Megan Fox has gone through a lot of changes in the past few years. She no longer covets the Maxim babe image. She’s no longer trashing Michael Bay and even begged him to hire her to play April in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Megan’s promoting this movie with an interview in Parents magazine. This is a wise move because Megan’s talking to the people who will bring their kids to see this dumb movie. She’s also now a mother of two boys, Noah (2 years) and Bodhi (4 months).
Megan talks about the challenges of being a working mother. She describes the struggle of meeting both boys’ needs at once, especially since she doesn’t let them watch television. This stance is unexpected since Megan’s husband, Brian Austen Green, has made most of his money from television gigs. Megan describes tv as too “overwhelming” and “too stimulating” and “bombarding” for kids. Which is fine, it’s her choice. I do wish her luck in keeping her boys off the internet until 8th grade. That sounds like a hefty task considering how many elementary schools have kids researching on the internet. Take it away, Megan:
Becoming a working mom: “The main thing it does is it affects how much I’m willing to work. I’ve never been an extraordinarily ambitious girl or career-oriented, but especially once I got pregnant with my first son and now [having] my second, it’s so hard to be a working mom especially when your heart is not in your work, when your heart is with your family. I have to make one movie a year because I have to invest in their future and I have to be able to pay their way through college and be able to provide for them. I’m looking for movies that will shoot in Los Angeles, for projects where I’m part of an ensemble so I can shoot in and out in 10-20 days. It’s all about trying to spend as little time away from my kids as possible.”
Parenting 2 kids under 2 years: “Itts total chaos obviously. Before you have kids you really do not understand how much work it is and how consuming it is. And then you have one and you’re like, ‘Oh my God my baby is my whole world.’ Every moment of the day is dedicated to this one baby and then all of a sudden you have two babies! Their needs are so different because Noah is nearing 2 and then my newborn is 4 months. It’s really hard to manage because I also don’t let them watch TV. It’s not like I’m going to sit Noah in front of the television so I can take care of Bodhi. I have to figure out how to incorporate Noah into the process and have him help me take care of Bodhi and make sure he doesn’t get jealous and make sure nobody’s neglected and everybody’s needs are being met. As a mom it’s hard because I don’t feel like I’m ever giving either one of them 100% of my attention or 100% of myself, so I carry a lot of guilt.”
When she first felt like a mom: “I was really connected during my first pregnancy. But even during my pregnancy I had no idea how worried I was going to be for the rest of my life. From the moment I gave birth to Noah, that was the first time I was like, ‘I love something so much that I will never be the same again.’ I will never be relaxed again because I will always be worried about him and hoping that he is ok and safe and happy.”
More on the “no TV” issue: “I do let them watch movies, I just don’t let them watch TV. With movies I feel like there’s a beginning, a middle and an end. It’s linear. There’s a clear story. I think that it’s different than just putting a kid in front of the television, because it’s just nonstop. They’re just being bombarded with all of this sort of live media and it’s very overwhelming and it’s too stimulating I think for anyone. I don’t watch television because it’s just too much it overwhelms me. I just can’t deal with it. But I do let them watch movies. I remember going to the theater to see movies with my dad or my mom and those are special moments for me. One day they’re gonna watch television. I can’t keep it from them forever. My intention is to keep it away as long as possible or to introduce it through Apple TV so they’re not being exposed to the commercials constantly. My goal is no computers, no cell phones until at least 8th grade.”
Filming TMNT during pregnancy: “I constantly had a big box of saltine crackers with me wherever I went. So in between takes I would scurry away and shove a bunch of saltines in my mouth to keep me from being nauseous.”
[From Parents]
Well … I can identify with Megan’s saltine necessity during pregnancy. That was the only way I could keep the acid reflux at bay. Not even Tums helped that issue. Megan also seems much softer and less like a complainer after becoming a mom. Her PR person must have talked some sense into her.
What do you think about Megan’s no-television stance for her kids? Some of the commercials are way too frenetic for kids, but they have to get used to seeing advertising. That’s a part of modern life.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
I think it’s laudable that she wants to keep her kids off TV, but I can tell you I was very thankful for Blues Clues when my kids were little and I needed half an hour to make dinner! As for the internet, good luck with that! My kids have been using it in school since kindergarten and a lot of homework etc. is posted in the cloud.
Not even that there is schoolwork involved, but she is doing her children a definite disservice by not having computer skills. Well my normal ass kids need computer skills, maybe hers have some predetermined profession where you dont need to know how to type on more than just a touch screen phone.
And yes Nick Jr saved my life, even when my baby was an infant. I turn the TV off she finds something else to do, it’s no big deal as long as you arent using it in place of parenting.
I doubt she’s really doing them a disservice. They will develop computer skills, perhaps at school, perhaps a little later. It’s not a bad thing to want to keep their internet and computer time limited as young children. There’s no reason they need a personal computer until high school. I bet she’s probably going to have a family computer where they can do homework and whatnot, but no personal electronics until much later. I didn’t have my own computer until college, and from about 7th grade on all my assignments had to be typed, we learned how to look things up on the internet, etc. Worked fine.
Wren,
she didn’t say that though. She said NO computer.
Things are different, now. I’m 24 – I got my own laptop in 12th grade, but always used the family computer until then. We got rewarded with a half hour of game time at the end of the day at school in elementary school with educational games. I was actually doing basic HTML coding and photoshop work when I was 12. I’m now working in my chosen field – building and maintaining websites. I developed my skills early, and was always more of a tech-savvy person than my peers.
On the other hand, my soon-to-be-sister-in-law is in her second year of nursing college, can barely use MS Paint or word processors. She was panicked about school because she knew NOTHING about computers because she refused to try before getting there. They’re not going to teach you how to use them to get your work done – you’re expected to know.
Are luddites somehow better than technology users? Seems sanctimonious and not evidence-based. My son is 6 and knows his way around a computer really well, which is how our world is now. He plays outside and reads too, so its not like he’s some mole sitting in the basement or anything.
And I will say this. My 3 year old has her own laptop (and old one given to her by her sucker of a grandaddy) and while she knows how to write and spell small words we have her to practice keying them on Word as well. Just a different way for her to practice her spelling and learn some computer skills. The rest of her time is spent on Nick Jr.com but i’ve considered getting ABC Mouse as well. At least with the computer she is engaged in the process as opposed to just staring slack-jawed at the tv. Our world is different from 15 years ago and computer skills are a must. It is really all about balance. She and I read together and have a little sunflower garden we are both learning how to tend, and we ride her bike and go to the park etc, etc. Unless you’re a terribly neglectful parent most exposure isnt going to ruin your kid.
