Spinoff: What TV shows do you ban?

[PrincessFiona]

I found banning shows to be ... Ineffective for several reasons. Generally, it made my kids more curious and they always ended up watching the shows at a friend's house. It's impossible to have another parent police for you. I found this out when we banned violent video games and despite my requests he was allowed to play them at his best friend's house. I can't ban the friendship, so I know if he goes there there is a chance he will play it. As a result, I actually bought a game and have let him play it with me around to talk to him, comment and ask questions.

We don't actually watch tv with the exception of the Disney channel now because if how are tv is now set up. I don't have anything against nickelodeon and we own Rugrats movies. Rugrats haven't got adequate parental supervision but we are the only ones focused in that. How else could they have their backyard adventures? The interactions with the parents are also always loving.

But.

I think all of these shows are great opportunities for our kids and us. Yup. No banning here. Icarly, Hannah, sponge bob, you name it. What better chances do we have to discuss issues of bullying, popularity, school, appropriate social behavior than this built in media?

"Wow, I can't believe how she talked to her mom in that episode"

""Do you sometimes feel the same pressure to have a boyfriend as Hannah?". Even better has been Miley Cyrus' mistakes in real life. We have talked about why people screw up, our mistakes, forgiveness, moving on after screwing up. That is how I found out about a major issue in my daughter's group of friends.

Ultimately, I think they get their hands on this
media. I want to be there and know what's up so we can talk.

Oops. Gotta go. I think I just split my pants. Lol

[Vanquisher]

i found banning shows to be ... Ineffective for several reasons. Generally, it made my kids more curious and they always ended up watching the shows at a friend's house.

We don't actually watch tv with the exception of the disney channel now because if how are tv is now set up.

But.

I think all of these shows are great opportunities for our kids and us. Yup. No banning here. Icarly, hannah, sponge bob, you name it. What better chances do we have to discuss issues of bullying, popularity, school, appropriate social behavior than this built in media?

"wow, i can't believe how she talked to her mom in that episode"

""do you sometimes feel the same pressure to have a boyfriend as hannah?". Even better has been miley cyrus' mistakes in real life. We have talked about why people screw up, our mistakes, forgiveness, moving on after screwing up. That is how i found out about a major issue in my daughter's group of friends.

Ultimately, i think they get their hands on this
media. I want to be there and know what's up so we can talk.

Oops. Gotta go. I think i just split my pants. Lol

ita.

[MrsK]

Fiona, good point. At this point, I cannot imagine having enough leisure time to watch TV. Having limited channels really removes temptation and I find that our time is otherwise filled up. On one hand, it's nice to eat dinner without a TV blasting. But on the other hand, when I was a kid my father insisted on watching the news during dinner. There was no talking at our dinner table but our teachers were always impressed with our knowledge of current events and politics. It's that elusive search for balance.

[HouseofWool]

We watch a lot of mythbusters, how it's made and Dirty Jobs. And I will 'fess up to Deadliest Catch... I've pretty much banned cartoon network with the exception of SW the Clone Wars on Friday nights. I hate how sassy he gets when he watches the the stuff targeted at 7 year olds. SpongeBob is just as bad as the others, they treat each other with an awful lot of disrespect. (This is especially hard for C because E was always very disrespectful to me.)

[Phoebe]

I used to do a lot more show policing than I do now. I have actually blocked several channels in our house including some Nick and Disney Channels and Cartoon Network. Why they need 5 versions of each channel is beyond me. I have eased up with my 8 year old because it was a power struggle. When my 6 and 3 year olds are in the room, Nick Jr, PBS and ScoobyDoo are on most of the time. They have seen all those mouthy-teen shows though. In fact the other day, my 3 year old talked about kissing boys and when I told her no, she replied that Hannah Montana did. Ugh!

[Amiens]

I have 4 children (8, 7, 4, 3). They are really only interested in Little Einsteins, Word Girl, Charlie and Lola, and Curious George. My older two just aren't interested in iCarly, HM, HSM, or anything else, and probably I haven't been interested in exposing them. On occasion that I have the television on while I am doing dishes or folding a mountain of laundry, I will have it on the History Channel or Discovery, and all of them love watching Mythbusters, or any period piece that is on History. I guess during the day, I just don't make T.V. an option for them for an activity.

My children have to earn a "free 1/2 hour"- that entails having homework, piano practice and chores done before they play computer games, Wii, or watch TV. All four of them have vivid imaginations, love imaginary play, and being with each other. If anything they love to read. We read The Spiderwick Chronicles for bedtime stories, and then watched the movie for our movie night. It was fun hear my oldest say "I loved the books WAAAAY better than the movie! Mom, they left this out, and changed this." During the fall, we will record 2 or 3 "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" episodes and watch them for our family movie night.

