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megabyteme
12-19-2011, 08:34 PM
My twins are just shy of 2-years old. So far, we have been watching shows like CSI, Deadwood, Dexter, Breaking Bad, etc. along with whatever movies we come across with our daughter. We hadn't really thought much of it, assuming she was just watching the action scenes, basic interactions, and not really comprehending much. This attitude changed a few weeks ago when she jumped as a result of a CSI character graphically shooting himself in the head.

She hasn't had any bad dreams, and she shows no signs of imitating actions she has seen. I doubt there has been any damage done.

On the other hand, I am curious where, and when, a line needs to be drawn regarding programming. We play cartoons, and children's shows during daytime hours, either that, or Pandora plays a variety of music. either way, there is something generally on in the background. The shows like CSI are watched before bed with my wife and I. Our daughter really enjoys this bonding time each night. So do we. honestly, it is the one time of the day that my wife and I can set aside to watch something together.

So, those of you who have kids, please sound-off on this. What lines have you drawn? When do you think television begins to affect them?

mjmacky
12-19-2011, 08:51 PM
If I chime in, your daughter will surely become a stripper or a prostitute as a result. I will bow out now with only this, only you know what's best for your kids... trust your instincts. They are more resilient than they're given credit for, and we have all surely survived worse.

Artemis
12-19-2011, 09:39 PM
My own children are older with a son of 13 and a daughter of 6, but there are definite rules which they respect. For my daughter she has her kids channels Disney Jr. & Nick Jr. largely with some cartoon network thrown in, with the deal being that kids watch their programs during the daytime and parents watch their programs at night. In her case she is to busy anyway, but if she is watching and something is too graphic, it is either paused, or she is asked not to watch which she understands, or the channel is changed if the TV was just 'on' which sometimes happens.

My son is far more interested in gaming anyway, but there are rules there too. In fact he has tried repeatedly to get us to purchase one of the Grand Theft Auto games, but the idea of him playing a game where he rips of whores and shoots pimps to get their cash is a line which we find too far. I am more concerned with gaming technology in that it is interactive and therefore engages the brain and the fight or flight response, than the background noise that TV can be, but then if there is just crap on in the background on the TV we use an under utilised button on the remote and turn it off.

As macky said though, it is up to you to provide the guidance for your kids, you are their main source for morals and behavior to emulate, and judging from your past posts on the subject, if anything you are overprotective of them and their welfare. There are many other trials in life, as long as TV isn't used as an automatic babysitter then you should end up with healthy children instead of couch potatoes.

manker
12-20-2011, 01:11 AM
I stopped watching anything containing bad language or violence while my son was still awake when he started stringing sentences together.
He was about two, I guess.
I think television, like any stimulus, would affect a child at that age.

Looks like it was easier for me though, mbm, my son's most endearing trait right up until he learned to converse was that if we put him to bed at 8, he would stay there silently til the morning. I had started to think that he was some kind of freak but I've learned since that there is medical precedent for this fortuitous condition.



As to guidelines; He's seven now and I believe it's important for a child to know that swearing around adults is not acceptable, so obviously we won't watch anything with curse words. The same with violence. Passively watching a show where the bad guys get shot isn't legitimising it to us, but kids won't be able to rationalise it like we can.
As long as I'm there, I'll let him watch anything with a 12 certificate or under. The only violence in those is against vampires or aliens or w.e.


Obviously, the kids in the school-yard are going to expand his vocabulary and soon enough he will be surreptitiously watching things like Human Centipede VII on his laptop. But he will know he'll be in trouble with me if I find out, and knowing that he understands I disapprove and being prepared to mete out suitable and consistent punishment should transgressions be uncovered is about all one can do as a parent.

temisturk
12-20-2011, 04:50 AM
I wouldn't presume to tell you what you should allow your children to watch but surely for family bonding time you could find something more interesting for a child than stories about drug dealers and serial killers but still more interesting for you and your wife than cartoons and childrens shows. Maybe something from here http://www.imdb.com/search/title?genres=family&sort=moviemeter,asc&title_type=tv_series

megabyteme
12-20-2011, 11:35 PM
I thank everyone for the thoughtful input on this. We are still quite new to this parenting thing, and are bound to make a few errors in judgement. I do believe we need to draw a better line regarding this type of programming. Now that I am starting to look at it through the eyes of my daughter, I am starting to wonder how much of it we need to watch.

