TV Vent

[Anissina]

My family has been TV free for only a month now and I love it! We spend more time together, I get more done, and I spend more time focusing on my son. But I'm currently staying with my parents (for a visit, they live on the other side of the country) and they always have the television on. It goes on when they wake and gets turned off right before they go to bed. I can't stand it! It's loud and distracting! I find myself becoming more irritable by the day. I just can't stand it!
I've mentioned to my mother how I feel and she basically doesn't care. It's "the way they do things" she thinks that they have "great conversations" around the TV.
I just needed to get this off my chest. I'm dying here! I love visiting my family, but I'm finding it hard to do anything but anticipate leaving.

[rivkah]

I am so sorry. I really sympathize.

A great friend of mine always has her TV on, sometimes 2, and usually the computer and radio also. I love her and her family, but after about an hour at her house, I am so on edge from all the commotion, I just want to leave. I feel like I cannot engage in concentrated conversation at all.

It is too bad that your mother is not more willing to listen to your concerns.

[marie1080]

That stinks. Hopefully some day they can come visit your home and see how wonderful it can be to live without a television.

[NettleTea]

I started a thread about the same issue. Take a look:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1048185

Maybe there's something in there that can be of help.

[peainthepod]

I find TVs incredibly distracting. It's awful how they draw your attention, and if you watch carefully, everyone in a room with a television that's on will eventually start watching it intently. Their eyes glaze over and they get really sucked in. To be honest, it's a little creepy to me.

I wish I had an easy answer for you. Many people in my family of origin are avid TV watchers; my father has one in every single room of his house but the bathrooms, and there are always multiple (!) televisions on, usually on different channels. It's like being in a Best Buy sometimes.

Our solution is just not to spend much time there at all. I used to be kind of passive aggressive about it, turning them off when he left the room, but in the end it's his house and he can do what he wants. That doesn't mean we have to go there though.

[freestyler]

Maybe you can get sneaky and "lose" the remote(s) or maybe the TV will mysteriously stop working! To be honest, you'd be doing them a favor. I loathe and detest TV. Otherwise, spend as much time out of there as possible!!