Comments on: Our Reasons for Saying Yes to Television

By: Jim Rubis

Jim Rubis — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:12:29 +0000

I came on this late — but please inform yourself one the pysiological effects of television on the brain and chlld develpment REGARDLESS of the content. The strong stimulation that television has on the brain is not positive — and likely overbalances any positives that are received.

By: Raising Children in a Consensual Environment « The Hippy Shire

Raising Children in a Consensual Environment « The Hippy Shire — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:35:47 +0000

[...] my post about why we said yes to Television, I touched briefly on how my husband, Shawn, and I try and raise our three (soon to be four!) kids [...]

By: Raising Children in a Consensual Environment | Fairfield Voice

Raising Children in a Consensual Environment | Fairfield Voice — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:39:38 +0000

[...] my post about why we said yes to Television, I touched briefly on how my husband, Shawn, and I try and raise our three (soon to be four!) kids [...]

By: Missy Keenan

Missy Keenan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:35:25 +0000

Jen, consensual living sounds very interesting. Do you have resources to recommend?

By: Jen Green

Jen Green — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:25:00 +0000

I think that just as most people are able to go out and have glass of wine with dinner, or even party pretty heavily on the weekends ocassionally, without being addicted to alcohol, I think that most people are able to watch television with the same approach. It can be a way to relax or have fun, without being addicting.

And for our family, t.v. watching is not passive. It is sometimes our chosen method of relaxation, but especially for the children, it couldn't be less passive. They run around and dance to the music, they sing, they participate in interactive shows, and there are dozens of discussions sparked from the content they are watching.

By: Jen Green

Jen Green — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:22:46 +0000

I'm sorry if this shows up twice…my internet keeps timing out just as I go to post!

While I understand what you're saying, I think there needs to be a distinction made between being ADDICTED to television, and CHOOSING NOT TO STOP watching television. My children don't have restrictions put on the amount of television the watch, but they show no symptoms of being addicted. For a slightly dramatic analogy….If an alcoholic needs alcohol, they won't care if it's wine or beer or tequila. So, if a person was addicted to television, wouldn't the content they choose to watch be irrelevant?

Like I mentioned in my original article, my children see t.v. shows as being just another mode of story telling. They're watching the shows they watch because they enjoy the story that's being told to them. The same as a book, or a play, or a magazine, none of which we would ever refer to as being addictive. They're not watching t.v. just for the sake of watching t.v.