I am still pondering it fully, but my current line-of-thought is something in the ballpark of, "We aren't violent, or angry, people. We wouldn't have a shouting match, or display physical aggression towards each other, and we certainly wouldn't do such a thing in front of our children- I grew up with that, and I know how upsetting it can be. Why would I allow a television program to give them a view of something I am aware of as inappropriate behavior?"

My thoughts may still take a bit more of a moderate stance, but thinking out loud, that is where I am leaning...

mjmacky
12-20-2011, 11:48 PM
So I take it the kids are no longer allowed to watch Deadwood, and have my dream made to become reality.

megabyteme
12-21-2011, 02:16 PM
There's still a good chance she'll become a stripper with the economy the way it is, and the Presidential "candidates" at bat. Heck, if economic conditions stay the course, I'll most likely be selling her off before television programming becomes much of an issue.. :idunno:

mjmacky
12-21-2011, 05:35 PM
Now I'm curious, how much do you think you get for 'er?

megabyteme
12-22-2011, 06:34 AM
Are we negotiating* here, or just talking "hypothetically"? :shifty:



*And, we aren't talking about some cheap Chinese knock-off here, either. So, don't think you can use that as a leveraging point to get her cheap. She's never been dropped, has been stored in the garage, and still has that "new" baby smell...

mjmacky
12-22-2011, 06:46 AM
Are we negotiating* here, or just talking "hypothetically"? :shifty:



*And, we aren't talking about some cheap Chinese knock-off here, either. So, don't think you can use that as a leveraging point to get her cheap. She's never been dropped, has been stored in the garage, and still has that "new" baby smell...

I think I'll just stick with the Chinese ones. They pretty much give the girls away for free. I don't look for quality until they're over 18, and I'm just not a very good negotiator.

megabyteme
12-22-2011, 07:56 PM
That's the downside to having a premium product in a buyers' market. :(

OlegL
12-22-2011, 07:57 PM
Yeah, keep your children away from watching a certain type of movies or shows. You were correct when you said that children wouldn't be able to interpret correctly a lot of stuff that is shown on television.

mjmacky
12-22-2011, 08:04 PM
Yeah, keep your children away from watching a certain type of movies or shows. You were correct when you said that children wouldn't be able to interpret correctly a lot of stuff that is shown on television.

How's your dissertation on Looney Tunes coming along?

Burnsy
12-22-2011, 08:18 PM
:lol:

OlegL
12-22-2011, 08:24 PM
Yeah, keep your children away from watching a certain type of movies or shows. You were correct when you said that children wouldn't be able to interpret correctly a lot of stuff that is shown on television.

How's your dissertation on Looney Tunes coming along?

I like your sense of humor, mjmacky. :)

elitebag
01-19-2012, 02:22 PM
Show something good for children ,just like some happy cartoon which makes children happy and live a happy life.

mjmacky
01-20-2012, 12:50 AM
Show something good for children ,just like some happy cartoon which makes children happy and live a happy life.

Your advice sucked. You suck. I hope your life is miserable.

100%
01-28-2012, 08:55 PM
you suck. great argument.

Today out of the blue my 6 yr old said,
dad no more data, no tv for a month,
i said ok
one month,
you certain you dont want just a week.
one no two months then w can build things or maybe melt things.

next morning
Wake up with him looking over me,
DAD!
wake up
did we make an agreement last year?
Yes we did
no more games and tv for a month, it was you who decided it.
Ok
Can we make some Lava?
Or can we melt metal and put lava in a diamond glass because diamond is stronger than lava.


We spent the day melting plastic objects in the oven.
House smells toxic
It was a good day.
Tomorrow we make a snow melting machine so summer comes back.

mjmacky
01-31-2012, 12:20 AM
you suck. great argument.

