How My Family Survives Life Without TV
I’ve made mention before on social media that my family doesn’t have a television at home. I don’t talk about it much, because I guess it’s not a big deal. It’s just apart of our everyday life, and how we live. Almost 10 years ago the plug to our last television was broken and my husband and I decided not to replace it. Since then, we’ve lived free of the tube. Many people have asked me how we do it. Do we get bored? Do the kids get bored? How do you keep your children entertained? Today I’m going to share a few ways we survive life without TV!
Just because we don’t have a TV doesn’t mean we don’t watch some of the things that come on. We do utilize services like Amazon Prime Movies and Netflix. For our homeschool assignments I let the kids watch documentaries from time to time. We usually have family movie night on Friday’s and the kids choose or I choose a movie. Personally, I don’t have much time for watching, even if it is online. I’m really busy, so I usually pick one show a season to watch. If it’s the season for Real Housewives of Atlanta, I will watch the re-play of each show online after it’s aired. I’m currently tuned into this season of Power and I watch it every Sunday.
We spend a lot of time together as a family. Everyday my family has breakfast and dinner together, all sitting down at the dining room table. Since my kids are homeschooled, and my husband and I both work from home, we talk to each other. A LOT!
We spend a lot of time at the library. My children LOVE the library. They get excited about our trips there like it’s a toy store. Weekly we pick out new books to read individually and as a family. The library is an all around a great resource because they also have free programming throughout the month.
We spend a lot of time outdoors. I’ve shared ways to get outside and we make sure to do those things. We love hiking, fishing, and exploring state parks. Of course you all know travel is something we do often. It’s a great break away from everyday life.
My kids spend time creating. When my children get bored, other than picking up a book to read, they start building things. They love to use their imagination to come up with new ideas and ways to stay occupied. My children are always building new robots, circuits and playing with LEGO’s. BabyCake is never tired of playing dress up, having tea parties, or building tents to read her books in.
I’m enjoying the peace and quiet. Personally I love to just sit in silence. Right now I’m writing this blog post at 6am and I hear absolutely nothing. It’s really relaxing to me to have a quiet house with no extra sound or TV background noise.
I’m not knocking anyone that has a television. There have been times I’ve thought about buying another one, and then decided against it. I still get news and stay in the know from CNN, BBC, and the like. It’s what has worked for my family for many years now and we like it that way.
Do you think your family can survive without having a television?
9 comments
Michelle
August 30, 2016 at 8:50 amI love this idea. Right now the news if full of so much pain and i truly want stop watching. I think I might keep CNN app on my phone and call it a day. If my husband weren’t a crazy soccer fan I’d give up the cable all together. I think everything i want to find is on Netflix/Prime/Hulu/Vudu for me. I think it’s great also because i grew up not really watching tv as well. We had the basic stations, no cable I spent a lot of time outside playing with friends, my summers were filled with camping, girl scouts, ballet all that stuff.
Mayra
August 30, 2016 at 10:45 amI love your post and I completely identify with it. We lived without tv for two years and they’re the best. The kids were always outside and only came inside to drink water, eat and go to sleep! After that we reduced the tv time substantially and today we watch Netflix together at night and the kids have their own Netflix time in the afternoon if they have time, because they love to go to the park to play baseball with dad or with their teams.
This little change changed our perception of things and their interested are not driven by the influence of the media.
Marie
August 30, 2016 at 1:58 pmI love this post. I don’t watch much tv and I don’t have cable, so we’re not very attached. I love seeing families of color doing things as a family.
Fatima
August 30, 2016 at 7:01 pmI love this! I was never a TV person until I met my husband. He’s a documentary junkie and I much rather read a book. I like how you always find a way to keep your kids active. It’s so important in this day and age.
Sakeenah
August 31, 2016 at 11:41 amI love this post! I’ve been trying to figure out ways for my children to cut down on the TV, tablets and phone. I’m guilty of giving it to them for peace and quiet in the home(I then get upset because the tablets, TV and phones are BLASTING!) I want to raise my children how I was raised with limited TV, lots or reading and going outdoors(although I hung on the porch and read books while my siblings played). Do you have anymore ideas?
Gladys
August 31, 2016 at 11:39 pmI don’t watch TV either because I love the quietude every morning. Our daughters have their favorite shows but I make sure there’s a time limit. I love to see how they play together or go outside to ride at the swing set or play with our neighbor’s dog.
Vipul
September 18, 2016 at 11:04 amExcellent. Our family is living without TV for last 15 years (except for 3 years in between). Life is amazing and evenings get spent talking to each other.
Sha-Toina Swint
April 9, 2017 at 9:07 amI want this so badly. My husband works in TV/Film industry and cant phathom the thought of not having one of the elements of what inspires him around. Me on the other hand , I am just over it..I can see clearly the distraction it poses to our family especially being a homeschooling family. I have tried several thinga like TV only on the weekends but somehow its always on like if Momma is out at the gym. I just know its a hindrance and i feel like life would be so much better for all of us without it..Do you have any tips for a partial no TV family Ashley..
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