'Living Simply' with children

WantToBeSE

Araboo27 wrote: »

Yes, that's my thought exactly!! My eldest is 6 and his favourite game on his iPad - yes he has his own iPad - is called 'Trigger Fist' its this army/shooting game and I hate myself for allowing him to have it but sometimes it's a million times easier to agree to something than to have the argument isn't it?

I love the idea of actually spending quality time together and playing games/going out instead of our lives revolving around one form of technology or another

Yes yes yes! I think that everyone knows what they SHOULD do as a parent, but it's not always as easy as that.
My 13 year old is the worst for having tantrums (if thats what you call it). I want to ban him from several of his games as they arent really suitable and i am not really happy with him playing them, but he can argue for England (and France, and Germany, Spain.....:D).

This thread has made me really think about limiting the time they (and me!) spend online. I am certainly not innocent of it myself, i spend far too much time online too!

liney

You have to say no to a 6 year old, or what will you do when he's 14?!

Mojisola

Araboo27 wrote: »

I don't think there is anything on TV that they couldn't learn either through play/school/reading or from me? I really don't mean to sound rude but which programmes did you have in mind?

I'm amazed that you don't think there is good stuff to watch on TV!

You might be able to read a book about animals but watching David Attenborough getting close to and explaining about a particular species is a very different experience.

The TV is just one part of a whole learning experience. What's in a book might make you want to watch a particular programme. The programme might lead on to looking up more about the subject on the internet. That might lead to a more in-depth book being read or listening to a radio programme.

Just look at the wealth of learning available here in the Documentaries, History and Science & Nature sections - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/programmes/schedules/north_west

Araboo27

emmy05 wrote: »

are you sure the problem isnt yourself? im not being rude, and im not intending to offensive, but kids can pick up language anywhere, inclucing at school. maybe talking to your doctor about how youre feeling? i dont know tbh, but it seems drastic to me, choose an evening or 2 a week thats family time only xx

Lol, I don't know why someone would think that? Are you suggesting that I am unstable or that I don't have a firm grip on reality because I don't want my children to watch TV?

I don't mean to sound rude or offensive either by the way, I just really don't understand why you would say that!

emslovesmickey

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Arnold-family-complete-100-adventurous-activities/story-20070561-detail/story.html

Araboo27

Mojisola wrote: »

I'm amazed that you don't think there is good stuff to watch on TV!

You might be able to read a book about animals but watching David Attenborough getting close to and explaining about a particular species is a very different experience.

The TV is just one part of a whole learning experience. What's in a book might make you want to watch a particular programme. The programme might lead on to looking up more about the subject on the internet. That might lead to a more in-depth book being read or listening to a radio programme.

Just look at the wealth of learning available here in the Documentaries, History and Science & Nature sections - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/programmes/schedules/north_west

I didn't say there wasn't anything educational or good to watch - I merely said that TV can't teach anything that myself or their teachers can. Instead of watching a documentary about a fox for example on TV why not go and explore nature, take a trip to the library to find out more about them, visit a wildlife centre?

Wow - I posted on here for support from like minded people, not to be criticised or judged for my opinions or lifestyle choices. That wasn't aimed at you by the way Mojisola!!

Mojisola

emslovesmickey wrote: »

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Arnold-family-complete-100-adventurous-activities/story-20070561-detail/story.html

It doesn't have to be either/or.

We did all sorts of exciting outdoor things with our kids but we still enjoyed watching TV as well.

missindecisive

you say your eldest is 6. It should be easy to control his access to the tv/ipad/xbox. Do you get him to ask you when he can go on it?

As I mentioned earlier, we have the above gadgets, but we still do things as a family aswell. We walk the dogs, go to the park, visit the beach etc etc, when we are at home, we often play games such as scrabble, headbands,draughts. We get all the kids together and have dance competitions, we bake, build dens, paint...the list goes on. Its all about balance.

Mojisola

Araboo27 wrote: »

I didn't say there wasn't anything educational or good to watch - I merely said that TV can't teach anything that myself or their teachers can. Instead of watching a documentary about a fox for example on TV why not go and explore nature, take a trip to the library to find out more about them, visit a wildlife centre?

Wow - I posted on here for support from like minded people, not to be criticised or judged for my opinions or lifestyle choices. That wasn't aimed at you by the way Mojisola!!

Because on a dark, rainy evening that's not always possible whereas a brilliantly filmed programme about foxes would show you behaviour you're never likely to see unless you can spend all the hours that were needed to make the programme.

pukkamum

I think we all need to accept that we are in a technological age, our children are different to us, they learn at school using computers, they interact via the web.
To bury your head in the sand and ban these things purely because you don't have the strength to say no to them is only going to do them a disservice.
Be sensible and forceful, my kids have access to all kinds of technology, dh and I are technology geeks, but we limit and closely monitor their usage.
TV is a wonderful tool for learning, we watch nature programmes, history programmes, documentaries it doesn't have to be all soaps and cartoons.
So instead of reacting to your lack of discipline by doing a blanket ban think about ways you can monitor and control usage.