It was clear I was throwing words at a wall when I posted it.

megabyteme
01-31-2012, 06:07 AM
It was clear I was throwing words at a wall when I posted it.

Little rays of sunshine need to be reflected and scattered before they cause us all cancer.

mjmacky
01-31-2012, 07:13 AM
It was clear I was throwing words at a wall when I posted it.

Little rays of sunshine need to be reflected and scattered before they cause us all cancer.

If I had a wall over which I had complete control, I'd paint it black.

megabyteme
01-31-2012, 07:33 AM
If I had complete control of that elite(douche)bag poster, I'd paint him in black face, and send him to a ghetto to bring back a bucket of fried chicken. We'd see what kind of ray of sunshine he'd be after that.

mjmacky
01-31-2012, 09:00 AM
If I had complete control of that elite(douche)bag poster, I'd paint him in black face, and send him to a ghetto to bring back a bucket of fried chicken. We'd see what kind of ray of sunshine he'd be after that.

I think black people in the ghetto are too civilized to present an interesting outcome, better send him to Alabama in blackface, already carrying a bucket of fried chicken as to convince the locals. He shall be wearing a sign that says (Pass Gay Marriage This Year).

megabyteme
01-31-2012, 07:34 PM
If I had complete control of that elite(douche)bag poster, I'd paint him in black face, and send him to a ghetto to bring back a bucket of fried chicken. We'd see what kind of ray of sunshine he'd be after that.

I think black people in the ghetto are too civilized to present an interesting outcome, better send him to Alabama in blackface, already carrying a bucket of fried chicken as to convince the locals. He shall be wearing a sign that says (Pass Gay Marriage This Year).

Geeshus Macky, I just wanted to wreck his sunny fuk'in positive attitude, not send him back in time 150 years... :O

mjmacky
02-01-2012, 09:15 PM
Geeshus Macky, I just wanted to wreck his sunny fuk'in positive attitude, not send him back in time 150 years... :O

Sure, but I think we could agree that I hate people more thoroughly than you do.

megabyteme
02-03-2012, 11:12 PM
Sure, but I think we could agree that I hate people more thoroughly than you do.

I think we feel the same enmity for individuals, you just cast a wider net.

mjmacky
02-07-2012, 12:53 AM
Sure, but I think we could agree that I hate people more thoroughly than you do.

I think we feel the same enmity for individuals, you just cast a wider net.

I'm too much of a misanthrope to be a racist, that's what you're saying?

elitebag
04-19-2012, 03:53 AM
Many children like to watch TV.Some good cartoon and program can help children to be creative and learn from TV.

megabyteme
04-20-2012, 05:21 PM
Many children like to watch TV.Some good cartoon and program can help children to be creative and learn from TV.

I refuse to take parenting advice from individuals shamelessly plugging companies employing children under the age of 4. Let me guess, you use television to train the toddlers how to manufacture your bags... :dry:

johnedwards03
07-30-2012, 06:36 AM
If I chime in, your daughter will surely become a stripper or a prostitute as a result. I will bow out now with only this, only you know what's best for your kids... trust your instincts. They are more resilient than they're given credit for, and we have all surely survived worse.

megabyteme
07-30-2012, 07:59 AM
If I chime in, your daughter will surely become a stripper or a prostitute as a result. I will bow out now with only this, only you know what's best for your kids... trust your instincts. They are more resilient than they're given credit for, and we have all surely survived worse.


Which is she- resilient or a future stripper? :unsure:

ahqaf
01-19-2014, 04:14 AM
Childrens are always like to watch Cartoon, Funny movie on Television. But,we should give them specific time to watch this. not all day long.

Rahstye
03-13-2014, 04:20 PM
twins under 6 and the only live action we watch is a few super hero movies, percy jackson, and harry potter. Kids are way more impressionable than you think

megabyteme
03-13-2014, 05:58 PM
I can appreciate your efforts, but it should be noted that there are animations that can be quite disturbing as well. Even some of the shows we expected to be tame ended up with age-inappropriate content.

mjmacky
03-14-2014, 08:11 PM
Childrens are always like to watch Cartoon, Funny movie on Television. But,we should give them specific time to watch this. not all day long.

