Living By Daily Grace

Feb. 18, 2008 - Television?

I posted the following (see below) as a discussion question over at The Homeschool Lounge in my group Natural HS Mommas. I would love to here others response on this. I have posted before on the TV and it's problem in our home. I would love to see a discussion really get started on it. Why? Because I think Christian tend to hold on to things that perhaps aren't so good for us. It's part of our sin nature to do that. We ALL have many idols in our lives. I am probably chief of sinners in that area. The battles I am having over food right now are simply stunning to me (the battle stem from the Bible study I am doing through Setting Captives Free.) So many of us want to make excuses for the things that we do without fully evaluating the TRUE effects they can have on our lives and our walk with the Lord. I believe it is this way with the TV? Is the TV evil? No. Not in and of itself. Is it beneficial? Maybe in some cases (especially where it might help with education.) Beyond that, what does it offer us? Is there something better we could be doing with our time? Is there something better our children could be doing with their time? Like some books out there say, does it fry the brain? Have you observed this?

We are called to a peculiar people. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10) Not watching TV would definitely make us peculiar in the world. HA!!!! Is there anything wrong with that though? I think the lines between Christians and the world are becoming so blurred that everyone is beginning to believe they are a Christain just because they believe that a man named Jesus lived. Does our viewing "American Idol" and other prime times shows contribute to the possibility that our testimony as a church might be watered down? Does that sound extreme and radical? Perhaps. But isn't God an extreme and radical God who didn't stand for evil in His people?

All of this is just something to think on and consider. Again, I want to say that I am NOT judging people for watching TV. This is an issue I am wrestling with as well. I wrestle with it because I see that this one change in our daily routine really hurting one of my children. I wrestle because I see my very bright children suddenly forget how to build a particular lego set they've been building for months. I wrestle because I have certain shows that I really LOVE but I know they are not God honoring or glorifying. And I wrestle because I sense that the Holy Spirit is calling me to stop it all together. . .and I can't seem to stop. Praise God there is grace to cover all my sins. (Perhaps as I find freedom from the effects of overeating and gluttony I will also find the freedom to say NO to these shows.)

If you'd like to pop over to my discussion at The Homeschool Lounge I would welcome all comments. Or you can simply post your thoughts here. I am put my discussion below.

*************************************

I am curious if anyone considers a lack of TV in the home to be away of living naturally. I have felt for a long time that the TV was evil. Not just the content but the TV itself. It's been my 3 yod who has convinced me of that. And every time it's on I am even more convinced.

I haven't had the TV for over 2 weeks. It is usually on a little more during the fall to the end of January because of football season. But even then we don't watch alot. We will also have a movie night on occasions. It's been off for 2 weeks and my 3 yod was doing so well with his behavior. It's a long story but our babysitter last night let them watch a movie while she was here (with our permission.) And here I am again dealing with extreme behavior from my 3 yod.

I have also noticed that when my children watch it they struggle more to entertain themselves. School also become a hassle. My dh doesn't watch alot of football but it's on for at least one game. Then I had fallen back into using a 30 minute video to occupy my preschoolers. I know many veteran homeschoolers say that there is nothing wrong with that. But I have to disagree in that. That machine fries the brain on my little ones. For all intensive purposes, there is nothing natural about it. Perhaps I am a bit of an extremist in this regard. That seems to be the trend in my life as I learn more about natural and simple living. But I believe that the TV has robbed me of years of reading good books and hours of time I could have spent learning to sew and other fun stuff (like spending time with my family.) It's also robbing my children of their imagination.

Am I alone in this? Does anyone else notice a difference in behavior when the TV is off? I know that some people enjoy having it on. I certainly don't want to judge. Truth be told, I used to watch Law & Order SVU everynight after my 1 yod was born last January. I did that for several month and then cut it back to 2-3 nights. Now I am simply too busy to watch any at all. So I understand the appeal. That is why I don't want to judge. But I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 6:12 where Paul tells us that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. I supposed that is how I see the TV now.

Any thoughts? Share your experiences with the TV. Maybe this discussion isn't so much about natural living as just living in general. But I would definitely be interested in knowing everyone's opinion on the matter. Is not watching TV or having one at all a way of living naturally?

In His Grace,

Karen

Feb. 19, 2008 - I agree

Posted by thesweetmamma

My daughter and I rarely watch television. We have a Sunday night ritual where we watch America's Funniest Home Videos and Extreme Home Makeover. That's it. My daughter started to get really obsessed with Hannah Montana. I cancelled our cable and we only have 17 basic channels including TLC and Discovery. I wish the Food Network was included. :o) But seriously television is the downfall of this country in a lot of ways. We have so much stuff to do there really isn't time for television. And I think that has a lot to do with parental involvement. Parents who let their children watch a lot of tv are not interacting with them as they should in my opinion.

Permanent Link

Feb. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by jsgay97

We've been a low tv family for awhile. We decided that if we watched tv enough to make the cost of cable/dish worth it, we'd be watching too much (no antenna reception here). You can get most tv shows on Netflix anyway. We do watch videos/dvds on occasion, but what we did notice was that even when we didn't have the tv on, the kids would stare at it. Finally, we took the tv out of the living room all together but kept one in the master bedroom. Hubby and I will sometimes watch something together in the evening, and if we want to let the kids watch something, we all pile on the bed and snuggle. Now the kids read and play more, and they aren't always asking to watch something. I think it's all about moderation and making a deliberate decision rather than just taking a fall back position out of habit.

Just my 2 cents,
Jennifer

Permanent Link

Mar. 7, 2008 - The TV

Posted by Stacy

Hi Karen,
I popped over from the Homeschool Lounge and read this discussion you started about television. I too have struggled with this issue and it seems we go in cycles. Most recently we have not had the television on at all (including movies) for about two weeks. I think the difference is incredible. The family interacts more...we read or play games together, etc. Also, the kids eventually stop asking to watch after you've said "no" so many times and find more inventive things to do. Like you said, the behavior settles down.
I've also read that being in front of a television, period, is terrible for a developing infant. Children under 2 yrs of age should not watch a screen at all...effects their developing eyes, focus, brain, etc. I think I will keep the TV around for an occasional educational video, but I am loving not using it at all!
As a side note: I know how easy it is to get addicted to watching it...been through that phase too...but once you haven't had it on for awile, you don't miss it at all. For example, I can not remember how long it has been since I have watched a TV show (maybe a month, or more?), and I turned it on a couple of evenings ago...kids in bed and I wanted something mindless to do...I was so discusted by the themes of the show and all the commercials that I just turned it off after about 15-20 minutes. I thought, "what a waste of time!" And I used to think I just couldn't miss several of the Prime Time shows.
I, personally, agree with the term "boobtube" and enjoy trying to use our time for other things...like building real relationships!

Permanent Link

<- Last Page :: Next Page ->

I love having a place on the web to simply write out my thoughts. I am a wife and mother to 5 very special blessings ages 6 months to 8 yod. As I am growing through this season of my life, I hope to share how the Lord is teaching me to live by His daily grace and not by my own strength.

Links

Home
View my profile
Archives
Email Me

Template design copyright

Photoshop Brushes Credited to These Sites

Feb. 18, 2008 - Television?

Feb. 19, 2008 - I agree

Feb. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Mar. 7, 2008 - The TV

Recent Posts

Links

Friends

Template design copyright