My son has been chumming around with a new friend from his grade. The kid seems like a good boy and this week they were out in the yard and my son hadn't had anything to eat, so I invited them in for a snack.

Apparently this boy can not freely go into any home that has a television. The boy told me that his mom has let him go into friends' homes before but only after they promise to leave the television off.

And, no, it is not just their way to keep him out of people's homes because he goes into a neighborhood kid's home because his parents promised to leave the TV off. And that family has a teen daughter that smokes pot. I don't allow my son over there.

I guess the whole thing pisses me off. I wouldn't think twice about it if this family had a policy like I do of having to meet the family before letting the kid go inside.

I spoke to her today about it when she called. My son wanted to be able to have the kid inside. She just wanted to make sure we left the television off when he is inside. So I told her that most times that would be fine but that my son's dad has to watch the news for the weather and he won't miss that due to a friend visiting. Her reply was, "I understand that. Just please send him outside when the TV goes on."

WTF?

Sounds like a strange overreaction to the evil tube but they are quite upfront about it so you have to respect that parental control.

Still sounds strange and self-defeating. Their kid will eventually start sneaking around watching TV. You think they would know that. Or not if he has been properly indoctrinated.

It is just stranger than strange to me. If a family is overly cautious one would think they would worry about a face-to-face with parents of the kid's friends.

I'm not sure I get it, is up that the TV MUST be off in any house he goes in? What the hell?

It definitely sounds like over-kill. And it places the boy in an awkward situation.

People are strange.

Supernova wrote:

I'm not sure I get it, is up that the TV MUST be off in any house he goes in? What the hell?

I don't fully get it either. Apparently it is ok for me to be holding a bong in hot pants dry humping someone as long as the tele isn't on....I am being sarcastic, but the more I think about our conversation, the more pissed I am getting. She doesn't know me from a hill of beans, but he can come into my home, consume food I cook, as long as the television is off. I just don't get it.

Once kids get into older grades, the biggest trip is dealing with the friends' parents, I swear.

RedBedroom wrote:

I don't fully get it either. Apparently it is ok for me to be holding a bong in hot pants dry humping someone as long as the tele isn't on....I am being sarcastic, but the more I think about our conversation, the more pissed I am getting. She doesn't know me from a hill of beans, but he can come into my home, consume food I cook, as long as the television is off. I just don't get it.

Once kids get into older grades, the biggest trip is dealing with the friends' parents, I swear.

She can't settle for just having the kids in your boy's room? He really has to be outside???

Bluesmama wrote:

She can't settle for just having the kids in your boy's room? He really has to be outside???

As strange as it sounds, that is what she indicated. She was polite, but must be naive as hell if she thinks that when her boy is out and about the worst thing he will encounter is a family television.

RedBedroom wrote:

As strange as it sounds, that is what she indicated. She was polite, but must be naive as hell if she thinks that when her boy is out and about the worst thing he will encounter is a family television.

I spoke to a customer the other day, a man in his 40's that has 11 kids, and he said that there is no TV or radios in their house. I guess with that many kids they will find ways to entertain each other.

But there is something about TV that many people don't realize: Despite its faults, TV opened up communication throughout the world, more so than radio. Unless kids read newspapers (which few do), they are pretty much left in the dark to what's going on in the world.

Definitely an awkward situation you're in. I'm sure you feel that this mother is kinda' controlling your own home.

Quote :

Definitely an awkward situation you're in. I'm sure you feel that this mother is kinda' controlling your own home.

Well, he hasn't been a weekend guest yet! On weekends, if my son has guests, I am ususally doing stuff with TV on in the background, such as MSNBC if I am cleaning or a terrible Lifetime movie if I am crafting. And if I am working, it is no telling what sort of video I am watching online for research!

Would I accomodate a parent's request to send their kid out of my house if I wanted to turn my TV on? In a heartbeat.

If they want to be kooky, let them. I would turn the TV off if the kid was inside the house.

Very weird. My answer would be to just not have the kid inside, for the most part. It'd be disappointing to the kids that they couldn't hang out in doors, but as a parent I would respect the wishes of another parent when it came to their child. However, I wouldn't allow their bizarre and anal retentive protocol to dictate or disturb my own household. It's not worth the hassle.

If the kid had a severe allergy to something like peanuts and their parent asked that I not even open a jar of peanut butter when the kid is in the house, fine. And if I don't happen to feel like watching TV at that particular time, that's fine too but I'm not going to feel like a prisoner in my own home. Would it be OK to turn off the TV and listen to music with "explicit" lyrics?

I just curious if the parents saw Poltergeist and took it too literally?

Bluesmama wrote:

I spoke to a customer the other day, a man in his 40's that has 11 kids, and he said that there is no TV or radios in their house. I guess with that many kids they will find ways to entertain each other.

But there is something about TV that many people don't realize: Despite its faults, TV opened up communication throughout the world, more so than radio. Unless kids read newspapers (which few do), they are pretty much left in the dark to what's going on in the world.

Definitely an awkward situation you're in. I'm sure you feel that this mother is kinda' controlling your own home.

That's sounds very Amish, is he by chance?

I think that's really ridiculous. The kid's gonna see TV at some point. You shouldn't have to turn it off. That's insane.

That really is weird. I'd just let the kids know that you can't guarantee that the TV will be off so it's best for them to play outside. I'd respect her wishes but I certailny wouldn't adjust my lifestyle for that. It's one thing if it's a life-threatening allergy to not have that food out in the open when the child is around, but this clearly isn't the case here. I'd far rather have my kid watching TV that going to a home where a teenager is openly smoking pot.

Supernova wrote:

That's sounds very Amish, is he by chance?

I don't think so. The man has no facial hair, looks like an architect, sales manager . . . clean-cut and "normal". Talks about his 9-month old baby a lot. But I've not tried to pry on why they live as they do because, frankly, I don't want to get him started on something that I'd end up not wanting to hear. I think it's weird, too. A mite too extreme.

I guess that would be a kid who would never come in because other people don't run me or my home. They can be weird on their own turf. I had a repairman tried to pull that crap on me once. I don't think so. But hey best of luck to them in this exercise in futility.

Opa Shale wrote:

I just curious if the parents saw Poltergeist and took it too literally?

there actually are people that damn stupid.

I ain't turning off jack. I'll be damned if someone asks me to not do something in my own house.

FireIce918 wrote:

I ain't turning off jack. I'll be damned if someone asks me to not do something in my own house.

Amen to that, my house, my rules, like Night of the Living Dead when they were arguing over the basement, you can be boss down there, I'm boss up here!

Yea, that kid is just gonna have to stay outside. I'm not turning off my tv, oooh, and especially if Basketball Wives is on...

You could always say to the kid's mother, "No problem, I'll leave the TV off, and would you like me to drop him at a therapy session before I bring him home to you at the end of the play-date? Because he's sure as shit going to need it after you get through with him."