You fascist dick.

megabyteme
03-14-2014, 08:22 PM
Childrens are always like to watch Cartoon, Funny movie on Television. But,we should give them specific time to watch this. not all day long.

You fascist dick.

We can only hope his comment led to his ban!

MysticRiffs
05-02-2014, 03:26 AM
My daughter's still preteen, and I swear like a truck driver having a REAL bad day. Rightly or wrongly, she's never heard me swear, and I can't even let her watch the old cartoon "anvil dropping" stuff without a twinge. I've noticed that the new looney tunes seems to agree with me, and none of the humour is violent slap stick any more. I earnestly believe that one of the largest problems every country is facing is one of acceptable boundaries. We all break boundaries when we're teenagers. Hell, it's what we're built for. My theory is to bring back the boundaries now, while she's still so young, so that when she DOES break 'em, they're boundaries I find acceptable.

I don't think the watching the telly question is the real question. I believe you're really asking about how to institute appropriate boundaries, if that makes sense. Anything you decide on, regarding the telly, would probably spill over to general communication, books, youtube, music videos, and from one father to another, those bloody tshirts with inappropriate content on them that I used to wear, and now want to rip off the backs of the bastards currently wearing them. lololololol

mjmacky
05-02-2014, 04:40 PM
Hiding the child from the world is not as effective as framing a context for them. I grew up under two very different parenting styles. My father forbade everything and discussed nothing. My mother, on the other hand permitted almost everything and the dialog was open. My father was also an asshole that turned me onto thoughts of suicide and broke my ability to be socially comfortable. After my mother's cancer went into remission, I started living with her again, and I was able to recover from most of the trauma in an unfettered environment. What I learned from all this is that the external impersonal shit in the world plays an insignificant role in development. Any real effects will be imparted by relationships with family and friends.

In short, it really doesn't matter what a child witnesses outside of the home, for its their home environment that will shape them.

megabyteme
05-02-2014, 05:34 PM
Hiding the child from the world is not as effective as framing a context for them. I grew up under two very different parenting styles. My father forbade everything and discussed nothing. My mother, on the other hand permitted almost everything and the dialog was open. My father was also an asshole that turned me onto thoughts of suicide and broke my ability to be socially comfortable. After my mother's cancer went into remission, I started living with her again, and I was able to recover from most of the trauma in an unfettered environment. What I learned from all this is that the external impersonal shit in the world plays an insignificant role in development. Any real effects will be imparted by relationships with family and friends.

In short, it really doesn't matter what a child witnesses outside of the home, for its their home environment that will shape them.

Good gawd, if I wanted :ghey: :emo: :shit: , I'd molest my son then feel bad about it...


My mother, on the other hand permitted almost everything and the dialog was open.This 1 Million percent. Only thing that works- it's called love and respect.

mjmacky
05-02-2014, 07:03 PM
Good gawd, if I wanted :ghey: :emo: :shit: , I'd molest my son then feel bad about it...


My mother, on the other hand permitted almost everything and the dialog was open.This 1 Million percent. Only thing that works- it's called love and respect.

Yeah, I figured I'd show the cards to reveal why I detest censorship in such a personal way.

megabyteme
05-02-2014, 07:38 PM
We don't censor words around here. My daughter knows what words are "not what anyone would like to hear a nice little girl say", but has never been punished in any way for using them. She has been put in charge of telling me to not use them. Often she says, "Daddy, don't say [expletive]"... :happy:

MysticRiffs
05-03-2014, 12:23 AM
Absolutely. I censor myself, but remain open and frank about any and all topics she cares to discuss. Anything else would be neglectful of her, I'd say. I'm in agreeance that there is no one parenting style that works, just sharing mine, in case it strikes a chord in an otherwise frustrated parent who happens to be reading this thread.

