Of course, implementation can be tough, especially with TVs just about everywhere - at home, at Grandma's house, at other family members' homes. Plus, it is tempting. Dump child in front of TV, yay free time. Dump child in front of TV, yay no fussing about eating.
So what we've implemented in our household is that no one watches TV. In fact, in my final month of pregnancy, I passed my cable box to my brother and asked him to return it. We'll only watch DVDs or movies in the cinema, if ever.
The strange thing is I don't miss TV. Not all that much. Aside from a couple of films - Xmen III and Superman Returns - I really wanted to watch, I haven't caught anything else scheduled. Sure, there is the occasional viewing of some random news or movie on my brother's TV but that's about it.
Plus neither of us is tempted (him by the remote) to spend endless hours on the TV. Instead, he plays and I read a book or magazine, we play or read a book together, or we go out to the park or for a swim or to meet some friends to catch up.
Maybe some day in the future when he is back to school, I'll catch the 2nd and 3rd seasons of Prison Break but for now, I'm quite happy to relish my bittersweet memories of Buffy and Angel, and enjoy watching Jack, my real-life TV star in my very own extended version trilogy.
Tags: TV and children, TV and babies, Buffy, Angel, Prison Break, motherhood, parenting