I no longer see children playing outside. So much for the computer revolution. A lot of us learned computer skills way past maturity and we’ve survived. Her kids will, too, although they may feel a bit estranged for a while. Better to have a mind of your own than to plug in with the masses, IMO. It depends on what you value.
I am astounded that she comes across as this savvy.
hmmm
a lot of people learned computer skills past maturity because they weren’t necessary before that point. It’s a different world technology wise even from 5 years ago. Kids not playing outside if the fault of their parents, not computers. I sure as hell was expected to ‘go play’ all the time, much more than I got to watch tv. I’d do the same for my kids. But if I can give them the leg-up of learning computer skills early on, when they’re going to be expected to use the computers at school anyway, I’m going to do it.
@Erinn – I totally agree with you. If you go into certain professions you better be very comfortable with the computer. Nurses in hospitals no longer use pen and paper – everything goes directly into the computer and they get their orders for the patients from there. Also, about playing outside. I have 10 grandchildren, many with electronics and they would rather play outside than sit inside all day. And if I think they have been inside too long (on electronics or not) they are told to go outside. My one grandson just got a phone because he will be staying home by himself once in a while and he is restricted on how much he can use it (he has a smart phone). My oldest grandson (now 15) also had to turn in his English and Social Studies papers via the computer.
@hmmm
I know there are a lot fewer kids in my neighborhood now thatn were there when I was young. I actually think the lack of kids outside has to do more with the increase in helicopter parents that are terrified someone will kidnap their kid. Its a hard road to navigate. But when I take my daughter to my friends house there are plenty of kids. Its a smaller more integrated neighborhood and they run around all day. i wouldnt blame technology until maybe the tween years when kids are less interested in burning off all that energy and are more concerned about friends, looks, school etc or just withdraw into themselves. Put em in a sport or something, give them a reason to not be home hanging around the tv, cuz I can guarantee they are just going to go to someone elses house and watch it.
@hmmm
I agree with Erinn, that previous generations learned computer skills later on, because their life/work didn’t require them to, not like today. When I worked at a sports magazine in Spain, we were required to have our own professional social media pages, whereas before that, I barely used my personal one and only to keep in touch with long-distance friends. Those who started working even few years before me didn’t have that requirement when they started out.Times change, so we change how we use technology personally and professionally.
@Naye
I don’t think I’d call that “helicopter” parenting, just good parenting. Before I moved to Texas, I didn’t even know what in the world Amber Alert is, now I keep getting them on my phone so often, too often — two this week alone! Maybe the kids are playing outside, just in their backyards. I’d be very weary to let children go out and play around neighborhood unsupervised nowadays, even in pretty good, family-friendly neighborhood like where I live now. I grew up where it was normal for kids to run and around and play wherever with no adult supervision, but moving here opened my eyes so much, that it doesn’t seem like a good idea unless you live in an area where child abduction rarely happens.
@unamadridsta I too live in Texas and while the Amber alerts are scary, if you look into them, they are rarely stranger abductions but usually non custodial parents taking children. Better safe than sorry, but take some relief knowing that stranger abductions are rare.
Trillion- As a mother of 3 who practiced attachment parenting & didn’t allow my babies to play w/ anything that was not made of sustainably-forested unvarnished wood & who now has to negotiate the family docking bay of multiple iPods, minis, iPads, laptops, etc nightly instead of scrubbing out dirty nappies, I SO AGREE! My 10-year old girl is rocking it out on her robotics team, my 7-year old is painting some seriously-skilled compositions on her Wacom tablet & my 5-year old dude learned how to play the guitar w/ Rock Prodigy. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t gotten my head out of my bottom & embraced the electronic devices. I agree w/ no TV. We stream Netflix & we choose episodes & movies, but whenever we get out the bunny ears for the Superbowl & the Oscars, we’re all overwhelmed. Television is like staring into a massive & strongly back-lit bowl of jellybeans these days!
I am 31 and grew up without the internet or a PC, really. And I am doing just as good as any 17 year old.
The thing about the internet and kids, in my opinion, is teaching them how to use it in a responsible way. Just saying “no” is way too easy.
I agree. While too many parents reply on tv as a babysitter, a show or two to let mom sit down for a minute is nothing to worry about. Parenting is about moderation IMO. Same goes for food and sweets. I’m taking care of 2 little ones right now, well mommy is reading her ‘stories’ and my toddler is watching Curious George while my infant sleeps! And it.is.glorious! Then, the madness begins!
My children grew up watching PBS – Sesame Street, Letter People, Lamb Chop, Reading Rainbow and no commercials. And I get not using the tv as a babysitter. As far as computers – I agree with Kate. Children use computers from day one in Kindergarten. So good luck with that.
I agree with the PBS or no commercial TV in moderation. However getting kids to use the computer, going to kids only sites or playing educational games is a must to survive in our world. It is part of the education system from Kindergarten to work. You want kids to be interested early and become used to computers without fear.
It actually depends on the school. My 8 yo daughter is in a public Waldorf Methods school and there are no computers used until 6th grade. We also limit her screen time to weekends only and that includes iPad and iPhone play. I have seen a huge change in how she pays attention, plays more outside and generally seems happier. But it’s definitely not the right choice for every family.
What she says is hysterically funny. We seasoned moms know better! My kids watched so much Blue’s Clues that I had dirty dreams about Steve and Joe.
Excellent idea Megan, a family can provide much richer experiences and images than crap TV- even the best programs fail our children and keep them from LIVING life
Commercials don’t “have” to be a part of everyday life. In an effort to save some $ our TV service is strictly chromecast. I steam shows from YouTube or Netflix IF I really need my toddler daughter distracted, but it rarely works anyway, and she had little interest for longer than 5 min.
I’m blissfully naive to movie previews, new toys, store promos, and what’s on live TV. I get that info from gossip in the internet if I need it, but I don’t search it out. It’s honestly glorious.
I think no tv is good.
She right, there’s too much available, and I feel like SOME parents don’t truly monitor what their kids are watching.
She’s really grown, it’s nice seeing this.
Easy for her to say, I bet the kids are with a nanny or series of nannies for at least 8 hours a day. So let’s see, she tells nanny: “NO TV” Nanny proceeds to need to use the bathroom, what do you purpose she does, takes the kids with her? I mean I’m not a huge fan of TV myself, but everything in moderation. I’d like to hear her stance in 5 years time.
What do you think that parents of small children did before tv when they needed to go to the bathroom? Especially when the bathroom was outside. Kids can stay alone in the other room, which is generally baby-proofed and gated anyhow, for the 1.5 minutes it takes you to pee.
Is it typical to place a child in front of the TV for a thirty second potty break?
