TV Shows that you don't let your children watch

[John-Paul]

I think it really depends on the age.I wouldn't let my kids watch Sex and The City or South Park or The Sopranos but I would allow Will and Grace,Friends,Seinfeld and Frasier.What about you?

[Karen]

Well, I'll register my opinion and see how much flack I get!

We really don't watch TV - not enough time even if we wanted to. But I have to admit to liking Friends and ER. However, my dh is appalled that I watch Friends and I wouldn't let my dd watch it. I wouldn't want an impressionable yound child watching all the sexual innuendo, as well as the very casual sex portrayed on most of the prime time shows.

[Amy2]

For me sexuality isn't a problem, it's the violence that I have trouble with. I would probably do Friends before ER. No sopranos until they are much, much older. My kids are pretty little, though, so I'm just deciding if they can see Rugrats or not!
Amy

[SMB]

My kids are still little so they are limited to Blus Clues, Dora, Sesame Street etc. Most cartoons on Cartoon Network or Wb I don't allow. Usually violence or totally obnoxious behavior gets a show vetoed in my house.
Sheryl:)

[kat]

Mine really doesn't watch much TV. He watches the Disney channel alot when he does. He also loves to watch Three Stooges reruns.

[Lynda/WA]

We have very few limits. I love T.V. and have it on almost constantly - all news channels and learning channels. I rarely sit down and actually watch it. I listen as a do other things.
DH likes the learning channels and Comedy Central. He will watch something like SouthPark or Son of the Beach and the kids (9 & 5) will be in and out. They've watched them abit but don't really like it. I guess most of it is over their heads. He has sent them out of the room during one show on CC. Something Playhouse?
The kids generally don't sit and actually watch a show. They may start out watching a show but usually get bored and leave. The only non educational shows I can remember them watching with any frequency are Pokemon and Diggemon. DS may sit with DH and watch Baseball but even at that they discuss the moves and apply it to DSs games.
Network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) is rarely turned on at all.
After some experiences with my niece we decided not to limit our own. She wasn't allowed to watch many things and became obsessed. When not allowed to watch Power Ranges she asked Grandma to get her one for Christmas. Then she wanted to play with it and DS who did watch the show sometime didn't want to. He wanted to play cars. When sent out of a room were the adults were watching she would sneak down the stairs and hide to still watch. At the same time DS (nearly 2 years younger) didn't give a hoot. In fact he didn't realize what she was trying to do and called down to her to come back up and play! When she comes over to our house she wants to plant herself in front of the TV. Don't get me wrong - I respect others rights to decide what is best for their children but this has worked best for us.
In my niece's case it may just be her personality - to want what she is denied. She does the same thing with food. Her parents don't let her have caffinated sodas and only diet at that. So at a family party she will pour a diet root beer in front of them then when they aren't looking switch to regular cokes. I've already seen her say she isn't hungry instead of eating her veggies then sneak into the kitchen and mow down the marshmallows left in the bag from the sweet potatoes. When grandpa took the two older kids to WalMart with him he gave them some money. She spent hers all on candy and ate half of it before returning home. DS saved his. She put the remaining in a paper bag so you couldn't see what it was. When her dad asked what she bought she tried avoiding the question. I find her antics funny - sad but funny.

[Linda/NE]

I find very few prime time sit coms that are suited for kids. Our oldest (11) has been interested in Providence, Touched By An Angel, and Who's Line. The younger kids don't really understand Who's Line, but I'm not sure the 11 yr. old really does either.

We don't allow Cartoon Network or many of the Fox shows. We tried letting them watch them and time and again they started acting them out.

They usually watch Fox Family (different from Fox), PBS Kids (we get a 24 hr. channel with Barney, Sesame Street, etc.),& Disney.

I can understand what Lynda/WA means about completely banning tv. My dh wasn't allowed to watch tv when he was younger and when he got on his own that's the first purchase he made. He used to get so engrossed in a show he spaced out everyone and thing.

I think it's a personal decision parents need to make based on their children's personalities, maturity, etc. They should, however, be concientous of other parents' rules when inviting friends over.

[netmechwife]

We don't have TV but we do have a VCR and DVD player. I really don't like much of anything that is on tv. Touched by an angel is about the only one I've seen that I really cared for. My problem with TV (even a lot of the comercials these days) is that they show people being disrespectful (especially children towards parents and adults) They do not teach much about committed relationships and discredit committed marriage relationships. They poke fun at sad situations and encourage people to compare their lives, themselves and their bodies to unrealistic examples. My list could go on and on. I do admit that dh and I have watched movies that I felt were not good examples and I have a hard time not watching when dh wants to. We have struggled back and forth with this since we were first married. Dh admitted to me that he has a hard time supporting me emotionally and spiritually when he watches things or is focussed on things that are not edifying to our relationship or glorifying to God. So I feel that children aren't the only ones who are affected by what they watch and listen to. I feel that when anyone sees a lot of something it's easy to become numb to it and see it as ok or normal. That's my opinion. My children watch videos and veggie tales. That's about it....
And I don't feel a bit guilty or like I am depriving them. IMHO, the time spent watching things of little value is time not spent on doing or learning things of value.

[JAK]

My DKs (5 and 7) aren't allowed to watch many of the prime time shows, but they are in bed so it really doesn't matter. They both watched and loved Suvivor. Other than that they watch PBS and the Disney toon channel. I don't let them watch a lot of what is on Nick (except for nick jr) and cartoon network.

[Ryleigh]

Originally posted by netmechwife
We don't have TV but we do have a VCR and DVD player.

If you don't have a tv, how do you watch the videos on your vcr and dvd player? Just curious!!!

[netmechwife]

Sorry, let me clarify... We have a TV but we can't watch TV programs because our mobile home park has restricted the use of antennaes. We can't get anything in without one, so we can only watch it if we subscribe to cable. We watch videos and dvd's on our vcr and dvd player.