[Pollyanna]

We are in the Kris and Heidi camp. If my kids can't watch iCarly or similar show without becoming little snots with attitude then I have a much bigger problem than television. Plus, if they can be so easily influenced by a simple show then we will never make it through the teen years. I like watching lots of shows with my kiddos and it gives us an opportunity to discuss how you can be "in the world" but not "of the world".

[diggitydot]

The only show I've ever banned was "Barney". That show STILL creeps me out. Thankfully, our kids detest the "Hanah Montana" type shows.

[DCJenn]

Honestly, we rarely watch TV because I personally rarely watch TV and never ever during the week. He has Thomas dvds and SpongeBob is fine with me in the short term. My kid turns into a complete jerk about TV though so it's not worth the inevitable fight. We watched the James Cagney version of Yankee Doodle Dandy and he thought it was crazy that it was in black and white but loved the music and the dancing. We saw some iCarly while we were in Dayton and I thought it was really stupid and I told him so.

We go to live music events pretty frequently- I got season tickets for the symphony (the cheap seats) so he and I can go for the first half- we'll leave at intermission. We have lots of live music venues that are walking distance so we see live blues shows and folk singers and the Tejano music heritage society is across the street and those old guys are awesome to watch. We also can go the the German Mannechor for choral and oompa looompa band music. Every Tuesday night there's a Jazz Orchestra which is also fun. We don't go that often because they start a little bit too late. (that's the other thing- he's in bed at 8pm every night except Friday nights when we go hang out with the neighbors at the local Ice House)

I hate TV with such a passion that I would be happy if I never watched it again. Of course, we didn't have a TV until I was 5 and I was only ever allowed PBS after school and Saturday am cartoons until the parents woke up.

I also limit his computer time but given the choice, I'd rather that he play an hour on the computer on a weekend day than watch TV. I'm contemplating a Wii for Christmas. He had a V-Touch but hated it so it's rotting in his closet somewhere.


Jenn

[peggyfromwastate]

We don't actually have any ban on tv. I just find the icarly and other pre teeny shows too annoying and sassy. I also point out how rude they are, etc. But my 9 year old son isn't interested in watching iCarly and really my 9 year old daughter isn't either...

Sometimes I need the TV. I just do. It's a way for them to zone out and quit fighting for 30 minutes or so. It allows me to get the dishes done, or run a load of laundry, or something...

DD14 watched a lot of MTV at my parent's house over the summer. They put a TV with cable access in her room. Sigh. She now loves all sorts of hideous shows. I now know who Snookie is and wish I didn't. But... On the flip side, when we got home and she needs me to give her permission to watch whatever on TV (one tv, very small house) I've been able to comment on how stupid and irresponsible these reality tv characters are..... I think that takes some of the glamour and coolness off of them.

Anyway, I'm not a tv tyrant- but I do offer opinions quite liberally on what I see.

I'm surprised at all the SpongeBob animosity. I really don't see it I guess. I still think it's funny... I even have a Spongebob ringtone for my little brother.

???

[DCJenn]

I think SpongeBob is really funny, too. In fact, that's about the only cartoon I think is funny. My husband LOVES Family Guy so when he's around he watches that. He always looks at me in amazement when I just sit there while he's laughing so hard he's crying. He thinks there's something wrong with me!

Nikolai is going to be SpongeBob (again) for Halloween. (reusing last year's costume! YAY!)

Jenn

[peggyfromwastate]

Score Jenn! That's great when you reuse a costume. Priceless!

[diggitydot]

Our DD1 has gotten into MTV, VH1, Fuse, and Palladia. She's in a music magnet high school so she's all about the music channels on the satellite. Which I'm ok with. She's the one who makes comments about how stupid/immature/jerkish some of the people behave. It's nice to see that she can identify it.

[peggyfromwastate]

I agree--- I'm glad to watch these shows with her. She can see how pointless the way they live is--

And the Teen Mom show is pretty interesting. It's def not glorifying teen pregnancy. It really shows how these girls get stuck having to deal with horrid boys the rest of their lives... With an MTV crew following them around.

[diggitydot]

It's def not glorifying teen pregnancy.

No kidding. That's one show that we occasionally watch together and she's totally disgusted by the behavior and stupidity of most of the people on that show -- both teens and adults. While I'm glad that she recognizes it, I'm even more impressed that she's not afraid to vocalize it. She has a quick wit and a sharp tongue.

Hmmm...wonder where she got that.