I agree. I don’t let me 1 year old watch tv, he’s seen parts of movies but we don’t have cable and we only use netflix, amazon, or Blu rays. I never specifically turn a movie on for him though and although some people, including my parents, think it’s crazy I think he’s just fine. He plays really well independently and even if a movie is on he may watch for a little but but then he goes and plays. I’ve seen too many parents start putting their kids in front of the tv from birth and then wonder why they never want to leave the house and go play or throw a fit when they aren’t given the iPad or iPhone to play with all of the time. Screen time of any kind needs to be limited IMO.
+1
Thank goodness someone said it. I was taught that developmentally, it’s important to limit their exposure before the age of 3. Those years are crucial in training up individual imaginative skills and abilities.
I don’t think valuing this makes someone a luddite, either. :/
I think she should reverse all the horrible surgery she had on her face, then we can start talking about anything. Jesus, she used to be stunning! Now she looks like a pretty inflatable doll.
My god, another ruined face. Whatever. Good point about sitting the kids in front of the TV all of the time. They might see that their mother has had multiple faces and freak out.
It’s definitely KK-level of surgery. She is very odd-looking.
Great hair and a great figure though.
Thank you for saying that Bshg.
I was wondering what she did to her face because she looks quite different. God, she used to be so gorgeous, what in the heck happened and why?
Well, she used to be younger, too. Most of us past age 28 were better looking a few years ago (Angelina Jolie is a major exception, IMO). I wonder how much of the change is related to aging and two pregnancies.
I don’t think she looks much older, or more tired, tbh. Quite the opposite. There’s not a line or wrinkle on her face. It looks very unnatural, like it doesn’t move, even when she’s making an expression.
I just hate extreme parenting, you should always try to find a balance, pretty much with anything in life. When kids are denied something 100 % it will leave them being way too curious and over rebelling later on.
Agree Loopy.
And, not only that, it’s easy for her to say this now. They’re babies still, really.
I hardly think it’s extreme. She isn’t saying the TV is forbidden forever, she’s saying they don’t watch it at home. They will be exposed to TV at friend’s houses or whatever, but limiting TV in their home environment isn’t very draconian. I think it’s perfectly sensible.
Yeah. She also said they watch movies. I know a lot of families like this.
It doesn’t sound extreme to me – it sounds a lot like my childhood. We watched movies, and as we got older we were allowed to watch TV more and more. We didn’t have a computer in the house until I was 10 (granted, this was the 90s, so that was a lot more common) and I didn’t get my own computer until I was about 16. I don’t feel warped.
my childhood. No tv until 10, half an hour a day until hightschool. We had a computer, in the living room but no internet and no game.
I still do not own a smartphone, but, funny detail, I ended up teaching computer sciences.
I mostly teach grown-ups and adult, but occasionnaly I’m asked to some 14 to 18 classes. It always start with a “The kids won’t be interrested/don’t need it, cause they all have a smartphone and a personnal computer and go every day on internet.” 10mn later everyone realises that they dont know anything. Just how to expose their private life on facebook and (barely) how to send an email.
Well it’s not a bad idea, my mum used to let me only an hour per day.
If you have time and space for your kids it’s fine. Plus she doesn’t say : it is what everyone should do, she says it’s her way.
I like what she says about going to the theater with her children.
My dad, the rage monster self-absorbed a-hole, used to take us to the cinema. I saw all the Gohstbusters movies with him, and that is one of the best memory I have of my family doing things together. Still today going to the cinema makes me happy.
I don’t believe in blanket bans on anything. It’s not as though all TV is the same. I think you go day-by-day and if your kids are doing/watching/playing stuff you’re not keen on or spending too much time on any single thing, TV included, you put a bit of effort in and present them with something that is better/healthier/more productive in your eyes and more enjoyable/more fun in their eyes.
Bans are easy and quick for busy parents who can’t always just drop everything to play a cool game or devise a cool activity, so they may be a practical choice. But if you can manage it, I think there are better ways than simply saying “X is not allowed”.
Totally agree. You give something so much power and allure when you ban it completely.
ITA
Growing up, my big bro and I weren’t allowed to watch MTV, except on “special occasions” like if my parents had friends over for fondue—this was the early-80s, fondue was big back then. We would be allowed to stay up late, watch Night Rider and MTV as much as we wanted and then bed by the time my parents’ friends left.
The fact that MTV was banned made it SO much more enticing and exotic to us. We would definitely sneak in some viewing or even some on-the-DL taping when my parents were away and we were left with sitter.
MTV! That brings back the memories. We were one if the few homes without pay TV when I was growing up. I wanted it so bad that I talked my way into a house sitting gig. Bless the neighbours who worked for an airline and entrusted teenage me to watch their home and pets while they were away – and hours upon hours of MTV. 😉
She sounds like a normal mom just trying to make the best decisions possible for her kiddos.
I agree with no internet or cell phones but I see nothing wrong with some tv like Seasame Street and Dinosaur Train for an hour or two a day. Good luck once they get older though.
Agree. She’s just figuring it out and her thoughts come from a good place. I’m with her on TV, there’s so much garbage for kids and mine have done just fine never having seen most of it. When my boys were her boys’ age, I did use Elmo videos as a way to distract the older one while the baby was nursing. It was literally the only way I could get him to focus on something else.
Once she realizes how much the kids actually use computers and technology in school, she’ll probably reverse that notion. I’m sure she’ll realize, like most parents, that sometimes we need to compromise regarding our best, but not always realistic, intentions.
Yeah, I agree. I don’t understand why trying to keep her kids away from TV is a bad thing. Plus, they are still really small. She lets them watch movies so I assume at a certain point they’ll be allowed to watch kids’ programs on TV as well. I honestly don’t see the harm here. It cannot possibly be worse than kids in elementary school playing video games for hours on end.
Bedhead, I really don’t understand why any kid needs to get used to advertising. They can’t escape it anyway but on TV it’s just a constant stream of BUYBUYBUY. It’s crazy and they’re specifically targeting kids. They always have but these days they hire child psychologists to really get in there. It’s never aimed at the parents, who of course buy the toys. It’s aimed at the kids so they scream and cry for it. What harm could possibly be done to kids if they don’t see TV ads for a few years?
This!! When my daughter watches tv I have her fast forward through the commercials because she actually likes them. Then all of a sudden she wants something she never knew existed. With DVRs there really is no need for commercials and I don’t think they “need” to get used to it.
Wait, she talked about balancing her work and home life and didn’t compare it to war? Whaaa? I like her honesty. She admits she’s never been very ambitious and is working to provide for the family, nothing more, nothing less.
Well… her over surgeried face belies that “I was never very ambitious or career oriented” line. And her parenting goals sound very ambitious. She’s probably just changed her priorities, and good for her. Raising kids is a lot more important than making movies.
