TV in child's room

holley79 wrote: I am just wondering. This is in no way to start a debate. I'm just wondering how many have TV's in their room. I know a lot of children will only fall asleep with one on in their room so I'm wondering.

mckayleesmom replied: None....but Im about to put one in their rooms....when they slept in the living room at our old house they would watch a movie and conk out in seconds....Here they sleep in their rooms with no tv and it takes forever to get them to sleep.

Calimama replied: No way.

I want to say it'll never happen but never say never.

Momof3inMe replied: The boys do. My kids all go to bed at 8 so I let the boys watch tv for about an hour. This way I have an easy time getting them to bed all at the same time.

holley79 replied:
Trust me I have found I find a lot of where I said nevers.

I used to always think I would NEVER have a TV in Annika's room but now I'm wondering. I don't even have one in my own room.

MoonMama replied:
Same here....I say no now, but you never know.

Calimama replied:
I used to say she'd never WATCH tv until she was like 3.

She's currently clapping and dancing to Barney.

bawoodsmall replied: I said not until they are older and by older I mean like teenager. We never had one in our room until we were teens so I guess I kinda learned that. They watch enough without it being in their rooms. I wish I could make them go outside. I HATE WINTER!!!
So sorry got off on a tangent.

Crystalina replied: I said no also. Now they both have their own. Our house has an open floor plan so unless your in the bathroom or in a bedroom we are all together. I can't get away from their kid shows so they go to their rooms and watch what they want. I have a short tolerance for Diego and Hannah Montana.

I also put them to bed at 8pm and let them watch in bed until 9pm. That makes going to bed so much easier then just putting them to bed. It let's their little bodies and minds wind down I think. It works great!

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I voted other because even though I say no now, it might end up happening someday. I don't really think it's a good idea, but I guess if it happens for some reason someday it would be ok as long as it didn't make the amount of time they watch tv increase.

Mommy2BAK replied: Blakely has a tv in her room but its up on top of her dresser and we have the remote that way she doesn't end up watching something she shouldn't. All she cares to watch is Disney and Nick.

kimberley replied: nope, never. i don't even have one in mine.

HuskerMom replied: We might put one in Keith's room when he's older. I think I was about 12 when I got one in my room.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: For a while Emilie was a demon to put to bed... and being pregnant, again, I didn't have the energy and the patience to deal with her... so yes, she had one in her room. She had it in her room for about 1 year... really, only the time we were in Joliette... which was April to April. BUT, they only watched pre-approved videos on it (Em and Zach shared a room), such as leapfrog videos, dora, barney... they haven't had a tv in their room for nearly 2 years though. They won't, either.

holley79 replied: See I don't even have one in my room either. I see all sides of the spectrum on this, that is why I'm asking.

mom21kid2dogs replied: Well, I answered "No Never" but really she can have one wherever she wants when she's an adult. Until then, we'll be a 1 TV family.

ZandersMama replied: Zander had one in his room, but his little game thingy was hooked up to it, so i moved it in my room so he is not up all nite wanting to play it. He plays his game in my room during the day, and at bedtime there is no distraction.

Anthony275 replied: i got one in 3rd grade.....

3xsthefun replied: Yes, they do.

BAC'sMom replied: Mine do too

luvmykids replied: No, and I doubt they will any time soon. I do know it makes bedtime easier, and on weekends sometimes they're allowed to fall asleep on the couch watching tv, but I don't want to get them in the habit that it's the only way they can go to sleep. I don't say that for any reason other than I was like that, I absolutely HAD to have the tv on to go to sleep, and it was torturous to break myself of that.

The ironic thing is, now that I don't sleep with the tv on, I sleep so much better.

stella6979 replied: Nope, she does not have one in her room and probably won't until at least H.S. We read to her every night and that seems to be enough for her. I'd much rather her crack open a book at night so that's what we're trying to instill in her.

Brias3 replied: No, none of the kids currently have on in their rooms, but they might one day, as teenagers or something. I just don't see the need for it now.

Me, however, can ONLY fall asleep with the TV on...I set the sleep timer each night (that is, if I don't fall asleep on the couch ). I have to have some sort of noise in the room, mainly when Bruce is gone, to fall asleep.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Same here - only I was addicted to the radio being on. It was very difficult to break.

They do get to fall asleep in my bed watching TV once a month or so.

ETA: With DH not getting home from work til 3am, I'm back to falling asleep with the TV on every night. I tried to sleep without it the other night and I was freaking out at every little house noise.

