Parenting….I have pulled the plug off my television
What a week it has been. I have been having headaches telling Benghui to do his homework but his heart is not in it. No amount of nagging or lecturing works. He just wants to watch television. He is addicted to television now. It doesn’t matter if he watches cartoons and educational stuff but he is beginning to watch more than cartoons.
He loves shows like this!
There are certain shows that I notice are particularly of a bad influence on him. The one he loves most are Power Rangers and Ultraman. He acts out the violent scenes over and over in his mind. He gets a little aggressive when we turn off the television or switch over to another channel.
His homework is piling up and in the end he has to stay up late just to write lists of words, do his Mathematics etc etc. Being in the Chinese medium, there are lots of homework to do. I have to sit with him to help him with his work. The next morning when he has to go to school, he is just too tired to wake up. He has to study English, Malay and Mandarin. In Chinese-type-primary schools, there is a lot of drilling and memory-work.
Last weekend, I decided to pull the plug off the television. No negotiation. One week, I told him the television is not to be turned on. The first two days, he was sore and grumped all day. Now I notice a subtle change in his behaviour. He is more interested in his studies, more creative in how he spends his time and gets adequate rest.
Finally, I am getting my son back. He is more affectionate too. Try it some time. The idiot box should not be made some kind of companion for a kid or an adult. Stay away from it and do the things you have always wanted to do. Even Madam Calm and Collected has cooperated by not watching the Korean drama series that she absolutely adores: the handsome leading men, beautiful leading actresses in all kinds of situation that pulls our heart.
Make time for your family. I have learned a lesson. After this one week is over, I will schedule a fixed time for television every day.
Another thing that he loves is computer games. He can spend hours playing such games. I will schedule time for it but instead of playing games, I have borrowed educational computer games.
Wish me all the best. I am not the perfect father but I must do something. Television must be no longer be the most important piece of furniture in my home or yours 
Computer doesn’t really help a kid though… Even education computer too… Good luck in everyway, dad…
Cooperations between the parent is utmost important in bringing up kids - so, kudos to you and your wife.
My boy was addicted to the idiot box for sometime too but, that was before he starts going to Kindergarten - where I put down my foot and put a stop on it. Every night he would pester us to let him watch Doreamon (his favorite cartoon) - he would watch the same DVD over and over again for the gazillion time.
It was quite tough when one is fighting for the cause alone - my hubby was just too doting that it almost made all my efforts worthless. Sigh… I had to be the bad guy and he… conveniently the nice guy. He kept telling me our boy is still to young etc etc - then, when IS the right time to start?? *puzzled* Should we just leave all his bad habit till he is all grown up and start bending him then. Then again, maybe I am just being waaayyy to paranoid.
Heheh!!! Good job!
You know what my parents did when I was in my school years? They strictly said no TV during weekdays. I only watched TV on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays but there were not many interesting programmes showing last time. In the end I did not watch TV altogether. Now in university there are limited Tv around the hostel, a lot of people complain. I was used to it so I don’t really mind.
Training from young is important. Now that I can actually live without the TV at all. I couldn’t remember the last time I watched TV. Even when I was back at home for semester break, it was my dad who conquers the idiot box.
And guess what, I never complain. LOL!
hope benghui will b smart like u and go to uni
Kleio, we think alike. It the idiot box is making my kid an idiot.
Tq for visiting my blog.
Yeah I agree with you. We as parents should take control of those idiot box!
We do what we have to do. I don’t think we should worry too much if we’re not being as cool as the kids wants us to be. For my kids, my rule stays. Eu has learn that I don’t negotiate on some things. As for TV, I do believe that moderation by parents is important. Not all cartoons are ok. You should instead congratulate yourself that you don’t let him control you through emotional blackmails, you know how some kids throw tantrums or sad face and mum and dad say, “ok lah, ok lah”.
wah..u speak like you understand kids
i undergo that every day. In our case, we take turns to be bad and good parents. otherwise he will be all over our head 
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