Touche, mercy. Though I think she was always aware of her capabilities as an actress. She never seemed to over reach, which I can respect.
I respectfully disagree, Mercy. I think her messed up face is more about her own personal insecurities than about anything else.
I thinks so too, and the business she’s in has probably fed those insecurities. But honestly I doubt she would have had as much work done to her face as she has without some serious ambition to stand out and get ahead.
I was gonna say . . . That last photo of her is scary. She’s creeping into the Wildenstein wilderness.
Yeah, I used to say all of that kind of stuff when I had little babies, too.
*lays sarcasm aside*
It’s certainly good intentions, but it’s really hard, especially once peer pressure kicks in. That said, with apple TV, it is quite easy to avoid live TV with the adverts. And I fully agree about the theatre. I love taking the Fantlings to see theatre. It’s a really special thing.
Exactly. Good luck with that.
I have a 10 year old stepson and a one year old that are both mostly tv free. I allow my step son two hours a week and an occasional movie, no internet except for school work or expressly with me, and one hour of video games a week. Yes, there is always pressure from the 10 year old because he hears his friends talk about reality tv all the time, and wants to know what certain shows are all about, but he’s a kid, I’m a parent and I know what works best for him and our family, pressure be damned. We only have Netflix, no channels as his father and I aren’t tv people anyway. It isn’t for every family of course but it works for us. I want him to have a real life and experience real friends and have real experiences, not just virtual ones. It’s very possible but takes work.
My grandmother watched me when my parents were at work and she let me watch a lot of TV. I couldn’t be more thankful.
I learned German and Spanish by watching TV, improved my English, learned so much about everything. Internet wasn’t that present back then so TV was my window to the world. Of course you need to monitor what the kid watches, but no TV is not good. As for commercials, they aren’t as frequent as in the US, once during TV shows, two times during a movie.
And I had real life friends and a completely normal childhood.
Alos, here informatcs is a obligatory subject from the first grade, so no computers wouldn’t work.
No tv is just fine and I believe one hour a day maximum for children three to 12 is what is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is quite amazing you were able to learn languages from tv, I have heard of it helping esl adults become more fluent, however there are many studies claiming that tv doesn’t help children learn to speak, so you might be a very special case. As small children need to observe mouth and tongue movement to learn speech, I don’t see how tv would work any better than, you know, talking to them.
Really? I know several people who learned foreign languages by watching TV. Mainly German because most satelite TV we got was in German.
Talking to them would work if you spoke the language, but no one in my family did.
As I am an English speaker, I was referring to teaching English specifically. I am going by studies I have read and personal experience. We got custody of my stepson when he was five and his mother is addicted to prescription pills. She would take her cocktail and sit him in front of a tv all day. When we got him, he spoke on the level of a two to three year old and I cut off all the tv and sat him down for hours everyday to talk so he could watch my mouth move and learn to pronounce properly and annunciate. His speech is on track now but I had to work really hard and still have to remind him of words like with and both.
Oh God, that is horrible, but it was nothing like that in my case. I watched TV a couple of hours a day, not all day! And my parents and my grandparents took really really good care of me.
I’m glad your stepson is fine now,
Thank you, it was a rough road. The reason we found it was better to limit him so strictly is partially because tv and video games send him almost into arrested development and make him bratty as he needs to expel more energy than that, as I believe is the case with most boys. As I mentioned, this is what works in my house, and I don’t judge other moms for putting on a show or two so they can get stuff done. I have the luxury of being a stay at home mom which makes it infinitely easier to keep them off tv and games. Computers are fine in schools and for educational purposes but we have told him no cell until he can pay it himself and no Facebook until he is a teen, I explained internet safety and how many creeps are out there and he agreed after that lol.
For second language acquisition, movies and TV can really be helpfull, as you get to know the rhythm and patterns of the language, especially if it has a different structure from your first language. Regarding first language acquisition you are totally right, too much TV and too little “real” interaction can have a negative effect not only on kid’s speech, but on the overall developement. Kid’s speech, motor functions and cognitive developement all go together and affect one another.
Oh yeah, in case I haven’t made myself clear, I was talking about foreign languages, my first language is Croatian which I learned from “real” interaction, not TV.
Thanks Reddy, that makes a lot of sense. Another issue that we have experienced with his tv past is that he has very unrealistic expectations, almost sitcom like, so it has made him a little socially awkward. He tends to try to box individuals into roles and I have had to do so much explaining on how people are not one dimensional characters like a class clown, or a bully, or a pretty girl. I hope that makes sense. He was so out of touch with the real world that we are still correcting it.
I support finding one quality show that lasts for 30 minutes, is colorful and engaging but not too frenetic with possibly some cute lead character that becomes familiar to a child… because that 30 minutes is a great time to slip off with the partner to the bedroom.
Oh Eyre you little minx!
I favored “Pinwheel” as a kid
“SuperWhy” taught my kids to read before they were 4 and sent Mr. Rochester and I into a second honeymoon phase. I have a Pavlovian response to that theme song as a result.
Ha. My kid has been watching super why a lot lately. I don’t see the big deal. As long as you’re monitoring what they’re watching and making sure they still get outside and interact with real people. My kid wasn’t even interested in TV til he was almost 3. And after he’s watched a couple shows he’ll actively turn it off and want to go outside or play something.
well, the no TV is fine.
But they teach computers in school in JK here, so I’m not sure how that will work.
Computers are a part of our society, and they are an important part. Perhaps she means the internet, as in FB and chats, which I do applaud. The internet is a disaster. But, she needs to teach how to survive it, monitor and give guidance, not hide her kids away.
Good luck with no computers. My stepdaughter is in 1st grade and uses one all the time in school. My stepsons in 3rd and 4th grade have weekly homework to do on the computer. The sites they use log their time and scores. Our laptop is now infected with all kinds of crap because of the ads on the sites saying “you’ve won an ipad, click here now to claim”.
Seriously. It’s all fine for her to say that when her kids are 2 and 4 months-but they’ll be using computers when they go to school-my niece was doing basic stuff on the computer in 1st grade as well. Heck, my 5th grade neighbor was working on a powerpoint presentation (just 2 slides but still) Not to mention the fact that’s the main way teachers communicate now.
Unless she’s planning on homeschooling/tutoring her kids at home, and even then I don’t know any curriculum out there that skips computers until 8th grade.
Wow, I can’t believe how reasonable she sounds here.
As for TV and computers: my daughter is almost three and has never watched a children’s TV program or a movie. Occasionally she watches soccer with her father, but she doesn’t get very into it. She does like to watch YouTube videos — ballet, juggling, music (live music, not music videos). I’m not intending to keep her off TV forever, but I guess I’m trying to put it off as long as possible.
