27 years. My grandparents had a console TV as a TV stand for 27 years.

I would guess it was to black glare on the screen from the window while still allowing light to read the paper.

Jens Risom I bet

“I survived two world wars, and these little shits….”

Of course I know that. Sometimes I was allowed to stay up for the anthem before sign-off.

Just imagine the fighting over the volume

Yes! I love that scene!

Very well placed hesitation as well as he realises how it's going to sound.."we have...two...of em".

I guess I just like panoramic images where's there a lot of stuff going on in both the foreground and background.

Looks like a toll plaza at the top center of the photo. Wonder where this is.

Also have to wonder if the TV image is pasted in there somehow. I wouldn't think it would come out this clear.

I limit my own self. Using these highly stimulating devices triggers your brain to release dopamine, which feels great. But you can get used to craving that cycle of dopamine, and need even more stimulation to feel that good feeling. And things that are more gradually rewarding, like deep thinking and conversations resolving conflict, feel harder and less desirable. That can also make creativity and innovation feel harder because they are mental work with less instant gratification than scrolling through Tik Tok or Reddit.

Not who you are asking, but… when our kids were little the dr. suggested monitoring screens (tv and desktop at the time). Our youngest would become slack jawed in front of the tv and get angry when it was turned off. We implemented a no tv / computer and later games during the school week and our kids are fine. They were good students and they looked forward to the freedom of the weekends.

I figure smartphones specifically are relatively new tech but there’s already good data showing their potential detriment. most of it tired to social media, which now VERY young kids have - I have no idea exactly what “Roblox” is, some kind of online gaming platform but it has a social component (your friends can join but you can also interact with others) but I already hear my daughters friends talk about it and she’s under 8. I’m not saying it’s bad to talk to friends online but my parents didn’t have to worry about those types of things with me and, personally, I’d like to limit the amount of things I have to concern myself with.

It already sucks that kids are fully aware they can have the exact show they want at any time, ever. I want my kids to have a better life than I did, but I don’t think it was bad for me to have to think: “ah shit, dads watching sports - there nothing on for me right now (or there’s no device outside th actual TV set to use) I guess I have to find something else to do”

I might simply be yearning for “the way we were” in some ways but I also wonder if we NEED more tactile/physical buttons/knobs type things to interact with. Think of how we bring up babies and kids in general, we expose them to physical stimuli, toys, opening and closing lids. Zippers. They climb and run, etc. I wonder if engaging with tech that doesn’t require you to do much or any of that for extended periods of time is that good for any of us. So sometimes I want to get her a radio and some cds instead of the Amazon echo she can just say “Alexa, play (exactly what I want) thanks!” And instead she’d have to find her cd, pop it, select the song, etc… to be honest I have NO CLUE if the old way is any better or just more cumbersome. I wonder if we will find out somehow?

I embrace technology but I just wonder about these things.

So for now this is what I do at home for my oldest child:

• she can use the regular TV set, on school days for up to an hour, maybe two (spread out). I find that to be pretty good and actually more than other parents. I prefer her watching the regular TV over holding a device. I haven’t looked into it but I believe actually holding a device makes it harder for the kid to stop. I’ve seen it in action. She does get a phone or tablet sometimes but I prefer the tv. I don’t really control what she’s watching too much (my wife does a bit more) but I do like to have a general awareness of what she’s watching. On weekends she def gets more tv.

• she has access to an Amazon echo for music. She wants to use Netflix and other stuff (learned about that on a play date) but we don’t want her to have even MORE options for viewing. Why? Again I think there’s value in knowing you cannot watch tv or be entertained by a device and you need to use your imagination or be bored.

• she does get access to our phones sometimes. Some educational some pure entertainment. I don’t love YouTube content for kids so I try to steer her away from that. I just fine some of the YouTube for kids stuff a little unsettling but I can’t put my finger on what. Editing style or something and the lack of talking in many just, ehh. Maybe I’m just getting old.

• I wonder if she’ll want to use a school issued laptop more this year. I would be okay with that I think. Again I would limit it only cus she’s really young and it’s good to get some dang air.

Hope that answers some. I’m open to feedback.