The National Institute on Media and the Family has recommended, among many of their other recommendations, that parents set up their children’s bedrooms as media-free zones (buried in page 1). I find this interesting – I grew up in a media rich bedroom – mostly books and music, which I doubt NIMF is trying to get rid of. That being said, I never had the luxury of having a computer, game machine or television in my bedroom. If I wanted to play at night, I had to sneak across the house in the dark. More likely, I’d read under the covers with a flashlight. And yes, sometimes, I’d get caught, and get in trouble.

Now that I’m older, I’m thinking perhaps there’s something to it. But not for any need to keep eyes on the kids (although there’s definitely value to that). I’ve discovered in retrospect that the quality of my sleep is vastly improved if I read for a bit before bed. Stay up playing Magic: the Gathering Online – have fitful sleep and wake up cranky. Read a chapter of a book before bedtime, and I generally sleep like a rock. Even if my head hits the pillow at exactly the same time.

Incidentally, the Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends Media-Free Zones as well, for all sorts of reasons related to good sleep and being able to observe your kids activities (not mentioned – what sort of punishment is ‘go to your room’ if the brat’s room is pimped out like P. Diddy’s Diet Pepsi truck?)

One comment I saw elsewhere points out that maybe it’s not just a good idea for the parent’s room: TV in the bedroom halves your sex life. Just sayin’.

Original comments thread is here.