What (non educational) tv shows does your 8yo ds watch?

[oceanbaby]

Obviously this question is for those who allow tv. And let me tell you why I'm asking. Ds1 likes a lot of educational shows, but he also wants to start watching more "mature" cartoons. It started with Ben 10. He saw it at a friend's house, and loved it. I decided it was too mature/violent/scary, and said they couldn't watch it. (That's the other thing - ds2 watches whatever ds1 is watching.) It's been a year, and he won't stop begging me for it. I watched it again just now myself, and I still think it is too much.

However, it seems like almost all the animated programs, after you get past Dragon Tales and the like, are about the same. Batman, Ben 10 - all the superhero kind of things that ds wants to watch. I don't want to expose him to violent, inappropriate material, but I don't want to keep him in a more "babyish" realm when he is begging to watch something else.

I guess what I'm asking is, what kind of shows do you think are appropriate for an 8yo boy? Am I being too squeamish about this?

[spruce]

I'm way out of the loop on what's available on TV (we only get PBS). I don't even know what Ben 10 is.

But when we have a treat night and watch a cartoon from the movie store, it's usually Duck Tales, old Scooby-Doo, Pink Panther, or something like that. I'm pretty strict about TV, so I'm probably not the best person to be answering your question. I don't think you're being too squeamish. They only get to be little once...it's so hard for me to see kids exposed to things they shouldn't have to think about, or ideas they aren't ready for, and IMHO many cartoons and "kids' shows" do just that. I won't apologise for keeping my kids young while I can.

Anyway, my choice in the matter is to provide cartoons on DVD that I know I can handle them watching when they just want to be a bit braindead.

My son is also 8, and his 5yo brother invariable watches with him, as well.

love, p

[Eli&SkyesMom]

Well, honestly, my 8 y/o son watches Ben 10 and loves it, but if you don't want your son to watch it then you should go with what you feel is right. How about some of the PBSkids shows that are for children a little older, past the Dragon Tales and such. Have you seen The Electric Co. or what about CyberChase?

[oceanbaby]

He does like Cyberchase. We haven't tried Electric Company, although I just Tivo'd one for them. Fetch with Ruff Ruffman is another favorite of his.

I guess I worry about it, and I posted this in hs'ing, because I don't have a large "mainstream" peer group to compare against. I don't know what all the other "kids in his class" are watching. I'm not saying that I would make a decision based on that necessarily, but it would serve as a good gauge as to how in the loop I am. While part of the reason we are homeschooling is so that my kids aren't slaves to the current trends, I also don't want to needlessly shelter him from things that he is interested in that also are common among his peers.

I had alternative parents, and while I appreciate a lot of what they did for me, it was always very important for me as a kid to fit in and not be an oddball. So I guess I feel sensitive about making sure I don't do this to my kids.

I'm not sure I'm making any sense . . .

[Needle in the Hay]

We don't have TV but lots of dvds. My DS, who will be 8 this summer, likes to watch (he is here dictating his favorites to me at the moment and I've left a few off that I don't think you have in the U.S.):

-Time Warp Trio
-Pokemon
-Ben 10
-Lucky Luke
-Sonic X
-Curious George
-Studio Ghibli movies: Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Pompoko, Totorro, The Yamada Family (not sure of the exact title)
-Scooby Doo

[Serendipity]

My son is almost 8 and these are the shows he watches most often:

Ben 10
Batman
Secret Saturdays
Phineas and Ferb
Johnny Test
Pokemon
Bakugan
Hannah Montana
Zack and Cody
Spongebob
Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends
Scooby Doo
Pink Panther
Duck Tales
Chip and Dale
Power Puff Girls
Time Warp Trio

We watch these with him (and so does my almost 4yo daughter) and talk a lot about the content. Not in a lecturing way, but I do point things out when I feel the need.
Zack and Cody is a fun show but it drives me nuts the way everything is about a girl being 'hot'. I just tell him my thoughts without judging the show itself.
I find watching TV with him is such a good way to connect. If I sat and watched and rolled my eyes and said it was stupid the whole time, that wouldn't be nice. I laugh and get into them and it becomes an 'us' experience and ultimately brings us closer.
I remember my dad watching The Wonder Years and Full House with me, as well as all the other shows I liked over the years. Those are such fond memories as opposed to the ones of my mother trying limit me at every turn or make me feel bad because I was interested in such things.

[Malva]

Spongebob
Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends
Fairy Odd Parents

All three are rather good, silly and appropriate for an 8yo imo.

