emneufeld@watdragon.UUCP (Eric Neufeld) (02/06/86)
I will be a parent in a few weeks and would like to ask the following question: Neither my wife nor I watch much regular television besides the news. Given a free night, we would visit, see a movie, watch sports, etc., etc., etc. On the other hand, I don't think either of us are vehemently opposed to tv. I've thought recently that once there is a baby, it will be harder to get out for entertainment, maybe it would be pleasant to have a colour television and cable for a better selection of movies and sports. As we are students, this represents a big expenditure. Especially I would like to hear from people with similar views about tv.
frye@cuuxb.UUCP (frye) (02/08/86)
Ummm, last time the questions were about whether a couple should have a tv or keep tv away from the kids. Now this guy would like to know about whether the adults should have a tv. (Er umm, should they invest in a color tv?) A lot of people last time around suggested buying a vcr and a color monitor. You have to pay for cable even if you don't watch it. So, paying to rent movies may be cheaper in the long run. Also, vcr's already have a tuner in them, or most of them do. You can watch some educational stations via that thing...The monitor would double as a crt for the ol' Commadore or Apple. Seems like a fairly smart way to go to me. I think monitors are a little cheaper than televisions. Only thing is, vcr's cost a few bucks. Watch sales fliers from you local merchants... Regards, Tom Frye
hopp@nbs-amrf.UUCP (Ted Hopp) (02/09/86)
> I will be a parent in a few weeks and would like to ask the following > question: > > Neither my wife nor I watch much regular television besides the news. Given > a free night, we would visit, see a movie, watch sports, etc., etc., etc. > > On the other hand, I don't think either of us are vehemently opposed to tv. > > I've thought recently that once there is a baby, it will be harder to get > out for entertainment, maybe it would be pleasant to have a colour > television and cable for a better selection of movies and sports. > > As we are students, this represents a big expenditure. Especially I would > like to hear from people with similar views about tv. When our son was born two years ago, we had a tv that only got uhf; the vhf tuner was busted. I wondered then, as you are now, what my viewing habits would be once I became a parent. I figured I'd get the tv repaired when I found I was missing it. Well, it still is busted, although I'm thinking of getting it fixed so Aaron can watch Sesame Street and other shows he likes. In two years of parenthood, I never felt that watching tv was what I really wanted to do. It is still a source of wonder, how full my evenings are just being a parent. After Aaron goes to sleep, there isn't much of the evening left for us parents to talk about things (what happened that day, plans for the house, etc.) before we want to head off to sleep ourselves. I don't feel any desire at all to spend time at the tube. To tell the truth, I think it more likely that I would have fixed the tv by now if we hadn't become parents. As for things to do for entertainment, you will probably be able to visit as much as you would like. For the first few months, you might also be able to go to movies, depending on how good a sleeper your child is. (This stops as soon as your kid matures enough to be aware of the movie. I remember going to see Ghost Busters with Aaron in arms. He slept through the whole thing until the scene where the Pillsbury Dough Boy climbs the building. Someone in the theatre woke him up with a loud guffaw, and he was upset at not being in bed. We left to avoid being rude.) Anyway, it will take only a small amount of creativity to completely fill your evenings after you become parents. I would recommend that you save your money and not bother with a new tv. -- Ted Hopp {seismo,umcp-cs}!nbs-amrf!hopp
susan@madvax.UUCP (Susan Finkelman) (02/13/86)
> > I will be a parent in a few weeks and would like to ask the following > > question: > > > > Neither my wife nor I watch much regular television besides the news. Given > > a free night, we would visit, see a movie, watch sports, etc., etc., etc. > > > > On the other hand, I don't think either of us are vehemently opposed to tv. > > > > I've thought recently that once there is a baby, it will be harder to get > > out for entertainment, maybe it would be pleasant to have a colour > > television and cable for a better selection of movies and sports. > > > > As we are students, this represents a big expenditure. Especially I would > > like to hear from people with similar views about tv. > I enjoy tv, and watch several hours every week, usually after the kid is in bed. It's pleasant while folding wash or mending. Look for a 'reconditioned' tv. They're often much cheaper & often have a guarantee. Don't expect, though, that there will be much that you'll want your kid to see. Susan Finkelman {zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex,rtech}!varian!susan