As for computers/internet — I see computer literacy as a life skill, so I wouldn’t ban that. Supervise and limit it, yes, but not ban it. In fact, my daughter knows her letters from sitting with me and typing out words on the computer, and she loves to Skype with her grandma. (It’s hard to tell what exactly Megan meant when she said “no computers” in that off-hand way, though. Since she grouped it with cell phones, it’s possible she was thinking more of the social media or gaming aspect of computers rather than typing and research.)
On another note… This has to be the slowest news day in celeb history, right? I am dying here. Someone get caught in bed or get divorced or have sextuplets or say something stupid! The Celebitches are hungry!
+1
I know…so much *YAWN*.
+3
I’m guessing she will send her kids to Waldorf schools which have the philosophy of no TV or computers for kids. Good for her it’s a laudable (though unrealistic) goal.
She sounds so utterly reasonable. My brother and his wife did the no tv/but movies thing and it lasted until the kids had playdates at other households. They’re going to see tv, but I think it’s fine to limit it.
And while I thought the same about the internet, computers are a reality in school. Kids are even learning coding early. They’re useful devises and it will take a very special kid to soar without knowing how to use a computer effectively.
I think monitored internet use is better than no internet/computers at all because they are the future and if we want to encourage kids to be more interested in the STEM career fields they are going to need computers around them.
She’s become a bit kooky with religion and her phobias — just read that Esquire article she did awhile back. She was raised quite strict, so I guess those instincts come back when you have kids and think about your own behavior.
I was raised fairly strict and I think you are right. I used to think my mom was so unfair and overprotective and now I could not imagine doing anything different for my daughter because I was protected from a lot of drama and bad influence kids that just seemed so cool at the time. It always comes full circle lol
A lot of t.v. is vulgar in more ways than one. She probably won’t be able to limit it completely but good for her. She will be able to eliminate a lot of it and that’s a very smart move. Did you know kids will actually read books if they’re not on the computer or sitting in front of a t.v.?
So true! I cannot believe so many people are pro-screening.
There are neurology studies proving that watching tv, computer negatively impacts the children’s neurologic development because these children do not develop properly all of their senses. It is agreed that until high-school the children benefit more from personal experiences.(e.g. You get better hearing abilities by listening to birds outside, or listen to a real orchestra, better creativity skills from book reading rather than watching what others imagined when they read the book in order to create a movie, and so on).
My daughter is 7 and she ocasionally on the weekend watches 1 hour tv. She does not ask for more, and funny enough she gets bored watching tv, gets up and Does something herself: book reading, drawing, piano playing… So my effort paid off.
She has at school activities involving watching screen, I am sure she will manage computer skills just fine.
Why would I shut off her own imagination&creativity by pushing her only to see how OTHER people are doing something (on screen).
I am seeing such beautiful results on my effort. As a result even I am not watching tv as before, just ocasionally.
Try it yourselves and see the difference!
I got rid of my tv 4 years ago.. but Istill watch a lot of stuff online and without adverts.
I think tv is a bad influence as it is internet.. you need to know how to choose and what to choose.
But with kids I guess is not that easy.. sooner or later you have to give them some or they’ll be completely alienated from the rest of their friends.
I think her stance on parenting HER kids is fine. I agree with those that said these are her standards & they seem to be working for her. My pediatrician was all about no TV until 2 & her kids are still little so I think it’s easier to enforce that rule. However, once my kids were toddlers, I was all about a tv show or two to catch a break! We have Netflix so they don’t see those crazy commercials. As for computers, maybe she means the internet?? My oldest two are 6 and just finished Kindergarten & so far they haven’t been on the internet. For school it would be fine, but as far as other activities, I want them to be older before they are on the vast wilderness of the internet.
I get what she’s saying about TV. Spongebob is on for hours and there is so much advertising for junk food/toys that kids don’t need that you do need a beginning and end to TV time. Netflix kids is perfect for that.
I don’t think she realized how not in the demand she really is and TMNT is really the last of the big roles she’ll probably get
I’ll join in with the “Good luck with that!” vibes.
I can get where she’s coming from, but it would be far better to teach the children media literacy and internet safety as opposed to banning these things all together. Teach them about advertising etc…
It may be one of those cases of never say never. Or mums starting out with the best intentions (i.e. I’d never let my child do that!) So good luck with that. The TV and the computer in 2014 are different animals. Schools are moving towards the computers. My daughter’s middle school had an iPad pilot last year and next year they’ll all have (rent or buy) one as part of their school supplies. Lots of work/communications are done via internet. So I wish her more luck with balancing that with keeping the kids off the internet at large.
My husband cancelled our Direct TV when I became pregnant, he doesn’t want our child watching un-vetted television, and I agree. Quality programming is fine, and we can use Hulu/Netflix for that. I don’t think it’s possible to prevent a child from consuming media, but while they are young enough, we’re going to limit exposure for sure. I want my child to play outside as much as I did when I was young.
I’m not thrilled with school curricula removing handwriting practice in favor of computers, and even less thrilled that computers are a ‘part of life’ in kindergarten classes. I appreciate that kids have to get used to modern technology, but I prefer to follow the path it took to arrive at our ‘advances’. My daughter is nearly 5 and does not play with cell phones or iPads. The mother in law bought her a leap pad, so she can play with that on weekends or on long car rides. We do take her to the occasional movie, but we generally hit a drive in where there’s a playground so we’re not in a box, and to avoid the arcade mania. As a child of the 80’s, I was plunked in front of a TV many times in my younger years and it took a lot of work on my part to get rid of my ADD. We buy shows on DVD and watch those here and there, but we don’t have cable. Besides saving a tonne of money (‘regular’ cable in Canada is at least $80 a month) we easily find other things to do and do them with each other, instead of ignoring one another on devices.
I have ADD. You don’t get rid of it. You can manage symptoms very well, sure, but there’s no cure that I’ve found yet. If you have one, I’d live to hear your secret. :). Sorry if I sound snarky. That being said, I totally agree with you that plopping a kid in front of the tv certainly doesn’t help matters. 🙂
Mkyarwood, I agree +1000
I agree on the tv thing, but I doubt she’ll be able to keep them off computers until 8th grade. My daughter just finished kindergarten and most of her “homework” was online, her school is trying to use less paper. Good for Megan for at least trying to steer them clear of TV, but it’s not all bad and you can limit their time, getting rid of cable really helped us find other things to do, I don’t miss it at all!
In theory, I agree with setting strict limits on time spent watching TV and surfing the net, but I do wonder how realistic a goal it is, and if it won’t create a stronger desire for the ‘forbidden fruit,’ so to speak.