[Citymomx3]

Batman Brave & the Bold
Star Wars Clone Wars
Flapjack
Chowder
Spongebob
TNA wrestling
iCarly
Suite Life on Deck
Fairly Oddparents
Ben 10 Alien Force
Justice League
Static Shock
Phineas and Ferb
Johnny Test
Pokemon
Bakugan


But, even though these are not marketed as "educational", they are to me. I see he learns a lot of great things and comes up with a lot of questions with these shows. The "very educational" Electric Company is probably his favorite show. We DVR'd every episode and he watches them over and over.

[LilMamiBella]

oops my son is 10 but he still watched most of these at that age.

Spongebob
iCarly
That's so Raven
Hannah Montana
wwe wrestling
pokemon
Extreme makeover home edition
The Biggest Loser
American Idol
Lost
Monsterquest
Cory in the house
Suite life on deck
Tom & Jerry
Jonas

[4evermom]

We don't have cable so are limited to pbs and whatever is on on Saturday mornings. Ds likes Fetch, Cyberchase, Word Girl, and Martha Speaks. He likes Pokemon (we have the old stuff on vhs), Power Rangers RPM, and he'd watch Clone Wars if he could.

Last year, a great show was on, similar but much better than Ben 10 (which ds also likes). None of the sibling rivalry attitude. It's called Eon Kid. We have the first two DVDs which is most of season 1 and are hoping the rest comes out soon. It's got all the good guy bad guy stuff that appeals to this age without the American nasty teen age attitude stuff. Like Pokemon, it is full of good morals despite the fighting.

[UUMom]

We went through a Malcom in The Middle stage big time here at one point. We don't have cable, so we are really limited. When we are someplace with many channels (vacation, hotel etc) Totally Drama Island was a fav, and we sat horrifiied/unable to turn away, by John and Kate. We also have watched American Idol and The Nanny. (But I would consider those shows violent...worse than Ben 10).

[3momkmb]

My son is also 10 but has watched these shows for awhile.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

Phineas and Ferb

Scooby Doo

The Secret Show

Time Warp Trio

It's Me or the Dog (animal planet)

Challange (on the food network)

Good Eats (ditto)

[chfriend]

Liberty Kids
Saddle Club
Nova
Nature
Fetch with Ruff Ruffman
Biz Kids
Design Squad
The Avatar
Signing Times

[phathui5]

On weekdays he watches Flight Squad.

Saturdays he gets to watch whatever is on the Saturday morning cartoon lineup.

[Eli&SkyesMom]

Another thing that my ds likes and I approve of, are some of the shows on DiscoveryKids....Serious
Prehistoric Planet
Discovery Kids Ultimate Guide to the Awesome
Tutenstein
Time Warp Trio
Flight 29 Down
Adventure Camp

Several of these we enjoy watching together.

[elizawill]

we only get 3 kids channels: Boomerang, Discovery Kids, and PBS. my son loves ben 10 and power rangers, but he can only watch those on saturday morning, and i'm fine with that. otherwise my dd (7 1/2) will watch smurfs, snorks, dinosapien, bindi the jungle girl, etc.

[AngieB]

My ds LOVES The Avatar. I think it's a pretty cool show also.

[Dar]

Moved from Learning at Home and Beyond to Television.

[blessed mommy]

[QUOTE=oceanbaby;13826561
I don't know what all the other "kids in his class" are watching. I'm not saying that I would make a decision based on that necessarily, but it would serve as a good gauge as to how in the loop I am. While part of the reason we are homeschooling is so that my kids aren't slaves to the current trends, I also don't want to needlessly shelter him from things that he is interested in that also are common among his peers.

I had alternative parents, and while I appreciate a lot of what they did for me, it was always very important for me as a kid to fit in and not be an oddball. So I guess I feel sensitive about making sure I don't do this to my kids.

I'm not sure I'm making any sense . . .[/QUOTE]

Well, to be "in the loop", just get the Disney channel. I am not being snarky, I am being painfully honest. The Disney channel is the preferred tv brainfood in every grade school classroom.

American Idol
So You Think You Can Dance
The Golf Channel
ESPN
The Outdoor Sports Network
Animal Planet
The Duggars(our ds wishes he had those boy's bedroom and toys!!)
The Food Network
The Weather Channel
PBS-Cyberchase and Sid the Science Kid(I hope I have that name right?)

FYI- the sports channels are watched with dh, and dh changes the channel at commercials.

[JessicaS]

I have an eight year old dd but she likes to watch

How It's Made
Master Blasters (which is often quite hilarious)
Myth Busters
Junkyard Wars
She liked Dancing with the Stars
Good Eats
Food Network Challenge
Deadliest Catch (well...at least they beep it)
Dirty Jobs
Time Warp (is that educational? it just shows things really slow )


She does like Ben 10 and such, but those aren't really allowed all the time.

I don't allow the Disney channel, she was getting way too into boys and having "visions" ( So the Disney channel got cut off. Things are much nicer without it.