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Welcome to the Sound Off Discussion Board, where parents from all walks of life and all parts of the world come together in one place to share their opinions and thoughts about the question of the week. Please remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion and the freedom to express it. Obscene posts are unwelcome and shall be removed from the board. Please keep in mind that this is a public board. Never post personal information that you would be uncomfortable sharing with others. Comments about this board should be sent to iParenting's Webmaster. Thank you for contributing! If you have a suggestion for the question of the week, send it to feedback@iparenting.com.

The Parents Television Council has released its list of best and worst shows, with CSI (CBS) topping the worst list and Touched By an Angel (CBS) named as best show. What shows do you feel are the worst for families? Best? (Go to www.parentstv.org to see what other shows made the lists.)

For archived topics, click here.

hi all! i am safe and alive as are all my family and friends after hurricane fabian tore thru my lovely island of bermuda. thank god we are alive. only 4 deaths and minimal damage to my home altho a tornado did take the porch off. bermuda is still here tho! many homes are ruined or destroyed, most of us are without power (thank god for generators) but we fared better than was expected, thank god. to allo of you interested (pjb, LH, angela, margarita, goodwin etc) go to bermynet.com to see some photos of the destruction. i will be back on the board once power has been restored to add my two sense to this topic, but for now i'm just so thankful to be alive. it was INSANELY scary. so many times our ears were popping indicating a tornado and we had to run downstairs with the children and take cover. my godparents live next door and halfway thru the storm we heard my goddfather pounding on the door b/c tornados tore thru his house, trapping my godmother. but thankfully my dad and brother managed to get down there (only with god's angels helping them i'm sure) and rescue her,unharmed. INSANE. anyway to all of you who were thinking of me and my fellow islanders, thahnks for your prayers...see you all soon.. and be glad you're alive!
(LH check your email!)
j-mo
Sunday, September 07, 2003 at 22:18:37 (EDT)
A GOODWIN-I don't know my due date yet b/c I won't see my midwife till about the 12th week :( I think it will be in the beginning of May though. It's exciting, but I'm not looking forward to the labour part like I was the first time around :) My DD is almost 9 months old, so my babies will be about 17 months apart!
I couldn't really eat with my first PG. Food tasted funny, but with this one it seems fine. I have only occasional morning sickness, which is nice...sorry you're not feeling well. It really is all worth it in the end though :)

I really do wish that they would have more good family programs on now a days...maybe by the time my DD is old enough the world will have turned more conservative once again.
SH
Sunday, September 07, 2003 at 21:25:24 (EDT)
I definitely think its up to the parent to decide which television programs to watch. After all, only a parent knows when a child is mature enough to learn about certain "adult" topics. I also think, however, that the television stations have a responsibility to provide family programming. Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids who don't have 100% adult supervison, who dont have parents who take the time to explain situations in programs...those kids are the ones affected by poor programming.

I watched a VERY good movie last night...more like a documentary called "Bowling for Columbine". Its new at the video stores. Anyway, it talks about guns and kids. Very thought provoking! Thought I would share that.

SH - Congratulations on No. 2!! How are you feeling? Myself...blah...very green. I can't wait until this morning sickness stuff is over with! When is your due date...mine is approx. April 29th.




