A Family Member Called TV

TV is undeniably part of most families in this country. It's hard to find homes without a TV these days... such is its prevalence.

TV started to make its presence felt in homes beginning from my gen. We had our first TV set while I was still in primary school and the colour TV (it was a big deal to have a colour TV back then) made its appearance in my home when dad bought a 20" Philip TV housed in a wooden case with 2 speakers by the side when I was in Std 6. It took up quite a lot of space in the hall.

The worlds of Giant Robot and Ultraman were what we waited eagerly weekly. We'd wait for 5 p.m. on those days Giant Robot was supposed to be shown. But mom never allowed us a free hand with it. TV hours were regulated... highly. It could only come on in the evening when we were kids. But by 6 p.m. when the door of the house was unlocked, we generally prefered to be out in the field beside our house to play... different seasons brought different focus - kites, tops, marbles, firecrackers, skating and games as we grew older..... On weekdays, the TV went off after the news at 8. My uneducated mom would made us listen to news in BM. Then it would be switched off. On weekends, we were allowed longer viewing hours... that was how we got our dose of P. Ramlee. We loved his shows!

As we grew older, my sis and I would occasionally sneaked out at night when we thought mom had gone to sleep to watch Peyton Place and Dallas. But we'd switch off in a hurry when we thought she was going to wake up. But as we entered into our late teens, the rules were relaxed, partly because by then we, more or less, could self-regulate. She would still nag occasionally when we 'over-watched'. But tv was something she never encouraged. Till this day, she still prefers to potter around the house than sit glued to the tv.

So how much TV does an average kid watch these days? I'd say quite a lot. I've seen parents put their toddlers in front of the box. I've seen kids who have not yet learned to walk placed in front of the box, eyes locked to the animated pictures on it. I see mothers and grandmothers with kids of all ages in tow, glued to the TV when the serials start. I've seen TV now being used as a baby sitter... The TV has evolved into a non-living family member which actually contributes something to the family... LOL!

It has come a long way; from those tubes housed in wooden boxes.. and then growing in display size to the super thin lcd/plasma screens that hang on our walls. It's gone sophisticated with all the HDD and what have you not tech jargons in tow.

But is it good? I think my mom was right... too much tv is not good for the kids. In the make believe world of TV, everyone is too perfect, even the villains. And way too much flaunting takes place... The real stuff in life becomes trivialized through the reality shows.... they focus too much on winning, too much on the rat race values.

As for me, I have a TV at home too but it sits in our room. Kids usually watch when one of us is at home. I'm trying to ensure that my kids grow up where the TV does not become their main preoccupation.....