years.
wow! gives me hope then. i hope we can sustain what i have started
We hardly watch our TV anymore. The son comes home on some weekends and then watches football and cricket, almost endlessly. He does play them, though!
you should still object, dipster