TVs in children's bedrooms?

[Pearls18]

It's a topic picked up in the press today, is it something you're for? Against? Keeping an open mind until the issue arises in your house?

 

[teal]

I suppose keeping an open mind. As a child, I didn't have a tv in my room until I was 10. As an adult I don't have a tv in my room. I really don't know to be honest. My son has just turned 4 so it's definitely not in the near future anyway.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I'm not 'against' as such but it's not for us. I've never had a TV in my room and Lucas won't be getting one until he moves out as far as I'm concerned!
Infact I'm that easily distracted, I've had really poor sleeping habits since getting a smartphone because it's just *there* and I can tinker on it if I want to, so I waste a lot of sleeping hours and often find it hard to unwind. We only have one TV though (and even that doesn't get much use).

 

[AP]

I'm against it totally, yet my DH used to bang on about it, because he had one. I just don't think it encourages a healthy sleeping space ykwim. It can really disrupt sleep too. I know if you are having problems sleeping/your children are having problems sleeping, the first thing they tell you is to remove any televisions you have in the room

 

[emyandpotato]

I wasn't allowed ever. I don't really think it's necessary and actually can probably be a bit harmful if overused so I hope it's not something I'll do. I don't think it's the end of the world or awful parenting though.

 

[seaweed eater]

Definitely against it. Poor sleep hygiene.

 

[lindseymw]

We don't have a TV in our bedroom. We're not the type to lay in bed watching TV.

I had one when I was around 10ish I think. It was actually a computer that had the aerial plugged in so I could watch 4 channels & it be used as a computer for school work.

For the boys, I would consider a TV when they are older for when they have friends around. However, by that point we hope to be in a 4 bed house so would be setting up the 4th bedroom as a boys den. If not, then a TV in the room would be a consideration but closely monitered. I don't like the idea of watching TV before sleep but during the day I would be fine with.

 

[bumpy_j]

Wouldn't really have too much of a problem with one that wasn't tuned (so used for just games/DVDs). Not for a good few years yet though.

 

[sue_88]

Against. No TVs in bedrooms ever in my house

 

[ShanandBoc]

Nope no tv in dds room. Her room is for quiet reading, resting and sleeping

 

[Natsku]

Maria won't be getting a tv in her bedroom. Just not good for sleeping. We have a tv in our bedroom but thats only because we wanted it out of Maria's sight as she's such a telly addict. We don't have it on when we go to bed.

 

[Noodlebear]

It depends on the kid really. I had one in my room but we were all of a generation where it was much more fun to play outside so I didn't watch tv all that much. We have a spare tv knocking about, if LO wanted to watch a dvd or something I'm sure I wouldn't mind it going in his room but if he got a bit obsessed then it'd be taken out again pronto lol.

 

[dgirllamius]

I never had a TV in my room when I was young. My brothers did though (I don't think it was connected though, it was just for my brothers computer).

LO won't have one. It's taken me ages just to save up for a nice TV to have in the living room.

 

[MommyJogger]

We're a TV-less family, but in the sense that we don't watch random programming or sit around for primetime or whatever. When the kids are older, like pre-teen, we'll probably allow them to get into a couple shows they pick out to watch once or twice a week, we'll allow movies around school age, and we'll allow video games at whatever age the game seems appropriate as long as it's not constantly in excess (we tend to get video games with an endpoint and play them until they're finished, so we might have a few days of a lot of video games, but then that will be all the video gaming for a 6 to 12-month span. If they get into those shooter games with no end point, I really don't know what we're going to do because neither of us every really played those to develop an idea of what's "enough" and what's "excessive").
If we have space for them to have a separate den/playroom when the time comes, we'll let them have the tv in there. If we don't have room for a separate space for a TV, we'll consider putting it in their room(s) depending on their personalities at the time. If they're the type to push the limit and try to watch more than they're allowed, then they won't be getting it in the room. If they easily respect the limits we put in place, I don't see why they can't have it in the room with them since it'll see little enough use anyway, but it'll have to be in a place you can't watch from the bed, because I know that can cause sleep problems in a lot of teens and adults.

 

[lhancock90]

Feeling like the worst mother ever now but, Evelyn has a tv in her room, sometimes she watches a film before bed or in the afternoon when she wants a break from Ivy. Its not overused and its never affected her sleep.

 

[Vickie]

We don't but will revisit it when the kids are older. Right now I'm very careful with the programs that they watch and how much (DD is a total tv addict! and she's also a bit of a scaredy cat so I have to be careful with what she watches )

 

[Noodlebear]

Feeling like the worst mother ever now but, Evelyn has a tv in her room, sometimes she watches a film before bed or in the afternoon when she wants a break from Ivy. Its not overused and its never affected her sleep.

That doesn't make you a bad mother at all, I think you've struck a nice balance.

 

[pupsicle]

No TV here, not in our room or LO's, I would rather her read a story if she can't sleep than watch TV and stay awake. OH watches TV on his phone and he ends up staying awake for hours, if he just turned it off he'd be asleep in minutes

 

[wishuwerehere]

i don't think anyone should have a tv in their room - it interferes with sleep.

 

[Pearls18]

Feeling like the worst mother ever now but, Evelyn has a tv in her room, sometimes she watches a film before bed or in the afternoon when she wants a break from Ivy. Its not overused and its never affected her sleep.

Don't be silly hun doesn't make you a bad mother! It's nice she has some where to retreat from Ivy I know DS1 can get a bit overwhelmed with DS2 sometimes.