Anthony275 replied:
me too, i cant fall asleep at all without something draining out the noises in my house- i hear EVERYTHING through my walls so i use my tv, it's either that or cover my ears to sleep

luvmykids replied:
I do have to watch until I"m sleepy enough to sleep through all the weird noises

~Roo'sMama~ replied:
I need some kind of background noise to sleep too, but I have a hard time sleeping with the tv on. I like to have a fan or some kind of white noise machine on. Right now I have an alarm clock that plays different sounds - my favorites are rain and waterfall.

holley79 replied:
I sleep with a fan on and so does Annika. We read every night but lately she has been a bear to go night night.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: I used to be a no myself. Jade got the Princess TV and DVD player when she was about 2 from my Mom. It actually helped a whole bunch when I was pregnant, she could go into her room and watch a movie. Now they watch it before they go to sleep. Jade really likes to watch Animal Planet and Jordan recently becmae obsessed with Dora. I have to have the TV on to sleep myself.

A&A'smommy replied:
the plan was to NOT put one in her room until she got to be about 8 or 9 but that didn't happen... According to her daddy she should have one in her room!!

Same here Crystal she goes to bed without a fuss 90% of the time!!

:.Mrs_Mommy.: replied: Lily and Kyla have a console tv in their room and Aaron has a tv and PS2 in his. Robert and I don't but we probably will soon.

Having more than 1 tv helps alot because they all like different things. Aaron will play his game, Lily watches cooking shows, Kyla watches cartoons, Robert plays on comp and I read. If we watch a movie or play ps2 together as a family we will do it in the living room.

sparkys2boys replied: I voted other.. the boys have one in there playroom which is connected to there bedroom. I allow them to watch it before bed but on school nights they go to to there beds. On the week-end I am more flexible, if they crash on the couch or the floor in the playroom watching tv I don't mind.

Cece00 replied: I put other because MAYBE when they are older I will allow it.

Right now there is a TV in their playroom. All their toys are in their playroom. Their bedrooms are ONLY for sleeping/getting dressed, so I see no need for a TV.

However, I realize as the kids get older, its more likely that they will fight more about who gets to pick what to watch (hey, there are 4 of them....and only 4 TV's in the house...and DH and I get to pick what is on 2 of them) & they may need TV's in their rooms.

But as for right now, no, there is no need for a TV in their rooms.

bawoodsmall replied: It's weird that everyone else thinks the tv makes it so much easier to put them to bed. My emily would stay up watching tv for as long as she posibly could and eventually if I said ok no more tv we would just have the initial argument then kwim? In our world letting her have the tv would just prolong the bedtime argument. She is really a good bedtime person...but lately we have been dealing with the getting up routine like I have to ask you a question or I need a drink....

I forgot that Aiden isnt in a big boy bed yet so my big philosophy on tv in the bedroom may go out the window in a couple weeks. I will keep you posted

moped replied: No never here - sleep nazi talking

He can have one when he has a job to buy his own

TrulyBlessed replied: We had one in our daughters room, whom are ages 9 & 4. At first, I thought it was a good idea because they could have their own time and watch their movies. As time went on though, it caused more problems then good. They got in the habit of falling to sleep with the t.v. on or trying to stay up later to watch t.v. Plus, I didn't see them as much because they always wanted to watch t.v.

We took the t.v. out of their room and we not set a limit on t.v. time. I don't know if I will let them have one again when they are older or not.

Calimama replied:

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
We had a timer on ours... and it would shut off after 30 mintues, or an hour, whatever we set it to... and when she'd whine that the tv was off... we'd tell her.. "oh, I guess the tv decided it's time for bed now then..." she always bought it. Then again, she was only 2.

otherwise, yes, she'd be up for HOURS!

A&A'smommy replied: Alyssa really doesn't fuss to watch TV she gets to watch cartoons in the evenings SOMETIMES in the living room because she does NOT have cable in her room. She is only aloud to choose from HER movies (which will go in the playroom/my best friends BR when I get that done) and she more than half the time goes to sleep before the movie is halfway through she just plays SOO hard during the day that she is exhausted at night I purposely wear her out

lovemy2 replied: I am one of the nope never ones who probably shouldn't say never but right now no - she is a reader like her Momma so that works for me - we have one in our bedroom and for the most part I don't like or need it - I would rather read to fall asleep and DH watches the TV which is distracting to me at times when I want to read - oh well so it goes

MommyToAshley replied: Ashley has a TV and DVD player in her room, but she doesn't watch it much. She never watches it at bedtime. Like someone else said, she'd probably stay up longer if we let her watch TV/DVD at nighttime.

