Guest Post: TV and Children's Imagination

Jes, a mother of 3, over at Here We Go Again wrote this post about what changes were caused by removing TV in her home.


Almost 4 months ago my husband and I decided to remove all of our television sets from our home. We still have them in our possession, just not accessible on a daily basis. I thought it would have been hard to go without a television to entertain my two younger children as I home schooled my oldest. I have since found that, yes it has been much more difficult to home school, but that is far outweighed by the growth of their beautiful imaginations.

I had a habit, of allowing my children to watch TV when they wanted. It was always educational, so I figured that it wouldn't have been doing them any harm. I was a wee bit off the mark. While my children were excelling intellectually, they were suffering tremendously imaginatively.

They did not play house, did not make up voices, nor did they play with their dolls or teddy bears. They were just existing.

I had allowed their imaginations to become null and void, in exchange for an easier life for myself.

Once my husband and I came to this startling revelation, we decided to take action. So we took the TV's out. It was also hampering our relationship, as we no longer had conversations extending past the time of the next show's start.

My house is now a whirlwind of activity. Some days Spiderman even comes to stay with us, while other days I have wild Indians running through my living room. I've even had the Transformers visit. My son also has the ability to be an excavating machine. With his bare hands.

I've heard Mickey Mouse having conversations with the teddy bears, Peter Pan's shadow has visited their bedroom. Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater call on them often as well.

Each of the Disney Princesses have called and asked for me personally on their cell phones! How many parents can claim that?

They have been stranded on an Island, and lived in the caves (their bunk beds with blankets enclosing them). They have been daddies and a mommy to many dolls and bears, and they have even befriended bumblebees when camping. My oldest named them Aura and Maynor.

So when people tell me they think I'm crazy for taking my televisions out of the house I smile and say that I am.