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

April 9, 2014

Those of you who have children, do you allow them to have TVs in their bedrooms?

I was always against my kids having TV's in their bedrooms until one day my ex came home with a TV for Boogs. He knew how I felt about it but I gave in. Beaks was too little at the time so it wasn't a big deal that he didn't have one. 

The problem is that the kids got used to falling asleep to the TV. We never had it hooked up to the cable, only to the DVD player so that they could watch their movies. 

Fast forward to the kids being 5 & 7... No longer with my ex husband, and since then, found the love of my life... So we notice that Boogs is watching TV until about an hour past her bedtime... Instead of helping her sleep, it's now keeping her up. 

I think I am going to let them watch TV for a half an hour before bed and then TV goes off!!! 

I would take it away but I feel bad since their dad basically let them get used to it. 

What are your thoughts on TVs in the kiddos bedrooms? 



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22 comments:

  1. I would tell you to take it out....but I don't live with them and have to deal with that one ;-) My sister started implementing earning their screen time and it has been very helpful for getting them to do their duties the kiddos.

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    1. They don't want to watch it unless it's bedtime but then it just messes up their sleep... I am going to take it out and then suffer the consequences.

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  2. I had a TV in my room growing up but only had it connected to rabbit ears and my Atari. I don't think kids need a TV in their room. As you said it is only a distraction to them failing asleep. With our little one she will not have a TV in her room till she is older, as long as she doesn't come to me with puppy dog eyes saying Daddy please... that would be hard to resist. :)

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    1. We couldn't even get cable at our house until high school... I never had one in my room either.

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  3. My parents never let us have one in our rooms growing up and I'm so glad they did that. It forced me to spend time with them instead of in my room. Thennnn I went to college and moved into a house after college- both places I had a tv in my room and it really messed up my sleep cycles. Now I'm back to not having it and I am soooo glad. I think overall they are better to not have in bedrooms but its so hard to shake it once you've been used to it :(

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  4. nope, no tv in my kid's bedroom until she's able to buy one for herself. that's my rule. besides, if she has a tv in her room, i'll never see her!! we monitor kayla's screen time because too much tv makes her weird and lazy. night routine is for us so we snuggle and read her books and talk about her day. then it's lights out and sleepy time!

    -kathy
    Vodka and Soda

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  5. Nope. They don't and won't. We don't even have a TV in OUR bedroom :) My house growing up (as you probably remember) was a 1-TV household, and so was B's (they only had B&W until he was in HS!). So, while we love our TV and movies, it's limited to the living room. It can create really bad habits for falling asleep, as you've noticed. Plus I feel like it takes away from the forced interaction if the kids can retreat to their bedrooms for TV. Squabbles over which show or movie to watch are worthwhile I think! :)

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    1. We have one in the bedroom but we don't spend much time in there unless it's bedtime...

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  6. My kids have tvs in their rooms but they are older. Only one really watches tv and it has to be off before she goes to bed. I limit the amount she watches because she easily gets sucked into it. I prefer they read just before falling asleep.

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    1. I can def see it being okay as they get older but yes I would def have to monitor the amount.

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  7. Our mom and dad don't have two-leggers BUT mom's sisters do and dere is no teevees in dere rooms. :)

    Woofs and Licks,
    Maggie Mae and Max

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  8. I didn't have one in my room as a kid but my parents weren't necessarily against it. My sister got one in hers after she saved for it from her first job and they allowed that.

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    1. I think it's totally okay if you are old enough for a job but mine are 5 & 7

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  9. I know I am old fashioned, but I believe that there's no reason for kids to have tv in their bedroom, especially because they would watch it late at night (and that would definitely have an impact on their nervous system and cortisol levels... ) A bedtime read is so much better, plus makes parents and kids bond. x

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    1. I completely agree with you... I should have stood my ground with my ex... I prefer that they read too... That's what I did.

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  10. I was 100% against it for a long time, but with the age spread of my 2 pairs of boys, I have caved so that the bigger boys can have "alone time in their room". They do share a room, and it gives them a place to get away from the littles or take a break. They just got it within the last month or two. They don't get to watch tv in the mornings before school, or until after their homework is finished. It is off at 8pm on school nights. On the weekends they have to read for 20-30 minutes and eat breakfast first.

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  11. I think your game plan is good. Give them a time limit and if they screw up, take it away. At least, that's what my parents did. :)

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  12. I think the limit is a good idea.

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