It seems the main issue would have been the parents showing up and giving the kids the DVD player after you had told them no.
I would have sent it back.
Now onto what I believe was youre second issue which would be the statement "We there to spend time as a family an enjoy the woods".
This is a matter of preference, I too did not want the kids watching TV when its nice out, but I have found it extremely important to have a distraction for a 3 year old (now 6) so I would bring my laptop and put on winnie the pooh.
Worked like a charm...and trust me all my fellow campers would rather not hear a 3 year old screaming for an hour.
My new trailer has a 20" lcd tv with a DVD player and it has its advantages.
Its still a good distraction for my 6 year old, it chills him out before bed.
It was also handy on a couple of occasions when we had poor weather and were stuck indoors, of course we played games but we also enjoyed a family movie night.
I still would have been upset for your parents not respecting your wishes.
To each his own.
* This post was
edited 04/17/08 02:03pm by SQWIB *
a few years ago i was against tv in MY bedroom and the RV. Now i just recently purchased a 19" tv/dvd combo for our bedroom 8 months and rv the other 4 months. oh how times change!
we have a no tv rule in rv unless it's raining or i'm trying to prep supper. also this summer our 1 yr old will be napping so maybe it'll keep the 3 yr old busy.
it's not the end of the world. i never thought i would have a micro and a a/c in my rv, but i do now.
guy at works hates camping and his famous quote is " why would i work 50 weeks a year to live like a homeless for 2 weeks". by rv'ing is far from being homeless.
Lantley wrote: I have 3 TV's each with its own DVD player. While camping we do it all. Outside mostly, but there are times when we come inside to relax in the A/C. At night the adults may enjoy adult conversation and beverages around the campfire, while the kids play video games or DVD's in the bunkroom. To each his own, but I feel no need to be the TV/DVD warden. I consider my rig more of a rolling condo. We can have all the amenities of home wherever we are. Lakeside,woods,beaches or concrete pad RV lot, we bring it all and enjoy it all. TV's with DVD's included.
AMEN. What's with all the rules? Isn't this time away supposed to be fun, and whatever your definition of fun is is up to you? After a long hot day at the pool, or lake, or woods, or river, etc. if my daughter wants to crawl into bed in the afternoon in the a/c and watch a movie and relax and nap, she can certainly do so. Like other posters said, we usually stay outside weather permitting, but it's nice to know the option is there if we want it.
And I almost always enjoy watching a dvd before bed.
This is a "no right, no wrong answers" issue. We just bought a new 5er complete with a flat screen in the bunk room, one in the living room area, and a third in the master bedroom. I personally only watch a weather forcast or the morning news.
As well, I don't really care if one of the grandkids wants to watch television during the day, or play their fancy new video game. However, I do respect their parents wishes so if they've been given a "no T.V." decree, I enforce it. That seldom happens though, and I've observed that the kids seldom choose to stay inside anyway. But to each his/her own, it's not to me to say different.
Lantley wrote: I have 3 TV's each with its own DVD player. While camping we do it all. Outside mostly, but there are times when we come inside to relax in the A/C. At night the adults may enjoy adult conversation and beverages around the campfire, while the kids play video games or DVD's in the bunkroom. To each his own, but I feel no need to be the TV/DVD warden. I consider my rig more of a rolling condo. We can have all the amenities of home wherever we are. Lakeside,woods,beaches or concrete pad RV lot, we bring it all and enjoy it all. TV's with DVD's included.
Ditto...every single word of it!
~Rick
P.S. By the way, my brother-in-law lives in your city and when we visit him we stay in Patapsco Park or Cherry Hill Park if we're going to visit DC.
2005 Georgie Boy 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22 (Class A)
Rick, Gail, 1 girl (12-Angel), 1 girl (7), 2 boys (8 & 5), 1 plump Golden Retriever.
2001 Honda Odyssey with Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
I agree that the bigger issue is that your parents didn't respect your wishes. I would have made them take it back.
We don't have a TV currently, but are planning on adding one this season. I will definitely use it for weather/news and on rainy days to entertain the kids. I think it will be nice to have movie night after a long, hot day on the lake.
I grew up with no television or running water. But, we made sure our children didn't needlessly suffer and so their children are hopelessly spoilt with Nintendo, Wii, text messaging and all the latest electronic gadgets.
I can see both sides of the issue probably more clearly than others here. Yes, you were right to refuse the gift. Surprises aren't always welcomed. And, at the same time the children need something to divert their attention from all the birds, bees, snakes, frogs and dogs they'll encounter on a camping trip. While I enjoy the wilderness and the quiet, others don't and proceed to run generators, blast BOSE and Magnavox at all hours.
There has to be a balance. You are the only one who can decide where to draw the line.....
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