I pulled the plug on my kids' TV watching. It's all they want to do. That and video games and computer games. There doesn't seem to be any happy medium for them. We tried limiting the time spent, having them earn the time, ...stuff like that, but it just made them obsess over it even more! The 3 year just cried all the time to it to be on!

So...I pulled the plug. the 3 yr old gets NO TV during the day. They get one show before bed. It seemed like they decided they hated toys (they actually said this!) and forgot how to "play".

Anyone else do this and how ddid you start and keep up with it. Any help would be great!

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Illini Bob's wife....mom to 3 little chiefs

I dont think you are mean at all!
I have seriously considered this. My DD(4) wants to watch TV all the time as well.
I have cut down on her TV time as well, but threaten to cut the cords when she whines about not getting to watch more!
You go girl, stick to your guns!

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Jenifer M

No way! Stick to it! I wish more parents would do this. When all else fails, get rid of it! My SIL and BIL actually cancel their cable in the summer! Without it, around here, you don't get ANY channels! They can still watch movies, but my nieces spend more time doing other things, and they are home all summer because my SIL is a teacher! When we go camping in the summer, it takes days before my daughter realizes she hasn't watched TV. They will figure out that they won't die without it! Just make sure they don't try sneaking off to a friend's house to watch it (I forget if you mentioned ages...)! Stick with it! It will greatly benefit them!

I need to start doing it!

My oldest is terrible for watching TV when we are inside. She doesn't want to play with any of her toys. We go outside a lot and she loves it but when we are in, all she wants to do is watch a cartoon.

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I'm just lucky that DD doesn't obsess over TV. However, if she did, I'd unplug it in a heartbeat. Okay, she'd try to plug it back in, but that's another problem.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

uhhh mean? how about tough love?


no way are you mean. my tv pooped out on us for 2 days and it was AMAZING. yes my 3.5 had a hard time but suddenly the clouds parted, she started playing with toys and even **I** got things accomplished at night!

my doesnt allow any tv in the mornings (school kids) and each kid is allowed 30 min a day - doesnt sound like much but she has 4 kids. and thats it.

her kids have wonderful imaginations, play endlessly with legos, toys and outside and its a pleasure to be around them.

oh and one more thing. my other sister got the "i hate my toys" fight after she was denied playing a computer game for like the 2nd straight hour.l

next day while my niece (10) was in school, my sister took every last toy, doll whatnot (even garage stuff) and hefty bagged it and put it in the neighbors garage (with permission)

she lost the toys for 5 days and then had to earn back a "paper grocery bag full" one week at a time.

I agree that kids shouldn't be spending the majority of the time watching TV. But, going from watching it all the time to only one show before bed. Is going to earn you some argument. I think an equal balance of it all would work. We have a schedule around here, we try anyway, so the kids know what to expect through out the day. But I would suggest making the time the TV isn't on have appeal. Like interact with them. Let them help you cook if it's around dinner time, play a game with them. That way when the Tv's not on it doesn't seem like a punishment, just time to do something else.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

You are my hero!

No TV/ video or computer games is my ultimate punishment for the kids. They HATE losing those, so I know it works to improve their behavior, but to be honest, those days when I have to be the enforcer are AWFUL!! They are constantly in my space when they lose those items, and I hate that. Will you be able to stick to that during the winter? That would be the hardest time for me!

no, thats not too mean at all, too much tv is not good for your kids.