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Tuesday Media Watch: Realistic TV

I’m too cheap, but I hear they have television on cell phones now.

Tuesdays? Wrapping the mind around too much TV culture.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the so-called “skeptical mind” and I’ve reconciled with myself that much of what defines that kind of personality is a strong sense of realism. Take that statement literally — the forever-fact-checker, scientific, analytical mind — or take it as a kind of objective observation, but either way there is a strong sense of “let’s not kid ourselves” mentality that bubbles to the surface of our personalities. So when I start thinking about the arguments, for and against, kids and television the skeptic in me needs to take a step back and just say: let’s not kid ourselves here.

Television is Not a Babysitter

…though the pure fascination of a young kid looking at that flickering box is something to behold. The image below was taken as the wife and I were cleaning our basement the other week and plunked the girl on a patch of carpet to entertain herself.

TV Girl

As one might observe, despite numerous other distractions, the lure of the television was the strongest. And before you email me to tell me I’m a bad parent remember two things, while this was not staged it was a tightly controlled situation — and this is an article on getting realistic about child rearing.

What does the “let’s not kid ourselves” mentality suggest about kids and television to the skeptical parent in me? Well, simply this; Whatever, however, why-ever we decide to manage the kid’s viewing habits, our ultimate success in that endeavor will get no further than the particular framework by which we are already surrounded. Realistically. Realism. Let’s see where that leaves me — and let’s break it down.

1) Whatever the argument, for or against, I’m not giving up my hour or so of daily television.

Do as I say, not as I do — is that how the hypocrisy goes? So, if there is going to be at least one TV in the house, and that TV is going to be on when I want to watch it, the realistic opinion is that we’re asking a lot to prevent our kids from mimicking that behavior. I’m sure I can research the pros and the cons all I want, but my response to that reading is going to fall within the frame of what I’m willing to change in my own viewing habits. I’m still going to watch the shows I want to see — the news, the programs I follow, and whatever else — and while the idealist might want to give those up for the so-called ’cause’ the realist in me knows it isn’t going to happen.

2) Whatever the argument, for or against, she’s going to watch television eventually.

…and I’m not just saying sometime far in the future. Grandparents, friends, and even restaurants. We live in a television and media culture. I’m too cheap, but I hear they have television on cell phones now. The realistic approach is suddenly bound by how vigilant (read: obsessively controlling) one is willing to be as a parent. The question then becomes, realistically, if I want to manage my child’s viewing habits how far (in both time and space) am I willing to go? Hmmm… (he writes with sheepish sarcasm.) It almost makes me think there might be some credibility behind teaching her to manage that herself.

3) I tend to belong to the school of thought that the prize out of reach is more alluring than the prize in the hand.

I have a distinct memory of being in grade school and having a fascination with cigarettes. Then one day my dad came home from work with a pack, lit one, and handed it to me. Neither of my parents smoked at the time (both experimented in their youth) so where the fascination had come from was anyone’s guess. But one puff quickly conveyed the message that real smokes tasted a lot different from the Popeye-Brand candy version. I don’t know that it’s the perfect analogy, but knowing there was a pack (minus one) of cigarettes waiting to help me wretch my young lungs into oblivion any time I needed pretty much killed that obsessive fascination. I’ve never touched them since. As I frame the management of my girl’s media viewing I’ve always been fairly cognizant of this particular mentality, and the realistic guy in me suggests that it might be possible to unbalance the objective by turning the television into an object of fascination, rather than ‘just another thing’ in our house.

So, what’s my point?

If you have a realistic personality, this is likely nothing much more than verification of your own observations. I’ve not really tried to suggest much at all here in the way of tactics. But I am saying that your ultimate success in this endeavor is likely to be framed by a similar reality, whether you acknowledge it or not.

The skep/dad blog is meant to casually reflect on questions surrounding parenting and raising kids to become critical thinkers by asking questions and examining parenting ideas with a skeptical eye for facts and science. Each article is one dad's personal opinion, backed where relevant by literature and published research. skep/dad welcomes balanced discussion, comments, and ideas.

April 29, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Critical Thought Toolkit

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