Crushing Old ‘TV & Kids’ Myths With the XFINITY X1.

“This post is sponsored by XFINITY. All opinions are our own.”

When “Life in the fast lane” is an everyday thing and not just “every now and then,” parents have to get creative. That’s where XFINITY X1 comes in.

I know what some of you are thinking, “How dare you mention TV and kids in the same sentence, don’t you know it’s bad for them?” Or maybe, “My family can’t live without TV, we love it!” Meanwhile, our family is more like, “We totally don’t even have time to watch TV.”

I know that things like TV, internet access, smartphones, and tablets are touchy subjects, especially when they involve little ones. While some parents have launched a revolution against screen time, others have found ways to make it educational, or at the very least — productive. Us? We simply see it for what it’s worth: entertainment. Yes, it’s important to extra-careful with what the kids watch, but we also know that TV isn’t any different than say, eating candy or staying up late.

Regardless of which way you lean on this matter, I’m going to share with you how we’ve handled this issue in our home, and how the XFINITY X1 system has helped us make better use of our time.

Have You Heard of Netflix?

We’re used to having everything within reach nowadays, so why should cable TV be any different? Take for example Netflix, the new X1 platform has integrated the popular app and it can be launched via voice command. Simply say “Netflix” into the X1 Voice Remote and browse your favorite movies or documentaries.

This feature has allowed us to toggle seamlessly between the kids’ favorite shows on Netflix and my local network news. No more switching TV inputs or remotes.

TV Isn’t Always “Bad”

I’ll be the first one to tell you that there is indeed a lot of junk on TV, but you already know that. I can also tell you there’s, even more, junk in mobile apps and the internet, but you also already know that. But what if I told you that there’s a heck of a lot of good stuff out there than you ever imagined?

Think of new networks like Dog TV, UP Faith & Family and Kid Stream, or the more traditional Discovery, MSNBC and NatGeo. Whether you’re looking for documentaries, reality TV without the craziness, or even shows for your dog to watch, there are a lot of good choices out there. Even better, they can be kept in the 500-GB of cloud-based storage of the X1, and enjoyed later throughout the house or even via mobile device without an internet connection.

Personally, we’re big into documentaries. What about you?

You’re the Boss

I know that a lot of times it may not feel like it, but you’re the boss! Everyone else, including your spouse, simply has to deal with it. You should be able to watch whatever you want, whenever you want. On the other hand, little ones shouldn’t.

Let’s start with the kiddos first. The XFINITY X1 features parental controls, so you can control the following via passcode:

• TV Content: Block access to specific types of TV content: Violence, Suggestive Dialogue, Sexual Situations and Language. These locks do not apply to XFINITY On Demand programming.
• TV & Movie Rating Locks: Block access to all shows with a specific TV rating, and all movies with a specific rating including XFINITY On Demand movies.
• Master Locks: Provide options to temporarily bypass locks or permanently clear locks to allow unrestricted access to previously locked programming.
• Service Locks: Block access to all XFINITY On Demand programs.
• Hide Titles: Replaces the titles of mature audience programs rated Adult or TV-MA within the on-screen guide with the words “Adult Progamming” or “TV-MA Programming”.
• PIN Setup: Restricts unauthorized orders of XFINITY On Demand programs and Pay-Per-View events.

With that out of the way, now you oughta know what you, the boss, can do with your time and favorite programs:

Stream live TV, as well as thousands of shows and movies on XFINITY On Demand, directly from your device with the XFINITY Stream app.

• Use the X1 Sports app which lets users track live scores and stats on the side of their TV screen while still watching another game. This works even if you aren’t watching sports.
• X1 DVR allows you to record and watch up to 6 shows at the same time (or record up to five shows while watching another).

I don’t expect you to change your stance on this subject, but simply show that content (movies, shows, etc.) isn’t all bad. Like most things in life, it’s all about balance and moderation.