We didn't put cable in her room, so she mostly plays her DVD's and she's not really much of a TV watcher anyways. Most of the time, she plays her Hanna Montana DVD while playing Polly Pockets in her room, or something like that.

I think regardless of where you put the TV, it's a matter of monitoring their time and what they watch. I don't really understand the opposition to a TV in the bedroom... what's the difference between spending hours in front of the TV in the living room or in their bedroom? I think it is more about what limits you set rather than where you put the TV. I guess it has never been a problem with us because she doesn't really care to watch it. But, the computer on the other hand... she'd live on it if we let her.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: Nope, the kids will never have one in their rooms. I want to go TV-free, but DH would never go for that. It's only on when he's home now, and I try to keep the kids away from it as much as I can when it's on.

mom21kid2dogs replied:
We are definately not in the majority here, I know, but we ONLY watch TV as a family. We only have one TV in the house, sans a small TV that she uses for Leapster in the playroom. My opposition to TV in the bedroom is precisely what you mentioned~especially with cable hookups~no way to monitor what they are watching. Olivia figured out the parental control deal by the time she was 5 and she watches little TV when compared to her peers. My other opposition is how much seperate TV's cut into how much time kids are with their parents spending time together. Between school, work, activities & commitments our time with our child is limited enough already. No way am I gonna see her run to her room by 7pm to watch TV in her bedroom by herself. We're a "no way" family on this issue and I know it won't ever change.

MommyToAshley replied:
I can understand your point... I hope I didn't offend you. I guess it depends on the child and the situation... If Ashley were to run to her room to watch telelvision every night or as soon as she got home, then I'd probably rethink our decision. But, I think it is ok for her to watch one of her DVD's in her room for a little down time now and then (although she seldom watches an entire DVD).

jem0622 replied: I can't say 'NO NEVER' because never is a long time. You could have a kid who you allow to live with you during college years...and at that point...I'm just sayin. LOL.

I would prefer that they don't. It's a place to sleep, or possibly do homework. A radio would be okay as long as it isn't annoying the neighbors.

I bought a TV at a yard sale, and never had cable. Just a few channels. And that was in high school.

danahas4monkeys replied: I voted yes BUT they are set up so they can not be turned on before 10 am, and they automatically turn off at 7:30pm. So basically the only time they have is after school and even then we only allow 1 hour of TV time in the evenings. On weekends its a little different but not much and in the summer time they are alloted 2 hours a day spread out not all at once the rest of the time is outside time!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: It's hard to use the word never, but I voted no never. I don't even put toys in the boys' rooms. They have books only. Their bedrooms are for sleeping. Of course when they are teenagers, they can use their rooms for homework and hanging out, but I don't want them spending hours in there watching the tube.

coasterqueen replied: Kylie has one, Megan does not for now. I swore I'd never do it either, but I did. They watch it for "down time" before they go to sleep. Yes, they'd be up for hours if we didn't monitor the situation, but they get to watch tv for so long, then it's lights out no matter what. Kylie knows better than to fuss too much about it because her father has warned her the tv will come out of there for good if she does. And yes, they do fight over who gets to watch what, but we do the "take turn" method. One night it's Kylie's and one night it's Megan's, etc.

The tv helps out real well with daily quiet time. Even though Kylie has given up her nap, I still think it's important for her body to have down time and relax some so while Megan takes her nap, Kylie usually watches a DVD.

Kaitlin'smom replied: not currently but she might someday. She is like us and likes to fall asleep to the TV, it relaxes her.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Not until they are older. Perhaps teenagers, if that. We'll see when the time comes. We have one in our room because Troy and I are very different when it comes to what we watch on tv a lot of times. So, the one in our room has become mine. We generally only watch tv ourselves at night after the kids go to bed, or while they are napping if both are napping.

I don't think having a tv in a child's room is bad, but I know a lot of times it starts off innocent, but then it gets abused which is what I don't want to happen. If the proper limits are set and followed, then it's no biggie to me. But, I don't want to take that chance. It's too easy to let it turn into a babysitter these days. I also don't want it to start into a way to get them to sleep. I watched a child once whose mom complained about how he was always so tired and cranky all the time and never got enough sleep which made him hard to handle. Well, mom had a tv in his room and let him watch it until he fell alseep...until 11pm every night!!! Duh!

Nah, the tv can wait.

lisar replied: Lexi has one in her room. But its mainly for the V-smile. She will watch movies on occasion on it. She does NOT have cable or anything in there though.

Raygen is still to young for me to put one in her room. Maybe in a couple years we will see.