Does anyone NOT have a television?

Any issues with what nappies to buy, home schooling etc. In fact if you have kids or are planning to this is the section for you.
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 267549Post Skippy »

We have a tv and don't feel guilty about having it. We don't watch a huge amount and most of the time we are doing something else at the same time too. After I've finishe my jobs and put my daughter in bed I might get a hour or two a night. I see something that looks interesting and will record it but find that actually finding the time to watch it be difficult to fit in. Foriegn language films with subtitles are great because I can watch at double speed .
As this thread is in the eco parenting forum I suppose I should say something about kids programmes.Some I find are quite educational, Handy Manny is a cartoon about an hispannic handyman and has "taught" my daughter (7 years old) a few words of spanish and by five she knew the difference betweeen philips and sloted screwdrivers and she told me what tools to use when I was taking a radiator of the wall. Others that she likes just seem baffling to me, jungle junction is all about a community of strange animal/vehical hybrids which just doesn't make any sense to me. On cbebbies there is a programme set in a garden with talking vegatables which seems odd to me when we are all trying to convince kids to eat their vegatables.
Of course there are the awful talent(less) shows such as X factor which I was forced to watch , well endure, at my sister-in-laws recently. I played with my daughter whilist it was on but there was no escape from the god awful tuneless wailings in the background.
I'm surprised no one has said they just use the tv for gardeners world and river cottage given the nature of this forum, oh and the reruns of the good life of course.


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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 267562Post diggernotdreamer »

There is some useful stuff on the tv, obviously gardening programmes, but when my daughter was a baby, she was sitting on my sisters knee and started going a funny colour and was obviously choking, she had swallowed a 2 pence piece, luckily, I had seen a feature on the tv a few days before about what to do if a child chokes, so I did what I had seen and the coin shot out of her mouth. Had I not have seen that programme, my daughter would have choked to death.

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 274531Post silly_sammy »

No TV here! Refuse to pay the extortianate licence and then the company supplying on top of that. We get on just fine without. Admittedly, I do have the laptop- so we can look at stuff online when the mood takes us. My little boy is 5 next week, and is just fine without. I find he is so much more imaginative on days when theres no laptop or radio on.

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 276030Post clare »

We have tv as hubby can't live without it but I watch very few programmes I read a good book or knit or sew instead.I do watch gardeners world and history programmes.I do love a period drama but have to record them as hubby hates them so I could just live with a laptop.we do watch a film as a family on a Saturday night but a DVD would do.
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 276032Post tosca »

We have TV through the computer. As we are two hours ahead here I don't watch much, tend to record more than watch live as we are early to bed-early to rise people. We were a while without when we moved here, which was nice as we could spend more time outside with it being cooler and not many flies. But there have been lots of days when it is too hot for me inside and out, given that I am at a certain age when periods of incredible heat attack me whatever the weather! :lol: Making bread can be a trial!

Then in winter, for a couple of months, I will be venturing outside for necessities only! So will need something other than books, which I can read at an alarming rate.

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 276046Post 123sologne »

We have a TV... In a box, in the barn... It has been there since we moved to France in March 2012. I missed it a bit, so we got our favourite US series (NCIS, The mentalist...) and we watch that in the evening when we have nothing better to do (fishing with friends until night fall, then "apperitif", then dinner around 10pm... Go home for sleep around 1am... :oops: ). Otherwise if we are not fishing and then talking about the meaning of life, the universe and everything, we catch up with reading. :shock:

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291338Post RenewableCandy »

When our 2 were little we lived in Glasgow and it rained a lot. I mean, A LOT. Playing outside when you could only just walk was simply not an option. My mum bought us a telly. I watched Channel 4 News and Taggart (and The Last Train - anyone remember that?) We had a vid player and House Rules, which were one and one only:

1. As many vids as you like, as long as they're in Russian.

Thus our kids learned their Dad's language, effort-free, and I didn't have to put up with a load of American rubbish. I remember when our son found out that there actually were broadcast programmes (i.e. that you couldn't re-watch) :)

Here's the Russian equivalent of Tom and Jerry and it's pure dead brilliant!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5sRTdCTViw
Fantasy novel 'The Price of Time'

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ina
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291355Post ina »

I still don't have one, and I've even put away my (wind-up) radio, because I realised I hadn't actually had it on for years...
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291356Post happyhippy »

Thats amazing Ina! I could easily live without a tv,not sure about the radio though.I am choosy which station I listen to.Can I ask,do you read alot or have hobbies?

