TV Lock-out for kids

[Rotation Slim]

Tired of hauling my kids out of my bedroom watching TV when they are upstairs and supposed to be doing homework, I built a lock-out device. It is simple and under 10 bucks.

I bought a metal box at Home Depot that is supposed to be installed outside the home to house an air conditioner fuse. It is 3"x6"x10" and has a thing to accept a padlock on it. I took out all the stuff inside, and cut 2 slots on the side of it, so when open I can slide an electrical cord in, then shut the door, slot is just wide enough to allow the cord, but not wide enough to let you pull out the plug. I put the TV plug leading into the box, and an extension cord leading out. I plug extension cord into the wall. When I want the TV on I unlock padlock, open box, plug TV into extension cord. When I don't want tv on, I lock box with plug, and female end of extension cord inside.

A nice added benefit, I don't just turn on the TV every time I go into the room, the added step of unlocking box leads me to be slightly more selective in when I watch, which is a good thing, we could all use a little less TV.

I am now seriously thinking of putting a digital appliance timer on the main TV downstairs, which would only allow power to TV at pre-determined times, and locking the plug-timer-extension-cord-end inside a box. I have my eye on a nice digital timer at Walmart for 15 bucks, but I would have to move up to a larger metal box, maybe small toolbox.

Obviouly they could cut the cord and install a new plug, but they know that kind of action would mean the TV goes away for good, so they won't do that.

Is it pathetic that my kids have reduced me to locking up the TV; yes (But they are kids after all, I was just like them when I was their age) but it is effective, and better then yelling at them all the time. Once TV is truly not an option for them, they are wandering off and finding other stuff to do, whereas previously me telling them not to watch tv meant they could lay low for a few minutes until I was off doing something else, then turn it back on.

Anyway, it is an option for handy dads who are sick of arguing over TV watching time.

[Brikp]

My lockout is FREE. I tell my kids no TV and they listen!

[Doug Miller]

Yep, I think that's the OP's real problem. Something I've seen all too frequently in a quarter-century in the IT industry: people attempting to apply technical solutions to management problems.

[Joe Fabeitz]

Oh for the days when parents had the b--ls to be parents....and don't give me that cop-out crap that "...kids today are different".

[John Grabowski]

For those of you who don't want to make one of these, you can buy them. They are called electrical plug lockouts. Several types are available from McMaster-Carr. You can also buy them at electrical supply houses.

John Grabowski

[Rotation Slim]

I never said kids today are different, I actually said the exact opposite. my kids are just like me. When I was a kid I would try to sneak in extra TV time, my kids do the same to me. Perhaps you are a little to old to remember those days, or maybe you were just a perfect kid and now you've spawned perfect kids. If that is the case, congratulations.

By the way, how many kids do you have? I have found most everyone who speaks up with simple platitudes about kid raising often have no children of their own.

I found a novel solution to the TV problem in my house, one that I thought others might enjoy hearing about. What I failed to realize is that some on this board are perfect parents with Stepford kids who obey their every wish... and would never think of trying to put one over on dear old dad... How exactly do you create such a faschist panacea perfection in your home.. using the belt?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Uzi

[Joe Fabeitz]

A belt works. Time to step up and be a parent instead of a buddy. Take it from those of us who have done it successfully.

[Brikp]

2 kids - Obedient, respectful, loving and passionate. They have fun, play well. My children feel sadness when they see other kids behaving disobedient, disrespectful, unloving and dispassionate. I have never used a belt, never had to. I have set boundaries and expectations and have been clear about them. Corporal punishment is not out of the question but is rarely needed. My kids are sinners just like me and they will get into trouble from time to time and regret it afterwards.

Tell your kids to stop making my kids feel sad.

[Richard J Kinch]

So did I. But mine is made of pine and goes "whackety whack".

[Gerri]

How often do they allow you to watch TV? Are you sent to bed without any dinner if you mouth them? If they start locking you in the closet more than twice a week, it's time to start listening to them. If they beat you, it's time to get some help.

[Ron]

This speaks volumes about kids' behavior today.What else will you be required to build because your sweethearts don't listen to you?

Keep on making excuses for them "But they're kids...." Maybe you'll have a chance to build a lock box around your car's ignition switch someday.

Wake up and train your kids instead of them training you!

[George]

The other solution is to be a parent. A dialogue something along the lines of "what homework or projects are you working on?" and then " lets sit down at 8 tonight and we can review your work together"...

[George]

This reminds me of the thread a few months back about the guy wanting to sound proof his ceiling because of the kids "the little darlings" hopping around upstairs.

I do agree that it speaks volumes about kids' behavior because they have no clue how to behave.

[Doug Miller]

When our oldest was about four, we got tired of the conflicts over the TV and finally my wife just unplugged it and put it away in the closet. He ranted and raved "No, Mommy, no! You can't do that!!" She said "Just watch me."

When we told other parents what we had done, the most common response we heard was "I wish we could do that at our house." I'd ask, "What's stopping you?"

The answer, invariably, was "The kids would never stand for it."

Who's running these familes, anyway?

[Aquarijen]

Is that not basically what the OP did? He made the TV inoperable for his kids yet he can still watch it himself. I think it is a natural consequence - the kids get the message that if they do not listen, they will lose a privelege. In this case, they did not listen to the OP and they lost the priveledge of using the TV. The OP did not lose the tv. I think it was a good solution.

Jen Mom to a boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder

[David Gale]

I still remember when my parents unplugged the TV for a month. Sure drove the point home to my sister and I.

Now, my wife and I have a TV, but it's only used for watching movies; it helps that, where we live, the only way we'd get any channels is through cable or sattelite. Since we're still just getting started, it's rather nice not feeling like we *need* to order cable--we're perfectly happy doing other things.

And, of course, the fact that we don't get any channels will make our lives a little bit easier, since we won't have to worry about patrolling what our son (due in November :-) is watching.

Slim, in short, I can appreciate your solution, though I think it'd be better for you and your family if you could wean yourself, in addition to your kids, from the television. If you don't watch TV, it shouldn't be too hard to make sure your kids don't, either--and that leaves you with more time to do something else with them.

-D.

[Paul]

[Doug Kanter]

When my son was a toddler, I was out for cocktails with The Boys one night. We were discussing our fathers. We all had similar memories: Our dads would begin an altercation calmly, stay calm for a minute or so, and then BANG! Straight to ballistic. No in-between. Not violent, but loud. Worked on us. Works on my son, who's 15 now, although he hardly needs it. And, a minute after it happens, we're still talking to each other. I credit his mother for that, since she reminded him constantly that just because someone's angry, it doesn't mean they don't love you.

[Doug Kanter]

6 beers for you. :-)