We were also a No Screens Household until March 2020 hit and my 2 year old gained a new nanny named Daniel Tiger so mommy and daddy could somehow work full-time while also being his FT caregivers. Haven’t looked back, baby! My husband and I were both also raised by TV in the 90s and now we’re both professional media people so yes, it feels like the worst thing that will happen is a future career in providing other people with pleasant and sometimes educational distractions. I’ve made my peace with this!! The Kratt Brothers are currently doing a wonderful job as my sons’ surrogate fathers.
My SIL very scrupulously kept her oldest away from screens and then found herself on an international flight with a child who could not sit through a movie after all analog entertainment had been exhausted. My parents live a plane ride away and that was all I needed to hear to cleanse me of all screen-time guilt.
I was also raised if not by the TV (both my parents were unemployed by the time I showed up, so they were always there) at least alongside it. I did my homework on the living room floor while watching the TV, at least until I went to big school at age 11. I have very fond memories of family time in front of the box. And sitting down in front of the TV now, at 58, gives me the warm fuzzies as I choose something to indulge myself that evening. I learned heaps from TV. I still reference things from those happy, TV-saturated times. I mostly teach engineers statistics now, and nary a day goes by without recalling a movie as a reference for an example. I think we lived in the golden era of TV, though I have heard great things about Bluey, so there is hope. Another great piece from you.
RBT (raised by television) here too: Arthur Godfrey, followed by Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo & Ding Dong School. Saturdays were big -- Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, Fury, shows starring cowboys, animals or airplanes. As I look back on all this screen-time now, I have to believe it was because mom & dad were up to no-good in another part of the house, to which I say (benefit of hindsight talking): bully for them!
We were also a No Screens Household until March 2020 hit and my 2 year old gained a new nanny named Daniel Tiger so mommy and daddy could somehow work full-time while also being his FT caregivers. Haven’t looked back, baby! My husband and I were both also raised by TV in the 90s and now we’re both professional media people so yes, it feels like the worst thing that will happen is a future career in providing other people with pleasant and sometimes educational distractions. I’ve made my peace with this!! The Kratt Brothers are currently doing a wonderful job as my sons’ surrogate fathers.
Thank you for speaking this glorious truth
My SIL very scrupulously kept her oldest away from screens and then found herself on an international flight with a child who could not sit through a movie after all analog entertainment had been exhausted. My parents live a plane ride away and that was all I needed to hear to cleanse me of all screen-time guilt.
I was also raised if not by the TV (both my parents were unemployed by the time I showed up, so they were always there) at least alongside it. I did my homework on the living room floor while watching the TV, at least until I went to big school at age 11. I have very fond memories of family time in front of the box. And sitting down in front of the TV now, at 58, gives me the warm fuzzies as I choose something to indulge myself that evening. I learned heaps from TV. I still reference things from those happy, TV-saturated times. I mostly teach engineers statistics now, and nary a day goes by without recalling a movie as a reference for an example. I think we lived in the golden era of TV, though I have heard great things about Bluey, so there is hope. Another great piece from you.
RBT (raised by television) here too: Arthur Godfrey, followed by Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo & Ding Dong School. Saturdays were big -- Sky King, Rin Tin Tin, Fury, shows starring cowboys, animals or airplanes. As I look back on all this screen-time now, I have to believe it was because mom & dad were up to no-good in another part of the house, to which I say (benefit of hindsight talking): bully for them!
Ted and Brad were our Ross and Rachel