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291369Post ina »

I read a lot, you could safely say! As to other hobbies - not really any more, apart from the garden, when I can persuade myself to go out there. My fingers are getting stiff and sometimes painful, so I haven't knitted for many months now. It's also quite pricey... Most hobbies are, so not for the (relatively) impecunious. My knees and feet are troubling me in recent months, so walking (apart from the usual to the bus stop) isn't really an option, either. The only other sport I used to enjoy - swimming, which would do my joints a lot of good - is also unaffordable in the long run, and anyway, I just can't bear the bloody musac they inflict on the swimmers everywhere these days...
Ina
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291371Post happyhippy »

Oh sorry to hear that Ina.I'd love to be tv free,but unfortunately I think my husband would struggle,especially in the evenings.I've just started listening to Radio 4 podcasts via my laptop,which I'm really enjoying.In our town,we have a leisure centre which has an indoor pool.I keep meaning to go,as a couple of nights per week they have a 55min adult swim,with relaxing background music.I would'nt enjoy swimming being subjected to loud blaring music though.

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291374Post ina »

Any kind of music would be too much for me - why is it necessary? Would fewer people go swimming if there wasn't any? I doubt it. The way I used to swim - head under water, and up for breathing - any music turns into a constant wail... Like a police car coming ever closer. Bloody horrible. I just am a little more sensitive to any unnecessary noise than the average person (I'm not the only one), but despite all this talk about mental health awareness there is no sign anybody actually wants to accommodate those that can't cope with what is seen as unavoidable addition to the "leisure experience" - it's just not enough any more that somebody actually goes to the pool to just swim.

Anyway - I used to listen to radio 4 a lot, starting with Farming today every morning. But somehow, I think it's at least partly a reaction to this constantly being forced to listen to stuff, whether you want to or not, I suddenly realised that I can't even listen to wonderful radio 4 these days. Neither can I go to any cafe/restaurant/pub where they play music (guess how many options that leaves me with - just as well I would only go once a year or so in any case!), and I only enter the local Coop (the only shop in the village) with ear plugs in... Thank goodness all the discounters have decided that music is not good for business.
Ina
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291378Post happyhippy »

I think people can't cope with peace and quiet these days Ina.I remember one holiday we were on,they had a quiet pool.No music,adults only,bliss! Well it was until a couple plonked themselves onto sunbeds right next to us,then proceeded to turn on a phone,and play music full volume.
We've got a neighbour 2 doors up,and you can guarantee that every nice weather day we have,they open all their windows and back door,and play their music full blast.This can go on for hours.

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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291379Post ina »

happyhippy wrote: Sun Jun 03, 2018 6:57 pm I think people can't cope with peace and quiet these days Ina.I remember one holiday we were on,they had a quiet pool.No music,adults only,bliss! Well it was until a couple plonked themselves onto sunbeds right next to us,then proceeded to turn on a phone,and play music full volume.
We've got a neighbour 2 doors up,and you can guarantee that every nice weather day we have,they open all their windows and back door,and play their music full blast.This can go on for hours.
Tell them they have to pay for a licence, if they want to publicly broadcast their music... I always think I should tell them that, but of course, I'm too much of a coward! So I pointedly bang my window shut, get the earplugs out and proceed to get more and more worked up. Fortunately, the area I live in is fairly quiet.
Ina
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Re: Does anyone NOT have a television?

Post: # 291380Post happyhippy »

Yes I close my house up,and spend the day inside with headphones on.Even when I'm outside,if I wish to listen to music I wear my headphones do I don't disturb anyone!My husband and I are probably too considerate.My favourite part of the day is dawn.No background noise,just lovely birdsong.

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