TV Time or Not?

(free clip-art, color change by me)

When I was younger working in a daycare, I can remember parents complaining about how often their children were being allowed to watch tv/movies while in daycare.  I thought....what's the big deal.  I thought they were really picky parents.

Now, I'm that parent.  

The other day a friend on facebook mentioned how horrible the shows are on a certain tv channel for children....I won't name the channel....but initials are CN...you can guess which channel that is.  When my kids were very little I didn't let them watch tv at all.  As they got a bit older I allowed a short period of time everyday.  I had come across the channel PBS Sprout.  And that is the channel my children still watch.  


We don't watch some of the others, because I feel like some of the shows are just so overly "commercialized".  I don't need my kids begging for a certain character every time they walk through the toy aisle.  I don't want to buy a toy or a book or a piece of clothing just because it has a character on it.  I will admit I'm not as stringent about this as I used to be....Jake likes Cars stuff and Julz likes Tinkerbell, but I still don't want to pay double for something just because it has a character on it that my kids see on a tv show.  I avoid these toys and clothes.


My kids favorite show is Caillou which I think is such a sweet little show.  Of course there are characters on PBS that are placed all over toys/clothes as well....Thomas, Elmo, etc.  (By the way....I hate Elmo.  Really.  I can't stand his annoying high pitched voice.  Am I the only mom that feels this way?)


I have read many studies over the past few years that bring me to the conclusion that tv isn't such a great thing for my kids.  So I limit it.  PBS Sprout, maybe some Nat Geo Wild and movies occasionally.  


Will I always be this picky about tv?  Probably to some extent.  Even when our teen was growing up....we limited tv time/computer/video games.  (oh, and video games....my kids don't have any yet.  I do sometimes bring home ipods to let them play on, but they only have educational games on them.)


This comment might not sit well with some people, but I think that tv is used as a babysitter with a lot of children.  I can see where this would happen, it sure is easier for me to run to the basement to flip the laundry when the kids are glued to the tv, easier to clean the house, easier to get dinner fixed, etc.  But, I would rather my kids sit in the floor and play with their Hotwheels and race track, build with their Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, play their musical instruments (wait....why did Santa think a drum was a good idea? lol), pretend to be mom & dad with baby dolls, "cook" and serve food at their kitchen/diner, read a book, etc.  


How do you feel about tv for kids?  toys/clothes with characters?  anyone else an Elmo-hater??  lol