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Is my ds tv free?

post #1 of 8
Thread Starter 
Seriously. I decided to look in here for ideas about prying my ds3.5 away from his videos. He's been asking all day, lately, and it's driving me nuts. He doesn't watch tv, though. I don't think he knows you can use the tv without a vid or dvd!

I was reading some posts, and noticed that many posters said their dc did watch dvds or videos. I had figured "tv" included movies and recorded shows. Is there a standard definition of "tv free"?
post #2 of 8
I don't think so. We say we're TV free even though DD watches the occasional youtube clip. And we may let her watch DVDs when she gets older. I think compared to the ways in which most children watch TV, then we are TV free.
post #3 of 8
No, I don't think there is. I know people who do DVDs/YouTube who ID as TV-free, and those who do those who don't. I know a fair number of people who are totally TV and video free who wouldn't think to post to a place like this. For me, it's about whether I consider TV or videos to be a parenting tool -- I don't, and that sets me apart from a lot of other parents, so I like the community of a place like this. But that's just my personal distinction for us; someone else may have a different distinction or definition, and that's just fine.
post #4 of 8
We are a tv-free family who watches dvd's.

I know there are families who do much less than we do. I think we are all just going to have to self-define here.
post #5 of 8
I consider our family to be TV free, although we do get videos from the library once a week or so.
post #6 of 8
We don't watch TV except for videos on Friday nights and I don't consider our family TV free. I come here for support.

As for your 3 year old have you thought about setting specific times for videos? I know it was around that age that I set limits for my DS. Maybe 1 video a day? Or one every other day? I hated the constant asking as well!
post #7 of 8
When I say tv-free I'm really thinking of television, cable, dvds, videos and I'd throw video, hand-held and computer games in there too.

Having said that, I don't make the cut.

My older dcs watch dvds on my computer from time to time. It's a treat and it's rare but it does happen.

We don't have a television so I'd call myself tv-free as a short hand, but my kids do have some screen time--a few hours a month probably but it is insidious and does creep up to weekly sometimes.

Good luck with your tv-free goal. We've been holding at the above amount since my oldest was 3 (we were at zero before that) and I think my kids are happier and healthier for it. So I think it is worth the inherent challenges.
post #8 of 8
To me tv-free is just free of screen time as a parenting tool and not a part of the child's daily life.
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