A Goodwin
Sunday, September 07, 2003 at 15:31:19 (EDT)
SH ~ yeah it I watched that one a few times when it was new - is it still going or are there only re-runs? I am usually too busy cleaning up after dinner, straightening up the house, homework, feeding animals etc from about 7 to 9 that I hardly get to sit down and watch tv. I hardly even know what is on during that time.
Margarita
Sunday, September 07, 2003 at 03:21:45 (EDT)
Another great show is Reba. Anybody watch that one? It's funny and entertaining, and it's kind of real life now a days, what with Reba being divorced and her teenaged daughter being a mom. I love watching it and once my kids are old enough to watch TV I won't have a problem letting them watch that one.
SH
Saturday, September 06, 2003 at 20:45:39 (EDT)
I TOTALLY AGREE with you Hedda!!! Personally, I don't think Fear Factor is that 'horrible' of a show! My kids watch it with me and my husband every week!! I LOVE to watch what SICK things people are willing to eat and drink on the show!! Our family also watches Dog Eat Dog!! Also, if a show offends anyone, just do what we do-change the channel or turn OFF the T.V. If my kids want to watch something when there isn't really anything on, I just pop in a Disney Video!! Right now, my kids are REALLY into Treasure Island!! They watch it a couple times a week!! Now that school is back in session, they have A LOT less time to be watching T.V. They also have new kids to play with who just moved in this summer, so they mostly are enjoying being outside playing with their new pals!!! As far as commercials go, YES!!! I HATE those STUPID Herbal Essences commercials TOO!! They are SOOO CORNY!! I TOO refuse to buy their product based on their STUPID ads!!
CC
Saturday, September 06, 2003 at 20:18:40 (EDT)
A GOODWIN-I read posts from the last topic and forgot to mention that I'm PG too, with my 2nd one, and we're probably due at about the same time. Weird huh? :)
Another show that's great now a days is Gilmore Girls. Does anybody watch that? It's pretty clean, but it's about real life stuff, single mom, dating, all that stuff. But I don't agree with the way she is "friends" with her daughter first, then a parent later..I think it should be the other way around.
SH
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 20:35:55 (EDT)
Most of the shows I like are on at nine or later, which is okay since that is bedtime, but I do agree that there should be more family friendly shows. When we watch tv as a family , it's usually the Disney Channel.
April
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 19:38:45 (EDT)
Randall, that is awful and appalling! I share your sentiments exactly, why is EVERYTHING about sex sex sex? it is mind boggling really. and even though this is off topic, what about commercials? those are the WORST! The herbal esscences ones really drive me up a wall. I have a mental list of companies I will NOT buy products from because of tasteless advertising like that.

PJB
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 16:54:32 (EDT)
Most of the sitcoms shouldn't be watched by kids. All Friends talks about is sex; Will and grace gays. One show that I think is awesome for families is Everybody Loves Raymond. What a great show. Very family-friendly.

I was appalled the other day when I walked in on my 14 year old watching a show on one of the "family" cable networks. They were talking about condoms. It wasa 4:00 in the afternoon. Why can't shows talk about other things? Why is it always sexual material?

Appalled.
Randall
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 16:03:45 (EDT)
Personally I would not rely on the Parents Telvision Council to tell me what I should or shouldn't watch or let my kids watch. Their view of what is appropriate for families is very narrow-minded. They want to get "offensive" programming off the air because a child (or adult) might watch it--why don't they let people and the ratings system decide what is on tv?

It seems whenever they watch a popular show like ER all they pay attention to are the things that offend them-- like that there are gay relationships portrayed in a realistic way-- and they don't care if it's a well-written show. These are the same kinds of people who think Harry Potter books turn kids onto witchcraft and the occult.

Parents are the best judge for what is appropriate for their chidren, not strangers with a political agenda.
Hedda
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 15:13:48 (EDT)
Can't really comment much on this topic as we just don't watch the tube much around here!

PJB & GOODWIN...you sure brought back some good ol' memories! We have a safe little neighborhood here and my best friend and I used to play outside up until dark (maybe after dark sometimes too, but just around the yard...or the "jungle" as we had such great imaginations!)then we would go inside and her mom would make us chef boyardee pizza to eat while we watched "Chiller" (anyone remember that show?)...OH, what I would give to go back to that wonderful, magical, simple time of my life...just for awhile!

I am sooo worried about JMO!! Hurricaine Fabian is really bashing Bermuda! If you happen to see this JMO...plez check in...I'm worried about you and your family!!! TC!
LH
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 14:22:35 (EDT)
Goodwin, Ah the good ole days! I loved to play outside until dark. my mom would almost have to drag me in and i would always plead, "just a few more minutes!!" the neighborhood kids and i would play ghost in the graveyard, red light/green light, splashing in puddles, climbing trees...kids just dont do that anymore. i understand the whole safety aspect has changed and we cant just let our kids run around as freely anymore, but it seems kids dont have the desire to do anything besides watch tv and play video games. so very sad, those are some of my fondest memories.

