Vision. Mr. Tel E. Vision?
Moms have told me secretly that they use the same babysitter and feel really guilty. I think the expectation that our children have to be absolutely TV-free to be smart, happy, fit children is another false assumption that makes it hard to enjoy motherhood and avoid the nuthouse. Some reactions when I have admitted to letting them watch PBS kids make me wonder if they thought I said porn. I said SESAME STREET.
But really? Thirty Sixty minutes so I can take a shower, sleep a little longer, or have a meaningful phone conversation and my kids are going to become dumb bunnies and have bad lives? If that is the case then newborn period is the most IQ degrading time in our household!
The problem is that my mom does not live here. (But she is invited to). I do not have my tribe available to me all day everyday and my husband is at work. I am not supermom and nor do I need to be to raise healthy balanced Jesus-freaks.
I am an idealist and I love the idea of no TV. But idealism paves the way to the mental hospital and I have found it is much easier to parent my children from home.
(Don’t tell people your kids don’t watch TV and then it gets leaked by your kids that you do Netflix, computer movies, DVDs–Just come out already! Jesus can still love you! And if you really don’t use TV or TV-like substances, I am truly happy for you!)
Jennifer Speaks 
This is very balanced Jennifer! I have struggled watching my grandchildren soak up the tv.
You know, Dad and I did not have tv for many years when the kids were little. But then, those were the old days afterall. However we did borrow tvs for certain times and one of those was when Luke was born. Matthew sat in front of the tv for an hour. I took a much needed break! Oh what bliss! Matthew became an avid reader and really smart kid! You have reassurred me and I promise not to worry anymore about the grandkids’ tv viewing. Besides some of the children’s programming these days is good stuff!