I was a latchkey kid who watched loads of TV, but I would eventually get bored and want to do other things, Iike play outside with my friends, read, play games, etc. Today the only things that seem to hold my attention on TV are the news, travel and cooking programs, and the occasional chat show (Bill Maher). And even then, they’re often just background while I’m doing other things. Sometimes I wish I could commit to serial TV when I hear people talking about their favourite shows, but I have a hard time just sitting there focusing on the TV. I love movies, but I try to see them in the theatre where there are fewer distractions. So in the end, all the access I had to the tube doesn’t seem to have had much of an impact.
On the other hand, my parents were very strict about what kind of food we could have. No candy, sodas, crisps, etc. So of course my outings with similarly ‘deprived’ friends were often quests for those goodies, and to this day I have cravings for the banned substances (regularly quelled by reading the ingredients, but still…)
I understand that today there are more distractions like cell phones and video games, and the Internet can be a dangerous place for a child, but I think trying to balance TV and Internet with other activities and monitoring what kids watch is probably a more reasonable approach.
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I think taking an extreme stance on TV is a good way to pique your kids’ interest in TV. Don’t make a big deal about it and it will be fine.
Exactly, I was deprived of TV and computers and Console gaming all my childhood, now I have no job and I play video games all day on my computer LOL
I’m with her on TV, I’m a mom of 2 the same age, I don’t think they should watch TV so they don’t. My husband works out of town very often so I’m generally a mom by myself and I still don’t find the need to use it as a baby sitter and many studies have backed up the too stimulating etc stance. If up need a ‘mommy break’ you shouldn’t be a mommy.
Oh I think every parent deserves a break now and then. Taking breaks has been shown to make people more productive and happier in their jobs. Half an hour of kid TV (like Sesame Street) so mom or dad can put a meal together for the family doesn’t seem like a big deal to me.
Both of her kids are under 2, and the AAP guidelines say no screen time for kids under 2, so I totally understand the no tv rule here. I have a 6 month old, and I’m following this recommendation as much as possible. However, my daughter has seemed to develop the ability to turn her head all the way around to try and see the tv if it’s on, so it’s getting harder and harder to follow this rule. No more tv for mom, I guess. 😉
My son is 9 months and at his check-up this week, the doctor said no tv until he’s 2 and a half because it’s bad for language skills. We do watch tv (mommy and daddy’s shows) in his presence but he doesn’t really pay attention. If we happen to put on a cartoon, he points and laughs. But I really try not to put anything on for him. Since the doctor said that, I’ve been trying not to watch tv at all until his bedtime. We’re going to see how it goes.
It sounds like she’s not saying “they will never touch a computer until they are 13 or ELSE!” More like they will not get their own computers and cell phones until that age. Pretty reasonable.
Not all programming is bad. My kids were exposed early and often to TV and the internet—and they are all the better for it. At 21 months, my daughter talked about food going down her “asparagus” (she meant “esophagus”) after watching The Magic School Bus. And at 6 yo my son developed an interest in computer programming from watching MineCraft videos on YouTube. Without TV or Internet, I’d be hard pressed to satisfy my kids’ amazing curiosity about the world and the universe.
Damn. Good for her on the TV thing. I gave that up within six months. Basically the only channel we watch now is Sprout.
same here! sprout is our channel. my daughter’s first non-mama/dada/nana word was “chica”.
Can I say these famous types who talk motherhood are really full of sh**. Let’s see them get along without nannies. I would enforce all kinds of rules if I didn’t have to actually enforce them.
Rule 1
No Tv -since you have a nanny no reason to turn on Disney Jr. and let them watch Sofia the First marathons.
Rule 2
No French Fries- Ya the chef can make you organic, gluten free, whatever.
Rule 3
Sleep in your own bed-or with the nanny what do I can I am asleep in my own room in the other wing of the house.
I have two young girls 23 months apart and it is really tough. And my God was my morning sickness awful with both. I had to go on Prilosec OTC for the entirety of both pregnancies. As soon as they were out, all the acid problems stopped. I think my body absolutely thought both girls were parasites, lol, it was either trying to kill them or me. Haha. As for the no TV, in theory it sounds great, and I get what she is saying about it being over stimulating but damn sometimes I need a minute, or 30. Both my kids watch TV but I am very cautious in what they watch. Mostly nick jr and Disney jr in my house. They can both work my iPad too. Even the 21 month old. They watch PBS kids on it. I use it as a reward, especially for the 3 year old. Altogether my kids get 1-2 hours a day of tv/computer time. They would zone out with it though if I let them.
Me thinks she ought to be careful saying how much her heart isn’t in her work, not a great way to get future jobs. Many moms work because they have to, and their hearts may not be in it but they have to earn a living, myself included. I wouldn’t walk into an interview though and tell them that. Her telling the world seems kind of silly.
I grew up in a limited tv household – we were allowed a maximum of 1/2 hour for a while and then a full hour when we got older. Shows were selected for us and were age-appropriate. The Simpsons was big when I was in grade school and my mom totally disapproved (Bart was too bratty). It was a reasonable stance and I guess I approve but, honestly, it made me totally out of touch with the schoolyard scene.
I let my almost 2 year old son watch Blue’s Clues (blublu!) for less than an hour a day. He loves the show (thanks netflix) and I approve of the pacing and messages. It’s sweet.
As for computers, the sooner the better. I let him play with the mouse and keyboard, supervised, or poke away at my phone. It seems like computer literacy is the way of the future, and the earlier they learn the easier it will be for them later on. I actually disapprove of her stance on that one.
ahhhh, nothing wrong with her ideas but good luck with it. She is a new mom and like we all had strong ideas about how we are gonnna do it right! Then reality kicks in and thank god for tv and the computer, heehee.
I understand her point and I have lived without TV myself for as long as a year. But I know from that experience that you cannot avoid TV altogether. It’s an impossible task because it’s everywhere. I decided that my son would watch a limited amount of TV when he was younger. I grew up watching a lot of TV but things were different then. I grew up during the “dark ages” of TV when you had only 6 channels and no recording device. That changed with the ushering of in of cable TV and the VCR when I was a teen. I don’t feel like watching TV made me overstimulated or affected my intelligence level. I also read and played like any normal child would. I think it’s balance that’s important. Now, her stance on computers…at least she’s not saying “absolutely no Internet or computers” she’s saying it’s a goal. I don’t think she will be able to keep her kids from the Internet for the same reason stated here, the schools. My son was using computers in grade school for projects and homework. Now, if she limits it to no computers at home, she may have a shot. And my son only just got an Iphone at the age of 12. (He’s said for years that a lot of his classmates already had one) Before that he had a track phone that was just for emergencies. I think in that respect, Megan may change her mind when her kids are older. Especially if she feels so strongly about her worry for her sons safety out in the world.