Here's an interesting fact. The percentage of children who go to public school and then on to university for a Bachelor's degree is the same as the percentage of private school children. It's the interaction between parent and child, the parent's active involvement in the child's life and school work that makes the difference. That percentage, for the curious, is 12.

schattenplateau
05-12-2014, 12:13 AM
I think the most important thing really is to make them clear what is reality and what is not and stress, that it's wrong to do crazy stuff in reality, just because you've seen it on TV.

megabyteme
05-12-2014, 03:55 AM
I think the most important thing really is to make them clear what is reality and what is not and stress, that it's wrong to do crazy stuff in reality, just because you've seen it on TV.

That's good advice. Makes me feel a little better about the times my kids have watched gonzo porn with me. I'll just tell them not to get involved in fish hooking, Donkey Punching, and face spitting. :)

Artemis
05-16-2014, 10:26 PM
I think the most important thing really is to make them clear what is reality and what is not and stress, that it's wrong to do crazy stuff in reality, just because you've seen it on TV.

That's good advice. Makes me feel a little better about the times my kids have watched gonzo porn with me. I'll just tell them not to get involved in fish hooking, Donkey Punching, and face spitting. :)

So the Cleveland Steamer, Salty Pirate and Rusty Trombone are still on the events calendar around the ole homestead? :blink:

megabyteme
05-17-2014, 01:32 AM
:naughty:

schattenplateau
05-23-2014, 06:37 PM
I think the most important thing really is to make them clear what is reality and what is not and stress, that it's wrong to do crazy stuff in reality, just because you've seen it on TV.

That's good advice. Makes me feel a little better about the times my kids have watched gonzo porn with me. I'll just tell them not to get involved in fish hooking, Donkey Punching, and face spitting. :)

You know, reproducing what they see in TV actually is a normal coping process for children; nevertheless it doesn't harm to do a reality-check with them... at least this is what I'm thinking when I'm thinking of my childhood >.>'' ...

bakwardbob
07-07-2014, 01:26 AM
I agree, reality and fiction need to be understood. Language in public needs to be taught as well...

megabyteme
08-16-2014, 10:33 PM
Wait for it...


http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d5b_1408099087

piercerseth
08-17-2014, 06:14 AM
:O I'm getting that same funny feeling I get when I catch old Xuxa re-runs.

megabyteme
08-18-2014, 05:31 PM
:O I'm getting that same funny feeling I get when I catch old Xuxa re-runs.

Jebus. Looked her up. Doesn't appear she could actually sing or dance, but she had hawtness down.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84KGCJgvcXQ

pferguson2212
08-31-2014, 11:29 PM
Personally, I have a son of 11 and a daughter or almost 13 and there are programs where I would just simply not watch in-front of them like Breaking Bad. I am not sure at what age I would put on the cut off of watching these type of programs but I would have to go into the realms of months old not years... I have fears of just what kids, even of a very young age, can pick up from watching what would be regarded as adult viewing.

JonieDerby
07-28-2017, 02:58 AM
You should not let your child watch such program. If that can't avoid at least you supervised and guide them. Explain them things that are not suitable for their age.

Smiek
09-26-2019, 12:07 PM
I feel like everything you see or hear goes to your unconsciousness and somehow affects your life in a way. I would not let my kid watch that, because I would be scared, but you do you,boo :)

MacGyverSG1
09-26-2019, 06:53 PM
:O I'm getting that same funny feeling I get when I catch old Xuxa re-runs.

Jebus. Looked her up. Doesn't appear she could actually sing or dance, but she had hawtness down.

I remember seeing Xuxa on TV. She's obviously not American. A piece of ass, but terrible singer.

IdolEyes787
09-26-2019, 07:23 PM
She's Brazilian. Brazilians are hawt because they need to stay thin to run from alligators. True fact.

MacGyverSG1
09-26-2019, 07:59 PM
That explains the bad lyrics to the theme song.

shaina
09-26-2019, 08:09 PM
She's Brazilian. Brazilians are hawt because they need to stay thin to run from alligators. True fact.

I think this one fights and then eats them:unsure:

183211

Mathea
10-01-2019, 12:47 AM
I feel like everything you see or hear goes to your unconsciousness and somehow affects your life in a way. I would not let my kid watch that, because I would be scared, but you do you,boo :)

You don’t have kids I take it?