no TV, but what about the computer??

[mamaofthree]

Of course you couldn't some here with no computer (LOL) but still. We have been sans TV for a year now, but now instead of the TV we are hopelessly addicted to the computer and watching Netflix on laptops. I can't say we are any better off.
I hate having all these rules and time limits and crud around stuff like this, BUT my kids stay on it all day if they are allowed too and they come off it being really nasty... they fight more, can't seem to figure out a thing to do with themselves and just seem all wired up (which I know they are).
We do have a computer free Sunday and I have put limits on the computer again (I was having a very bad time with PPD and we sort of let slide our computer rules... now i gotta deal with this again!) but a part of me wants to chuck them. I can't stand what it does to my family. BUT then my dd starts High school in the fall and she will need her lap top, and then dh does some work from home and then there are about 100 other excuses.
Anyway... what do you all do?

h

[wendyland]

I feel like the computer sucks up my time faster than TV does. My children are still young (9 and under) and our computer is in the basement, so I don't really have to limit it yet. I'll probably let them have 30 - 45 min a day of screen media (tv, computer, video games). My husband has been weening himself. I really need to find a way to block craigslist because he keeps finding stuff to buy. Hmm.. why is it that his toys cost way more than everyone elses?

[zinemama]

My kids are 5 and 8. We let them play computer games on Sundays. That's the only time. Marble Madness is the main favorite, and we also have this bizarre thing called Penguin Race (I think) that dh downloaded for free. (We certainly aren't going to go out and buy any.)

Sunday night is also movie night; they watch a dvd on the computer after they take showers.

Other than that, they are not on the computer at all, ever. It's understood in our house that the computer is an adult tool and their being allowed to use it for that specific time is a privilege. I agree that it could easily become just as much of a time sucker as TV.

[mama_at_home]

Wow, I have no idea what to tell you about teenagers! I haven't thought that far ahead yet.

My kids are only 5 and under so it isn't really an issue yet. We have a movie night about twice a month and we watch a family movie on the computer. They know it's not an everyday thing and they will just ask when the next movie day is.