My little sister is 5 years old and works an iPad better than me. She also uses the internet to go to PBSkids to play games that help her with numbers and letters. There are ways aka parenting to keep kids from spending too much time on the internet and what sites they visits. But…her kids, her decision.
What the hell is going on with her face? It’s so bloated. Stop messing with it, Megan!
Ehh… my kid is turning five this weekend, and I don’t own a TV and he doesn’t have a tablet and I don’t let him use my phone (which is pin-protected anyway because I use it for work and have to comply with FERPA regs).
He does use some educational computer/tablet software at preschool, and I’m not mortally opposed to such things after age 3 or so, when it’s slightly less of an issue with brain development. But I don’t think screen time is a good thing in general for kids. And I do get that it makes life easier–but some of that has to do with just basic habit formation. If he never has had it, he doesn’t miss it. And so, for example, traveling (he flies and does road trips on the regular with me)–he just doesn’t even think to want to watch a movie or play on a tablet. I am traveling with him (plane) later this afternoon in fact, and packed his travel rolly-suitcase thing with a stack of library books, art supplies (just crayon and paper), and a couple dino-bot action figure thingamabobs, and he’ll be set.
That said… he is an only, so I know that makes this kind of thing easier. And I also have ZERO judgment for parents who do opt for screen time. I am sure there are choices I make with him that would be seen as awful by other parents. By and large, most of us mamas are just doing the best we can. And most of us are trying to figure out how to navigate this crazy world and raise our kids to be decent citizens.
If Megan Fox wants to be super strict about this issue? Well, I am more on her side of the line than not and I give her props for doing it. Even if it doesn’t work for others.
Agree 100%
Jesus Christ her face makes her look like Frankenstein’s monster. What the hell did she do to herself?
I can understand no TV for young kids, but they start using computers in kindergarten now and not having one available at home will be a big disadvantage for them.
LOL, talk to me when they get out of diapers Megan! I love how new moms think they know it all.
Yeah good luck w/the no computer thing. W/Common Core coming in, the test is going to be computer based and they start testing in the 3rd grade. Plus, w/the higher elementary grades those students will start using the computer more for research and/or their textbook. And as others have said, even the lower grades are having their students on the computer. It’s just a way of life now.
Agree w/the no cell phone. Unless your kid is driving, there is no need for a cell phone.
Mine were never interested in TV much when really young. They needed to be exercised daily, like big dogs 😉 or the price was paid.
I will never shade any parent for doing what they have to do to get 30 mins peace to get on with stuff. If mine had been interested, I’d have had Blues Twos on constant rotation.
They are now young adults and tend to watch box sets and movies. And football… fecking football (soccer)… so I don’t think not watching TV when little has made any difference.
They are awesome when it comes to IT. I fancied myself as a bit of a techie but they had me beat by the time they were 14.
TV and computers are fine as long as that is not all they do IMO.
I get the sense that she suffers from severe anxiety and depression. She seems like the type who is constantly nervous.
I don’t get this mentality and assumption that TV and computers have negative impact on a kids’ lives or whatever. My grandmother let me watch lots of telenovelas growing up, at night we always watched the news together, and then for major futbol tournaments we’d all stay up late to watch matches (some were on very late because of time difference with host nation). This was before internet was common (especially in my country), so TV opened up a lot of interests for me, and mind you, it was all programs adults were watching so nothing that’s geared for kids for me, but I liked that better since I was all “who wants to watch something animated when you get shows like Dynasty and Return to Eden?” I picked up languages like English, French, and Spanish and it was the only way to learn them for me until I went to school abroad (the secondary school in my country only offered English and German and you got assigned a language, the most you could choose was list preference). If it wasn’t for TV, I’m not sure I would have been interested in those, at least not enough to seek opportunities to learn in depths. Not to mention, I wouldn’t be a sports journalist if it wasn’t for TV, since I was fascinated with news anchors and wanted to do something that combined journalism, futbol, and languages. I even represented my magazine at 2010 World Cup coverage, and it wouldn’t have happened if the little me growing up was kept from TV.
Sorry for the long narrative, just want to put up an example that TV doesn’t necessary lead kids to become lazy and illiterate, or whatever it is parents are afraid they will become. I get not watching it all day, but it’s just like everything else: do it in moderation and you can chose what’s on as a parent with a remote control. About computers, I think she maybe meant social media and games, or maybe not owning a personal one, because for school and assignments you’ll have to use one way before 8th grade (I had research papers to do starting grade 6 and you really need internet for that and everything. In fact, I was required to have a certain amount of online resources in Works Cited page).
You just never know what may inspire your kids, so extremely limiting something is not a good idea, but maybe I’m just coming at this from a different cultural perspective. I see in the States there’s a lot of talk of limiting things and having all these parental guidelines and stuff, and I’ve lived and worked in three European countries and haven’t seen that same “strictness” I guess, so it’s a bit fascinating for me.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pediatricians-urge-parents-to-limit-kids-screen-time/
I can see their point about social media restrictions, but that’s probably because in my experience I only needed to use that only once I went away to university and then mostly for professional reasons, so I get that it’s not a necessity for kids. Same with phones, since parents are paying bills, they get the final say in how much you can text, etc. . The part about not having personal electronics in the bedroom makes sense too. I always used computer and TV in the family room until I went away to uni and got a laptop.
I just don’t get the TV part. If you’re sensible about it, why restrictions? It’s not like you’re wasting hours away watching reality TV. What’s the harm in watching one show for entertainment, some sports, and some news? I don’t get why people assume TV means bad reality or mindless shows, it’s also informative. And for footballing household like mine, you can easily spend 6 hours one day watching games if it’s a busy match day and they come on back to back. A lot of families let kids do it, and no one turns out worse for it. After it’s done, you just get up and do something else.
All these guidelines from experts like pediatricians and child-psychologists confuse me sometimes because every woman in my family raised kids without those guidelines and what-not, but now it makes me feel like I’d be a bad parent because I always thought I’d just do what my parents did, but they just used common sense and not the clock to time how much I do this on computer, or watch that on TV. They wouldn’t have let anyone stare at any screen all day, but they wouldn’t put hourly limits on it either. It varies too, doesn’t it? On some days, there’s nothing you’re interested in watching, so you don’t.
