Many of you have written to us, sharing your attempts at trying to control your children's TV viewing. One mother admitted that she'd watch anything on TV, as would her children. To avoid "the endless nagging" she simply didn't bother to get the TV repaired when it brok down four years ago.

The family have survived without TV for four years, but are now planning to get hooked up again. They're going to try and work out a system of pre-recording programmes to watch on certain days.

Another mother has found a workable solution for her family: no TV allowed Monday to Thursday. She couldn't stand the fighting over the remote control and thought her children were wasting their childhood. The family decided "democratically" that on weekends, one child has complete control of the remote during one viewing session, which avoids bickering. She feels that the policy has reduced TV to its rightful role as "light entertainment" rather than a place in the centre of the family.

Yet another mother described how her children, aged 10, seven and four, have been raised without TV. "They have many friends, are completely au fait with popular culture and are very aware of world issues. The lack of TV in our household is not an issue with them," she says.

"Without the TV habit, the kids just find something that's their equivalent to watching the box: long sessions of Lego, baby dolls, drawing, etc. It is truly not a big deal."