Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I see a lot of people saying that they wouldn't put a tv in their child's room because it limits "family time".

I don't consider evening TV or TV time at all to be family time, and I never have (I didn't have a tv in my room either as a kid). I consider meals, playtime, etc, etc family time, but not when people are sitting watching tv...

I guess I never saw it that way...

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

While we don't have tv time as family time in my family, it's not to say that we won't. I don't see why it's not considered family time if you're all sitting around together watching a show or a movie? I mean, we talk and snuggle and stuff when we watch television, isn't that being together as a family? I mean, I think each family is different. Some people might thing food shopping together is family time, ya know? As long as you do it together and you see it as being valuable time together, then that's what I'd consider family time.

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I think it depends. I think watching tv as a family and discussing a movie is family time. Once a week we make it a point of throwing in a movie and having popcorn with Kiera and I do consider that family time. We are all sitting together experiencing a movie together and we talk about the movie together.

I think when your kids are watching tv by themselves in your living room that is not family time.

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Message edited 1/2/2009 6:42:07 PM.

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I don't have a TV in my kids room. However I would be lying if I said that I never have the TV on when playing with my children. The TV may be on but my focus is on playing with the boys. I also watch Noggin with my boys and talk about what we saw afterwards.

Do you count being on the LIF while having "family time" as also being limiting?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

TV time was never family time growing up or now in our household...i limit the amount of TV watched at home. We do alot of activities outside the home at least 4 days a week.
my kids have tvs in their room...DS has it only because it used to be DD's.
my DS never watches his (hes 13 months)
DD only watches 1 hour of a DVD at her "rest time" she doesnt nap just rests in her bed with books and a dvd on.
We do not sit down as a family watching TV...honestly, i dont think we ever have.
when the kids watch tv its usually noggin and usually its certain shows i put on for them.
i think alot of familys years ago did sit together and watch tv but i think that was when tv was like black and white

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I would imagine that for most people, family time is combination of all doing the same thing at the same time, like watching tv or a movie and doing something interactive like a game night, eating dinner, etc. I know plenty of families where mealtime is not an interactive, pleasant event, so I would not call that family time, however, more stress free tv time is pleasant family time for them. So, it can go a lot of ways. I'm guessing that there's as many different ways to have family time as there are families. I'm sure there are families that zone out in front of the tv with no interaction, but I'd imagine that's not the norm. Or maybe I'm just naive

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I am not a fan of tv for kids at all. However, sometimes watching something as a family CAN be "family time"

We watched Jeopardy! every night at my house and called out the answers etc and it was fun and something I enjoyed doing with my parents. Before I got married and moved out we were big Survivor watchers and enjoyed discussing it.

My friend and her daughter watch American Idol together every week and have fun looking forward to each episode. I know my mom and I used to watch 90210 back in the day and it was a springboard from some good discussions.

So in some instances, tv time can be a family activity, ideally not if the tv is on all the time, but a pre-selected program

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Right now TV time with Ale is when I am not able to play with her or be out taking a class, etc. It's when I am in the shower, or am putting her clothes away in her room. It isn't family time right now.

However, when DH and I actually have the time to sit and watch a tv show together, that we both like.....ahhhhh!!!

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

It's not that family time is always TV time.

But I believe TV time should be family time.

I believe you should watch what your kids are watching. Know what they are seeing and hearing and be able to discuss it with them.

Now (when we talk about Sesame Street and the Wonder Pets) and when they get older and we will discuss how TV isn't always realistic.

I swear, some of the best discussions my parents and I ever had when I was a teenager stemmed from TV shows.

I vividly remember watching A Family Ties episode when Mallory's best friend committed suicide.

I was a teenager and having a lot of issues and my parents used it as a forum to discuss that with me.

We talked about sex after watching For Keeps.

We talked about drug abuse after Jesse Spano got so excited.

We did a ton of things as a family, so we didn't always just sit in front of the TV, but when we did we did it as a family.

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

omg Jesse Spano..sooo funny

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

Re: Spinoff: Can I ask why people consider family time to be tv time?

I don't know, you are all better women than me....

If there is anything on t.v. that will entertain Ava so that I can go to the bathroom without an audience, or do one of a million other things that I need to do, then I'm all for it!!!!