Starting today, there will be no tv-watching in this household until the fall. It's not something we were really planning on. I mean, we've been talking for 7 years about getting rid of cable, but it has never happened. Until last night. My husband said he was returning the cable box to Comcast. Honestly, I didn't think much about it. We've had these conversations before, but nothing ever came of it. But today, during the kids' naptime, I went to return to my tv-and-laundry-folding routine, and the cable box was gone! Now that we have one of those fancy tvs, we can't even watch the basic channels! So there will be absolutely no tv watching for us until fall. We plan to get it back in time for Lance to watch football (although i could go the rest of my life without ever having to see football on tv.)
Today, I looked at the tv selection on hulu. It's just not the same. I think I'll be okay, but I do have a few shows I like to watch. And I really do enjoy my folding-clothes-and-watching-tv routine. But I'm excited about the quiet, and the family time, and all that fun stuff.
What about you guys? What's the longest you've ever gone without watching tv?
15 comments:
I grew up without a TV in the house. We rented one a couple of times a year for things we all loved (the Olympics, Academy Awards, tennis tournaments). We have been also talking about doing this recently. The winter time is when it would be really hard for me.
I have to say, when all the shows go into reruns during the summer, it's bliss. But living alone, I'd go crazy if I didn't have SOME background noise! That's....pathetic. :-/
We turn on the tv every now and then, but we've never gotten cable (except that one year of magical free cable). We also didn't grow up with cable. We use the dvd player for netflix, but I just mainly watch pbs every once in a while. I guess it helps that we don't follow any shows.
Ok I just thought: giving up the internet would be an issue for us (aside from business stuff for joel). I guess we spend time on the computer like a lot of people watch tv.
I would love to only have the basic channels but Paul is totally opposed. The only thing I watch is bits of the Today show and Lost. Well, and Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters... ha! :)
Sophie watched Nick Jr Preschool throughout the day too. She would freak if we got rid of it...which is why we SHOULD!
When I was single, I went about two years with no tv. I did have a vcr for when I wanted to rent movies. It was the best! I could do without TV now, no problem. Would love the quiet, the family time, and not paying that dang bill. But alas, I think Barry would die.
We are going through this right now. We turned ours off last week. The only thing we are really missing are the kids shows that Abbey loves (on Disney and Nick), but she can watch a video from if we need to keep her attention for a short time. Netflix is a lot cheaper. Also, our internet was through Comcast, so we don't have internet. I have it at work, but Clark doesn't so he is really missing that. We might have to get it through another source. I think we will have to get our cable back in the fall for football and the new shows, but until then we are fine. I'm really getting a lot more done in the evenings.
I have the same laundry folding/tv watching routine, and that would be hard to deal with.
part of my deal is that comcast gives you 12 months at a good rate ($125 for internet, 2 dvr boxes and lots of HD channels) then ups it to $185 a month. it is just not worth that to me when the weather is so nice. i plan to get it come fall once we have a baby and the weather is not as nice and we qualify for the good deal again (which is all i think it is worth anyway). i do feel for carrie because i thought her shows would be on hulu but they are not.
We haven't had cable for most of our married life and when everything switched to HD, we bought an antenna and still got the basic channels in HD without any cost. Sydney and Abigail only know shows from PBS and they rarely watch that. Our difficulty is in "needing" to watch TV after the kids are in bed--reading at night would put me to sleep much earlier than I want to go to bed!
We designate 2 days a week " no tv days." It comes as no surprise those are usually the best days of our week as a family.
We went cable free over a year ago, the best decision we ever made. Our old tv set is in the 3rd floor extra bedroom and once in a while the boys (4 and 6)are allowed to go up and watch a movie. I love not having a TV in the living room.
My husband and I watch Netflix movies on the computer and we have a movie night as a family once a week.
I am a fan of 3 tv shows (House, Fringe, The Office) that I watch at my convenience on the computer...and fold laundry :)
It is nice to not be exposed to commercials and other "junk" on TV.
We do not miss it one bit.
We spend so much more time together playing games, making crafts, reading etc...
Good luck and props for making the decision!
BTW, I could not give up my computer, I have tried and failed MANY times...
Have been without a tv since we moved to Bremen. We love it. I still let the kids watch dvd´s but that is so different than the tv stuff. Markus and I watch livestream movies..... it has been good for our family! :)
Carrie when you were about l0 we went on a trip and said "when we get home we will not be watching tv". At that point you began doing all kinds of crafts. You learned to weave baskets from Mrs. Brown and how to shoot pool from Mr. Brown. I hear you got pretty good. The Brown's entered your basket in the State Fair and it won a ribbon as did the coin collection you began during this time. We spent some money on craft projects, puzzles, and games but it was well worth it. The day we turned the tv back on about a year later, all the puzzles and games and crafts suddenly stopped. Mom
We haven't had cable for the last five years. It has been a good thing, as I think we would spend more time watching the tv than we should due to the greater options. Our family fasted from all tv during Lent last year, which was one of the best things that we have ever done! Like others have said, we spent a lot of time doing other things that were far more meaningful... and mental stimulating! I'm excited to see how it affects your family... maybe we can have a blog update later? :o)
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