Help! The tv is my friend!

**nuisance26** · 05-24-2011, 08:57 AM

~I usually only watch tv for noise or company. Very rarely I have the time to enjoy watching a literary or documentary piece. Just "noise" is something I struggle with when I have a very young child. I didn't ever feel the need to have it on when I had the older kids above age 3.
I choose something wholesome and light like the Dick Van Dyke Show or I Love Lucy but I usually just get up and don't actually watch it or even listen, it's just noise.
Any strategies to stop this bad habit? I know my mom had company over a lot to chat but I want to be able to get my work done.

I hate talking on the phone so I'm not going to like that suggestion

~

**Libby** · 05-24-2011, 09:10 AM

What about putting on the radio to a talk/news station? Or play music in the background - since its just background noise, would you care if it was the same CD looping throughout the day? Maybe see if you can find some classical CD's at the thrift shop if you're worried about verbiage and content around the lil ones?

I usually do the same - tv or radio on for noise as I'm doing stuff and puttering.

**imagine** · 05-24-2011, 09:23 AM

My friend had a professional suggest a book on tape for her and her need for noise when she was a SAHM.

The talking was what she needed to hear and the sound was similar but not the same as tv.

**Debbie-cat** · 05-24-2011, 09:27 AM

I like the radio on especially the NPR channel. They have so many good talk shows so I am learning something new without habit to sit down and watch.

**McD** · 05-24-2011, 09:28 AM

I have the t.v. on for background noise a lot.

I dislike a quiet house. I truly, truly dislike it. I think it comes from growing up in a loud house (small house, with three rowdy brothers!).

**nuisance26** · 05-24-2011, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by McD

I have the t.v. on for background noise a lot.

I dislike a quiet house. I truly, truly dislike it. I think it comes from growing up in a loud house (small house, with three rowdy brothers!).

~I wonder if that's what I'm doing too. I have three brothers and one sister. It was pretty noisy growing up. But I usually escaped the noise by playing by myself outside.
I have tried the music and books on tape thing but I don't actually listen to them and then I get mad that I missed enjoying them.
Is there any way to break my need for the noise, any noise?
It's such a love/hate thing. I love the background noise but then I get all burnt out on it by the end of the day and I wanna kick the set.
I've tried no tv during the weekdays and I found I missed my lunchtime break in front of the tube too much. Computer time was never as restful as tv time.
I think I'll invest in some hymn cd's as a start to break my noise habit. I stopped listening to music in the house when my second born showed a violent aversion to music. She's over that now though.
I'm kinda wondering if I'm trying to replicate the noise and bustle of a workplace. I worked 3 years in a restaurant kitchen and 6 months in a bakery. It's motivating to me to hear noise. I do get more done with noise. But is it worth the emotional drain by the end of the day?~

**Libby** · 05-24-2011, 10:04 AM

Can you look for background noise cd's with the type of environment you listed? To phase yourself outta the noise habit, try playing the noise when you need it and limit it to 1/2-1 hr intervals - rotate one hour on, one hour off. Obviously when you have children about you won't need it on....make a game of it as you progress, see how long you can go w/o it on.

**imagine** · 05-24-2011, 10:52 AM

Could you gradually turn down the volume a little bit at a time over a period of time to get comfortable with the silence.

**imagine** · 05-24-2011, 10:54 AM

double post sorry

**krbshappy71** · 05-24-2011, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~I usually only watch tv for noise or company. Very rarely I have the time to enjoy watching a literary or documentary piece. Just "noise" is something I struggle with when I have a very young child. I didn't ever feel the need to have it on when I had the older kids above age 3.
I choose something wholesome and light like the Dick Van Dyke Show or I Love Lucy but I usually just get up and don't actually watch it or even listen, it's just noise.
Any strategies to stop this bad habit? I know my mom had company over a lot to chat but I want to be able to get my work done.

I hate talking on the phone so I'm not going to like that suggestion

~

What's wrong with doing this? Why do you want to change it? Who says it is a bad habit? I'm confused.

**frugalfriend** · 05-24-2011, 11:26 AM

I love talk radio. I listen to it when I'm getting things done around the house. There are some shows that I listen to regularly and I listen to the news. Maybe you would like it better than TV?

**ErikM02** · 05-24-2011, 12:09 PM

This is kinda odd not gonna lie lol

Just listen to some calm music or talk radio instead? I'm not sure what else you could do?

**zakity** · 05-24-2011, 01:16 PM

When I am alone and things are quiet, I turn on music, either the radio or Pandora. I turn it on an oldies station (50's and 60's). They are songs that I have heard a million times. If one actually catches my attention, I enjoy it while it is there. If not, it is just background noise and I have heard them all so many times that I don't feel like I am missing anything if they don't catch my attention. And, usually, most of the songs are upbeat, happy little tunes.

**nuisance26** · 05-24-2011, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by krbshappy71

What's wrong with doing this? Why do you want to change it? Who says it is a bad habit? I'm confused.

~Well, I personally get really emotionally drained by electronics. The more I've been in front of screens, the more irritated I am by the end of the day. On the days I spend in quiet, I am more peaceful. I definitely prefer a peaceful me!
It's just battling the need for the noise in the first place. I'm not really sure why I keep wanting everything turned on.
I'm definitely going to try music and timing it. I can't be trusted with the tv. Today I was just going to turn it on for 30 minutes. You know what happened don't you?

~

**nuisance26** · 05-25-2011, 12:16 PM

~I thought of a little trick for getting the tv off: putting on the sleep timer. I'd forgotten about that until the kids clicked it while playing around with the remote. Now if I'm out of the room it will just turn itself off and hopefully I won't notice the difference. Today I was mindful enough to stop at 1 hour but from now I'm setting the sleep timer!~