Bad mom......

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  • lauralizzy829
    lauralizzy829 Posts: 215 Member
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    I think it is unusual that you don't have a TV. Especially that you have kids and no tv. Let me say tho, I mean unusual as in not the norm. Not indicating the norm is the better thing.

    I personally loved my Mr Rogers and David the Gnome and Muppet Babies. I don't think I would be worse off if I didn't see them growing up, but I do have fond memories of them. As I'm sure your kids will have fond memories of their activities out in the yard and out and about on the adventures you planned for them.
  • VoodooLuLu
    VoodooLuLu Posts: 636 Member
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    (I'd much rather spend that money on outings/travel/camping etc..).



    this makes you a very good mum in my opinion!
  • _Stampede_
    _Stampede_ Posts: 66
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    Not having a TV doesn't make someone a "hands on" parent any more than having one makes someone a "hands off" parent.
    Stop trying to make sense. Kill your TV!!!
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    Not having a TV doesn't make someone a "hands on" parent any more than having one makes someone a "hands off" parent.

    True. One alternative is not better than the other. My son has a TV in his bedroom. He RARELY watches it though, as he'd rather be playing with something or out in the living room with us doing something else. As long as I'm being an involved parent and making sure we read books, play outside, etc, him having a TV in his room or watching TV sometimes doesn't make me less "hand on" than another parent who prohibits television.

    I had a TV in my room growing up, really involved and caring parents, and I turned out just fine.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
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    My mom told me I was terrible because we don't have cable. Seriously? When the switchover to digital happened, I was able to get all basic channels and a few digital ones that came in. My kids don't see it as a loss and there is never anything on TV anyway.
  • Lmacpherson114
    Lmacpherson114 Posts: 26
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    We have a television set but we have no TV license and we don't use it other than watching Iplayer for the odd program and DVD's. Oh and for putting Jillian Michaels on to whip my butt into shape!
  • Alpine005
    Alpine005 Posts: 87 Member
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    hmmmmmmmmmmmm, Interesting.

    First I don't anyone is a bad mom because they don't have a TV in the house, that's dumb.

    The only concern I would have is maybe the kids miss out on some of the pop culture? It could make it harder for them to relate to other kids? Maybe? Hard to say.

    But bad mom? I think not.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    We have a TV...it isn't even plugged in and we don't watch it.

    I think it's the other way around that if you used the TV as a babysitter you are a bad mom. Without a TV our kids develop an imagination, are involved with what goes on around the house and develop better social skills. We all have our own way of raising kids and it won't be the same as someone else's.

    So allowing my child to watch TV means he doesn't have an imagination and poor social skills?

    I'm pretty sure anyone who has met my son would laugh their heads off at that suggestion, he's one of the most imaginative and social children I know---and I let him watch TV. Power Rangers comes on at 6:30 in the morning, and he never misses it! lol
  • BuceesNana
    BuceesNana Posts: 302 Member
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    Haha! Just had a coworker tell me that I was neglecting my kids because I don't have a TV in the house. Apparently she thinks that in order for my children to be well informed they HAVE to watch TV.

    I was speechless.

    Is it really that unusual to not have a tv?

    Although, we always had a TV in our house, we NEVER had cable or satellite TV. My kids' friends thought I was cruel. LOL We also lived 8 miles from town, so there was not a lot of entertainment otherwise either. :D
  • _Stampede_
    _Stampede_ Posts: 66
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    You need a license to watch TV now?!?!?
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
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    I haven't watched tv for the better part of this year ( almost 6 months) and have never been more productive.

    I threw it on for a few minutes a day when I started a HIIT routine on an excercise bike.

    Within the first half hour, I couldn't believe the absolutely stupidest programs I've ever seen in my life. All that reality stuff, shows about family businesses,swap meet and couponing shows.

    I gotta sit there and pick out every part of them that's set up just to be entertaining.

    Blows my mind.

    You're probably the best mom ever.
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
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    I think it's somewhat unusual to not have a TV in the house, but I wouldn't consider that bad parenting.
  • gombolyu
    gombolyu Posts: 136 Member
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    We don't have a tv either. We both work in the media, and work for tv chanels a lot.:)
    And ee have lots of friend in the media, who don't have a tv at home.:)
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    I think some of the people who accuse you of being a bad mom because you don't have a TV use the TV as a babysitter and absolutely don't monitor what the kids watch to make sure it's educational in nature. It's too easy for parents to use the TV or PC as a way to "keep the kids busy". If the parents sent the kids out to play and get some exercise, they would have to actually WATCH them, which is a terrible inconvenience.
  • neurogirl
    neurogirl Posts: 706 Member
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    We should start a club. I have a television in my house, but no cable, and the sole purpose of the television is to watch DVDs and play video games when I feel like it. The bf feels deprived and insists the first thing we do when we move is get cable. Eh, I could live without it. To prove my point, other than news which I can get on the internet, when I had to travel for a job interview out of state, the stuff on cable that I had running in the background were the EXACT same episodes and mindless stuff/the like from when I last had cable.... 2 years ago.

    Granted, the hotel didn't have the discovery channel or science channel (sigh).

    But yeah, I don't miss cable.
  • mevalentina
    mevalentina Posts: 362 Member
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    YOU ARE NOT A BAD MOM how stupid and judgmental people are. Just because you are not living your life the way she is big deal doesn't matter as long as you kids are loved and fed who cares what some consider "luxuries" that are without. I wish I could get rid of mine they are horrible.. Oh well soon I will not be able to afford cable either so I guess we will be doing the same thing at our house!
  • sullykat
    sullykat Posts: 461 Member
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    My SIL doesn't have a microwave and people think she's nuts (her sister, mainly). I'm all for it! I didn't have cable for almost 2 years and my husband (then boyfriend) refused to live that way once we moved in together. I much preferred it then, but it's all about compromise, I suppose. I don't think a TV is necessary at all. It's a want, not a need.
  • Blaqheart
    Blaqheart Posts: 235
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    Haha! Just had a coworker tell me that I was neglecting my kids because I don't have a TV in the house. Apparently she thinks that in order for my children to be well informed they HAVE to watch TV.

    I was speechless.

    Is it really that unusual to not have a tv?

    You are not a bad mom! :noway:
    Actually we lived for 3 years without a tv. To me it was more peaceful and dd was more behaved. I wish we'd kept tv free. :grumble:

    "Informed" about what?? How mean people can really be to each other?? Really we need to be less informed about all the chaos going on out there. If we were less informed we'd be less stressed.

    I simply REFUSE to watch the news. It is not good just all bad news and one - sided. I also avoid the "reality" shows too. Such things as this do not give children a balanced picture how life really is. I feel like Jerry Springer is the one creating all the new tv shows! What happened to really good tv shows???

    You stick to what you know is right and ignore such "well informed" sillies as that.

    Actually I think you're a super mom because you choose to keep the chaos out of your home. :drinker:
  • starla5881
    starla5881 Posts: 190 Member
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    You're an awesome mom for not having a tv! Your kids will be reading newspapers while hers will be staying "informed" by watching American Idol. ;-)
  • usc2626
    usc2626 Posts: 186
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    To each their own, you should just tell your coworker she's a bad mother for letting her kids sit in front of a TV all day. I myself couldn't live without one. I'm a sports junkie (especially college football) and couldn't imagine not being able to watch my sports on TV.

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