My son’s had computer class in school since the first grade. He’s in 4th now and every kid has a Mac Book on their desk to use for school work. For homework and reports they can either use one at home & for kids might not have Internet at home they leave the computer lab open an extra 2 hours after school. It’s naive to think it’s in your child’s best interest to not have access to a computer at home. It’s the parents’ job to monitor their online activities and set limits for how long they can spend online if they are engaging in non-educational stuff. My son love Club Penguin but he also participates in a variety of sports year-round. Moderation is usually better than a complete “ban” on things.
I can understand where she’s coming from. The media is pretty toxic.
Let’s hope she also bans them from getting plastic surgery.
[*It’s too late for their mom*]
Lol
It’s actually funny that she says no tv (due to the ads) and no computer but yes to movies. The computer is the best way to watch educational shows (pbskids, netflix, etc) and movies with no commercials while teaching computer use. I say this as the mother of a 2 1/2 year old who does not own a tv, but has a computer. Computers are the best way to control what your children see. Just my 2 cents.
I’ve been a lurker on DListed for many years and signed up to comment based on pure nauseousness incurred by reading Megan Fox’s comments. F*k off, Megan. Your children will be exposed to television and the Internet. It ‘s a core part of the current generation. Quit being precious about the issue and learn how to adapt to the inevitable, for Christ’s sake.
Thing is, for some children the input of the media stimuli is too much, and if the child is hyperactive or has an attention problem, it can worsen it.
In our school, psychologists have warned parents that they should seriusly limit the time their children spend playing video games and watching tv or in internet.
I do not think she (Megan)refers to researching, of course if the schools ask for it, they will have to bend, but the constant bombarding is not good for the brain, regardless of the culture or not.
In my country some things about our culture of violence are not positive, one should think and use criteria about what music to listen, not just “go with the flow”.
BTW I like how she worded her opinions here, I did not get a goopy smug vibe. She sounded sincere.
It’s called using common sense. TV isn’t evil. A computer isn’t evil before eight. No child at two or even three likes to sit in front of TVs or anything very long. So she couldn’t use it for a crutch even if she wanted to Their attention span isn’t there. Around four sitting your kid in front of Mary Kate and Ashlee for an hour isn’t going to end the world. Moderation and common sense as a parent. This all or nothing before eight and throwing out there using it to babysit your kids. How about they’re just enjoying their favorite Saturday morning cartoons and you are on the phone to a relative or close friends you never get to see and drinking a cup of coffee and life is good?
I was raised with TV and came out fine. We didn’t veg in front of it day in and day out, by any means, but we did watch TV. It was fine. We were always outside playing, always using our imagination, building things, playing kickball with friends, swimming. We went to the library every Saturday and it’s a great memory with my mother. I can remember my little section and picking out the books from very young, picture books on to classics and mysteries for tweens as I got older. We took dance. We went to the YMCA for day camp. We were a middle class family who was living within our means. Money was tight. We played board games because it was a memory of my mom with her sisters. We colored as little kids, played with our dolls and built little tents in the bedroom creating little houses. No, I didn’t have a huge Barbie doll house.
And, yes, we also would curl up in front of the TV. I can remember being a tiny little thing with my sister watching little shows. My mother raised four kids and rarely stopped from when she got up in the morning, all home-cooked meals, no maid, not a lazy person, no family in town to help, husband that worked hard but long hours during the week. It was a full-time job running a home and four kids. If she used the TV as a babysitting crutch for an hour or two on a Saturday morning or at night for an hour before bed or any time with a family friendly show while she did things in the house or curled up with us or just laid down and rested while we watched TV, more power to her. She deserved every second.
Again, common sense. Computers are good for many things before eight. Why does everything have to be all or nothing?
Funny advice coming from the queen of bending over a hood of a car to show her tits, bending over a motorcycle to show her a$$ or being flat out or mostly naked in her movies like Jennifer’s Body and photo shoots. Hypocrite. I’d want them away from the tv and internet too if it were me. She’s just as insufferable as a mother as she ever was as an actress. Just STFU
I think people generally blow that “the forbidden is desired” thing out of proportion, but with TV it’s particularly true. My mom forbid us to watch anime when we were kids because she thought it was too violent, so when I went to a friends’ house all I wanted to watch was Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon lol. Anyway, I think it’s a very understandable stance and I wish her good luck. She gives good arguments for it. Parenting is a lot about just seeing what works for your kids, no one’s perfect. Maybe 1 year from now she’ll change her mind, and that’s okay.
I’d call out this likeable interview on her PR agent, but I think the pregnancies really did snap some maturity in Megan. Good for her, probably she could find her niche in tacky movies for kids. She’ll never win an oscar and there’s several other actresses who fill the hot babe quota for action films, so I think it’d be a wise move. It’s not like kids care or know about her Maxim model days.
Having not seen her for awhile, I was genuinely curious what her new schtick is.
It’s interesting that as a former Maxim babe she’s not invested in that anymore. Most of them try to be more sexual after motherhood as if they are running away from the idea of being viewed as mothers.
She doesn’t want them to find out what she did to have a career. Or what her face actually looks like. That’s why no internet.
I was raised in a more religious home than 99% of other people that I know or even know of. I should also state that I was born in the early 80’s. Though all my school friends had a tv, we did not have a tv in our house and my parents still do not. When I was about 9, we got a VCR and were aloud to watch and occasionally rent movies (mostly G-rated cartoons). My two younger sisters and I were allowed to watch TV when we travelled and at other people’s houses, so it was definitely a treat and it was usually monitored. My reading, however, was uncensored and I even started adult books in 6th grade after I read most of the YA and kid books in our local libraries. These books even including Stephen King, yet my mom encouraged discussion of different adult books and topics, before and after I read them. I am a teacher, so I know kids need the internet for projects and need to be familiar with how to use computers/tablets to be successful in life, as well as school.
My family had a computer as far back as I can remember, since we had our own business, long before the age of internet. We played (usually educational) games on it and used the software programs. When we got internet, we had discussions about what was appropriate, and it was in the family room of the house. I did play video games such as Mario Cart and Donkey Kong, but our daily time was limited. I did go to a private school and we had a computer class (though none in the classrooms) from 1st grade onward.
I now do have a TV in my home, and now I barely watch it. I still can’t hardly stomach sitcoms (with the exceptions of Mad Men & OITNB). I grew up a voracious reader, and school came easily. I was a huge tom-boy & played outside, swam, & did creative projects. I now paint as a hobby. My fiancé has already said he wants out kids raised in a similar fashion to my childhood, though I don’t think it should be quite as limited. He was raised being exposed to violent movies, nudity, and such from a very early age, and had almost no monitoring or limits. He feels that this exposure and lack of limits did affect him negatively–as well as other neglectful & abusive parenting choices by his parents. He dropped out of HS, but later went on to get his GED and finish college while taking out student loans and working to support himself. His story does have a happy ending so far. 🙂