PJB
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 12:42:25 (EDT)
A Goodwin~ hah! I watched the George Lopez show the other night and have watched it a few times before that - it is hilarious!! I used to watch the Cosby Show and Roseanne. I had a job in high school at McD's and was working about 25 hours a week - didn't get to watch a lot of tv back then.
Margarita
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 12:23:15 (EDT)
Oops..I meant SH.
A Goodwin
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 12:03:55 (EDT)
PJB & SC - Couldn't agree with you more! When I was a kid, we actually went outside to play! I really dont remember us kids watching too much tv...we were too interested in the forts we were building outside, or the playrooms we would make in our cellar. I find myself even now watching re-runs of my favorite shows because I'm tired of the raunchy crud that there is out there. Our kids watch this stuff, and then we wonder why little 12 year old's are walking around in mid-drift outfits. We can do better than that!
A Goodwin
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 12:03:33 (EDT)
I personally LOVE CSI, it's my favourite show, but it's not something for kids to watch, that's for sure. Thankfully it's on late enough that kids shouldn't be up anyway. I really do miss shows like "The Cosby Show" and "Family Ties". They were great shows, and it is unfortunate that TV world has been overtaken by all the sitcoms with sexual under (and over) tones. Although some are entertaining for adults, they are not meant for children's eyes and ears.

Honestly though, kids shouldn't be watching so much TV anyway. When I was in school I was too busy with clubs, sports, and being with my friends to watch TV except for on weekends, and kids should be kept busy with other kinds of activities. Parents should limit the amount of TV their children watch, and should definitely monitor what they watch.
SH
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 11:31:13 (EDT)
I love 7th Heaven as well.
But as far as shows like the Simpsons, I don't think those were meant to be Family shows. Thet are geared toward adults.
Riley's Mom
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 11:21:29 (EDT)
Odd, my mom and I were just talking about this last night....I find it appalling of what kind of filth is on network primetime tv now. the story lines have strong sexual tones if not entirely revolving around sex to begin with. I am all for free enterprise, "dont like it, dont buy it", but it is ridiculous that there isnt any mainstream programming that is suitable for all ages to enjoy together. And I dont mean just like 1 or 2 select shows, an extensive lineup would be nice. And something quality, not hokey. Like the cosby show. What an EXCELLENT show, funny, heartwarming and relate-able. something for everyone in that show. it is too bad that model has fallen by the wayside and made way for the garbage that is on now like friends. While friends entertains me as an adult, i could not watch that show with my grandma and not feel awkard because every other oneliner is about sex. do these writers think the viewing audience is too dumb to relate to wit and humor, is sex the ONLY thing that can hold americas attention? What about that show that is coming on NBC this fall called coupling? it looks like a show just about mate swapping. Not sure the time slot but it is being advertised and an anchor in the fall line up. every year the bar gets lower and lower.

PJB
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 10:54:36 (EDT)
I will have to agree. I watch 7th Heaven every Monday night at 7:00 on the WB. The family isn't quite like the "Clevers" but I think the show is sending out positive messages. I have to say I also like Friends; however, it might not be the best show for children to watch.
As for the worst, Paradise Hotel is pretty rough and the cartoons "The Simpsons and King Of The Hill" aren't so great either.
sc
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 09:07:15 (EDT)
This is a tough one. I agree with you Margarita...most of those shows are on pretty late, and are geared towards adults anyway. As for family programming, there actually isn't a whole lot for people to choose from. I like 7th Heaven because of the values it teaches, but myself, I'm a sucker for comedy. I'd have to go with the George Lopez show.


A Goodwin
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 08:41:18 (EDT)
Hmmmmmmmm. Well, we don't watch alot of shows that I personally consider family shows - usually don't watch "shows" until 10 and by then dd is fast asleep and the shows that are on after 10 really aren't targeted at families - ER etc. Most of the shows mentioned on the worst list are on late and I don't think they are meant for familes so I can't really say which I think is worst. I'd say 7th Heaven is the best family show - the kids aren't perfect but there is always a good message.
Margarita
Friday, September 05, 2003 at 00:29:38 (EDT)