. . . because on The View the other day I heard Rosie say that her kids don't watch TV. And then I started to hear that a lot of other people say that it's not good for your kids to watch TV.
But then I stopped feeling so bad, because I realized that all those people who are playing with their kids all day, doing arts and crafts and reading books and all those things, those people who keep their kids from the evil television, those people:
-have housekeepers
-have nannies
-have lots more money than I do to afford such things
-probably have people to go grocery shopping for them
And I don't have any of that!
So, Rosie, much as I love you, I have to dispute you on this issue.
Send me your nanny, your housekeeper, some of your money (you know, to buy cutsie arts and crafts and etc.), and your grocery shopper person, and I'll gladly turn off the TV! As for this moment, the TV is useful for me for these activities:
-keeping the little ones occupied so that I can clean my house and do my laundry
-keeping the big one occupied while I care for the little ones (e.g. - potty training, bathing, etc.)
-scraping together whatever arts and crafts supplies I have on hand in order to get ready for arts and crafts time
-spending time on the phone while I make Pampered Chef and Avon calls (so that I can gain some money for more fun arts and crafts stuff)
-doing my grocery shopping
To my credit, I try to make sure that we watch fun and instructional television, such as:
-Count With Maizie
-Veggie Tales
-Everything I can possibly squeeze out of PBS kids
-sometimes a Disney flick (ok, so not so educational, but usually a great way to teach warm fuzzies)
Sorry, Rosie. And all you other people who are anti-TV. I do the very best I can. And I got an extra boost at parent-teacher conferences with Chicken Nugget's teacher. They said, when I asked if, on the whole, she was doing ok, "She's doing ok. In fact, she's doing better than ok. She's obviously getting some kind of good instruction at home."
So TV hasn't runined at least my oldest kid. I hope it doesn't ruin the little ones.
9 comments:
ABB, you are doing an excellent job! I think that TV is okay. They're watching good stuff and they're not turing into vegetables! =)
I have a friend...her daughter is obsessed w/tv. She watches it as much as possible. Once she sits down...she turns into a zombie. You have to call her name over and over before she will even acknowledge you, and when she does, she doesn't even look at you. It's sooo bad!
It seems to me that you're balancing it out. They play outside and do arts/crafts. So, DON'T YOU FEEL BAD!
TV is a good way to keep the kiddos occupied. So, until Rosie sends you the $ to get your own housekeeper, nanny, grocery shopper...YOU KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Luv u!
~CBB
Though our kids are older, I can't tell you how glad I am that we finally got satellite. I am thrilled that my children can now sit and mindlessly watch TV (except all those goofy Hungarian channels . . . what kind of language is that?!)
You remember when ours were really little how we could put in "Doe a deer" and they would watch Julie andrews work her magic for almost three hours. I don't think TV is all that bad.
Rosie, on the other hand . . ..
Thanks CBB. I love you!
Hey, D/S - remember when we used to watch the Rosie O'Donnell show every morning that summer? I have never stopped loving her! I can't help it.
You know, I got a Rosie hat (from her show) when I was working for the crooks who ran the TV station down the road. I don't know if I still have it. I also got a nice leather briefcase from the "Due South" show. I still have it and use it all the time.
TV! I love TV. My kids will, too, one day. Love ya!
I tend to be on the other end and say that we do need to limit television - for ourselves as much as for our children (if I had any, that is). BUT I think that you do balance it well. Your children are well rounded and, seriously, some of the best kids I know (no BS). So...keep on keepin on, sister.
Hey, I also found out how to link my blogger friends on my Myspace page...check it out in my Who I'd Like to Meet section. I improvised!
Love to you and yours.
Thanks for all your comments on the subject!
We recently (before this post) implemented a few rules regarding tv watching. Noodle watches a few PBS shows in the morning, but then there's no tv at all until Chicken Nugget gets home. At that time, CN gets to pick which PBS show she wants to watch, and that's what they watch, so it's 30 minutes of TV per day for CN (if she doesn't have too much homework, and if it's not Wed. or Thur., because we have to hurry up to get to church/soccer practice on those days). Molly's TV watching is sketchy at best, so it's mostly her running in to play with Banana and me, running in to stand in front of the TV for about 5 minutes, and then running around some more. Banana isn't interested in the TV at all.
Oh, and then there's Saturday mornings. Who can deny any kid their Saturday morning cartoons, ya'll????
Oh, hey, D/S, remember when Donnie called Rosie fat on like her first week of the show?????
I think Rosie's great and all, but there's some irony to a woman who makes a fortune appearing on TV while denouncing TV as an inappropriate medium.
Forget Rosie! I think your system is right on.
Post a Comment