[leslie]

when nz children aren't out running through the buttercups and making daisy chains do they have access to decent tv? not sure max could live without teletubbies, miao miao, tweenies, big cook little cook, tots tv, much music top 10...
one of his faves is the marvellous harry maclary - which i forgot was from nz. we highly recommend.

do we invest in dvd library?

[kiwidollie]

We're compiling a collection of good films on DVD so that we'll be able to watch them without adverts interrupting every 4 minutes.

I'm hoping not to be watching too much tv though - too many other things to be getting stuck into.

Not sure how the children's TV shapes up though - sorry.

[Carol]

bring as many dvds as possible!!!!!!

:uhoh

[Timbo]

Going on my, albeit brief, experience of NZ Tv, I would definately get a collection of dvds together if your kid(s) are telly orientated. NZ tv on the whole is pretty grim by comparison to uk.
However, you could also consider having Sky.
I think you will probably find that once your little ones discover the big outdoors down there, you probably wont be able to keep them in. :laugh

[Carol]

I think you will probably find that once your little ones discover the big outdoors down there, you probably wont be able to keep them in. :laugh


at least until they are old enough for a Playstation! :nice1

[Graham Barnes]

Children's TV in Nz is dire; the rest of it is little better. I think they used to have a licence fee (like the UK), which was scrapped about 10 years ago. From then on, it all went downhill to US imports, cheap production values, etc.
BTW, don't think that their version of Sky is similar to the UK version. More like Sky here 10 years ago- a couple of general channels, one movie channel, couple of sports channels...does anyone out there think it is worth the extra money??

[Diny]

Last time we were there our kids refused to watch the telly (apart from the Simpsons).

Diny

[Timbo]

A little to the side of this topic.
Some friends of our`s who have a 13 yr old son,8 yr old daughter and 3 yr old twin boys, moved down to very rural Devon a couple of years ago. They now reside in a lovely converted barn sitting in 28 acres of open countryside.
They do not own a television and have not had one since going down there.
As a consequence (sp), all of the kids play together or with friends, both indoors and out. Yes, it is a bit chaotic at times, but also very entertaining. They are lucky enough to have loads of outdoor space for when the weather plays ball, as well as a huge home. But, by all accounts, none of the kids seem to miss having a TV.
My point being, that there is more to life than that little square box in the corner, and given the chance, most kids enjoy finding other forms of entertainment.

[jo b]

Well Said Timbo

My B-in-Law in NZ never had a telly for the first 12 years he was there.

It never did his kids any harm, in fact I think it helped them bond better.

Children can find out who they really are without tv, as I think it makes children try to emulate people they are not, IMHO.

Jo

[Carol]

I know what you mean......but something that bugs hte life out of me is having the ONE parent in the school who doesnt own a TV complain bitterly to us when we have all the kids together in the library at school when it is pouring down with rain to watch a video/DVD

I really feel for the poor kids who have to spend their lunch time alone in a classroom because we have been told they are not to watch it.

Suppose it's just an example of an extreme parent.

[Diny]

Just another example - like you say Carol - of extreme parenting.

Everything in moderation !!!!!

Diny

[Carol]

I know what I'd like to say to her Diny - and it wouldnt be moderate!!


;) ;)

[Carol]

On the subject of Hairy McClary though........did you know Lynley Doddhas written many many books in a similar poetic way -

She is amazing - some of hte books are fantastic.
I've actually just finished a study of her with my Year 4s and 5s who, - even at that age think she is coooooooooool!
:nice1 :nice1


Never seen any of it on TV though.

And dont forget Margaret Mahy and Joy Cowley - they are wonderful kids' authors too.

[StevieD]

Funny you should mention this subject, coz I just had a problem with my Sky card and had to have it replaced. The kids were going up the wall!
No Disney channel for their daily dose of Raven or Recess... the fare offered on terrestrial tv just not up to the job, so a bit of a shock coming to them I suppose (and the wife if NZ Sky is that bad!!)
Saying that, if everything is a good as people say, maybe we will be spending a bit more time outdoors :hopeso

Saying this, we have only had our EOI selected this Wednesday so have a looooonnnng way to go yet! :laugh

[Diny]

Hairy McClary .... some of the best books ever written.

Bottomly Potts ..... all covered in spots
Schnitzel Von Crum .... with a very low tum
Bitzer Maloney........ all skinny & boney
Hercules Morse ..... as big as horse

and Hairy McClary from Donaldsons Dairy !!!!!!!

Now these doggy dudes are OK, but step aside for .........

Scarface Claw !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diny

[lindajax]

Telly is c*** for kids here
enough said!

[leslie]

we are tv moderates who have lived without one for longish periods, but have decided in favour of ownership and banning it for extended periods. if tv on i generally watch with, esp with max, and this seems to work well. not sure if thyroid affecting brain or the constant re-runs of pingu.

this has been a resounding vote for dvd and you have my thanks. i can already feel the pain in my programming thumb.

[eric_amanda]

My boys love Hi Five, which we watched occasionally in the UK, they also show here Clifford, Blues Clues and Fimbles. These are on in the mornings. After school TV is rubbish...forget it. As for the weekends I have told my lot there is no Childrens TV on the weekends which works a treat! :laugh That said the last few Saturdays they have shown a good kiddies movie at 6pm, which Edward is downstairs watching now. Casper and Wendy this week! Last week was Stuart Little and the week before Toy Story 2 ;)

We do not have here and did not have in England Sky or cable or digital TV so we have never missed it.

My Mum occasionally records a 4 hr session of Cbeebies from her Satelite TV and she sends it over...it comes in handy on a rainy day :nice1

Everything in moderation, children even need a break from the great outdoors now and then, expecially when it is very hot as it is today. Must be high 20's!! ;)

Amanda

[Hannah]

On subject of Hairy MacLary - you just have to read Slinky Malinki by same author

Slinky Malinki was blackerthank black, a stalking and lurking adventurous cat (something like that) - basically he's a theif, nicking everything from pegs to smelly trainers.

As for TV, my children liked "Party Animals" when they visited NZ. Bit like telly tubbies, but more funny as the party animals are so dim...

Hannah

[AliJax]

Telly is c*** for kids here
enough said!

thats a little short for Linda me thinks.

but it is a bit rubbish, Lucy does get her fill of Simpsons after the news with 2 comercial breaks in (i try to tell her its finished but shes smarter than me and always corrects me saying "...its coming on again...").

For those of you who like flicking between channels - again abit disapointing the speed of the remote is on the slow side (and its abit of a wusses remote at best)

I know its off subject (sorry) but the football telly is a bit off, the results are on SKY news but then later in the day the match is shown (I prefer not to know the score before I watch footy). Superleague is on Saturday mornings which is good though - anyhow back to work !

[Wooba]

After reading from many people that TV is NZ is pretty bad.. I would keep asking myself, can it really bad THAT bad?

Then someone told me that two of your stations are owned by a Canadian network.. Oh dear, it CAN be that bad! ;)

I read somewhere that hockey (ice) is shown on TV there.. I know that that is not true this year since the season was cancelled, but on a normal year, is there much hockey available on TV there?

Darren