Do you have different media "rules" in the summer? - Page 2

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by sewchris2642

Yeah, but it's a dry heat. :

:nana: SO is my oven

Deanna

[TiredX2]

I think, on average, the kids media usage increases during the summer. During the school year they're not home until 4 so with a bit of homework, relaxing, dinner, playing around there just isn't time (or so I say) to have screen time during the week.

During the summer there are weeks we won't watch any TV but watching a movie in the evening is not a big deal to me. Esp w/the Wii I'm sure the kids will have more screen time this summer.

[Breeder]

We're more relaxed about media (time not content as someone else aptly put it). Since he turned six we have let DS1 watch 1 show on days with no school. We're keeping that except now everyday is a day without school. He'll watch something if time allows. (Generally a 15 or 30 min cartoon on demand - he loathes commercials). And we're planning on taking him to see UP in 3-D.

Most days so far we haven't had time to watch tv. Too much to do!

[theatermom]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

It's interesting to see that some of you get more lax during the summer. My parents got more strict during the summer with our screen time! We were allowed an hour a day. I remember distinctly planning out that hour and relishing it, usually late in the day. During the school year it was more of a "is your homework done? chores done?" thing.

This is us. I'm actually more lenient during the "school" year (we homeschool) than I am in the summer. This summer in particular we've majorly curtailed tv/movie watching (generally, we only do pbs anyway, though we do have netflix, and watch some things online as well), and cut back on computer time. During the school year, I'm more likely to use the computer as a learning tool, and let them self regulate that and tv/movie time, assuming that we've had a full day otherwise. I want their summers to be as outdoor and free play oriented as possible.

[sewchris2642]

[QUOTE=octobermom;13898402]:nana: SO is my oven

Deanna[/QUOTE

Before my family moved to San Diego when I was 15, we lived in Riverside, CA. We moved in August. I thought that it was COLD! It was 85 with a humidity of 35%. But I was used to 120 in the shade and no humidity.

[sewchris2642]

I'm also curious if in the amount of TV/media time, the whole family is included or just the LOs? Here the TV might be on for 5+ hours out of the day but that's total time for 7 people. Alex and LIndsay watch about 90 minutes (only about 30 minutes of that is straight sitting and watching; the rest of the time, it's in and out) in the morning and maybe 30 minutes during bathtime. Most of that is KPBS and Sprout. Dylan watches 1-2 hours of TV on average a night--more on weekends and non school nights. Mostly the History Channel, Discovery Channel, the Science Channel, and the Military Channel. And then there are the rest of us. With 4 adults in the house, the TV is pretty much on most of the day.

[karne]

It's a bit of a mix here. In the summer I love to start my day outside with a cup of coffee. However, I also love to see the very early parts (the news or political interview portion) of the early shows, so I might flip that on before the kids are up. I don't like to have the news on with the kids around. In the eves. I might like to watch a show while I'm folding laundry or ironing. Dh doesn't watch much tv, but he likes movies.

We're still finding our way with the kids. Like I said in my first post, we were completely media free for many years. Now we're not, by choice, and finding what works is taking time. For my kids, the upshot of not having been allowed media for so long is that it feels like forbidden fruit to them. They'll take what they can get because I think they're not used to it being "OK". It feels pretty unhealthy actually-I think we set up a dynamic that needs to be overcome. Slowly I see self regulation coming into play, and I am trusting that process because I am trusting my kids and their process.

My reason for the op however, was wondering how media is handled in other families when time might be a little looser, ie the summer? We live in the country on a hobby farm, so there is no end to my kids playing outside, being with the animals, climbing trees, riding horses, swimming, etc. I don't worry about that at all. We also love to listen to books on CD, and we read a fair amount. Going to the bookstore is so much fun for us! I've just been thinking about how we'll manage the tv/computer this summer. Thanks for all the replies-they've been great!

[karemore]

I was just talking with a friend about this over lunch today.

I'm thinking about having DD go tv free for the summer.

We just got back from a vacation where we didn't watch any tv (except to get the weather). We're back 3 days now and she hasn't asked to watch it.

There is SO much to do in the summer, I'm thinking there is no reason for her to need the tv on. (Dh and I don't watch tv in the summer either)

[sewchris2642]

All of us self regulate to some extent' some of us more than others. When I had a sewing room, I watched TV while I was working. But when I moved the sewing room back into the kitchen, the TV didn't get hooked up. So I don't "watch" (read listen to) as much TV as I used to. We also lump all media together so computer time, game playing, and The TV are counted together. When Joy and I think that they have had enough, they get kicked off and the TV gets turned off or switched to what someone else wants to watch. It's very fluid.

[seriosa]

During the school year 6yo DS can watch TV starting after 6pm up to dinner time (about 8pm). Or he can use the computer during that same time period or a bit of both. Since 2 evening a weeks he is at soccer, and some other times he may in any case be caught up with homework or other non-media games & stuff he generally gets less than 2 hours daily of total media time. When school is out (summer, holidays and weekends) he can have an additional hour of computer time if he wants it. The TV is very rarely on at other times during the day, DH & I generally watch our portion after he is in bed at night.

[JamesMama]

We're normally outside...except for June. June is Iowa's WET month, we've had pretty much non-stop rain for the last week and a half...and more rain forecasted for the next week.

I do generally try to limit TV time in the summer and instead encourage them to play outside or we go on walks and stuff...but when it's been raining every day we're stuck. It sucks.

But they do have a TV in the play room and I let them watch TV while I clean or fold laundry or whatever...and in the AM before I'm 'ready' to deal with outside.