Getting rid of cable during the younger years is smart. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero screen time for babies younger than 2 years old and there is strong evident to support limiting screen time = healthy brain development in the very young.
The AAP recommends that parents establish "screen-free" zones at home by making sure there are no televisions, computers or video games in children's bedrooms, and by turning off the TV during dinner. Children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than one or two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content. It is important for kids to spend time on outdoor play, reading, hobbies, and using their imaginations in free play.
Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age 2. A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens.
My son will never have a TV or computer in his room. We will severely limit his TV intake and computer usage. We are active adults, hiking, biking, YMCA events, and will include our son in as much outside activities as possible.
That said, I think it's silly to go to such an extreme and do "zero" screen time. My wife regularly let's my 15 month old play Fischer Price games and he's probably watched three or four Dora the Explorer episodes and a handful of Nihau Kai-Lan shows and maybe a couple Curious George shows. He doesn't seem to be able to watch an entire episode for the most part, and he is still way ahead on development milestones.
Could he be further along? Who knows, he could be further behind. I think it is as bad to be neurotic about these things as neglectful and uncaring to be honest.
Great question, IMO, but nope, TV was entirely a family event that happened in the living room. I did, however, spend many hours in my room reading books.
edit: And didn't have computers until I was in my teens. I think my first computer was when I was in 9th grade or so, and they were like 3,000 bucks, so no chance of us having one of our own in our room, lol.
http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-init...
The AAP recommends that parents establish "screen-free" zones at home by making sure there are no televisions, computers or video games in children's bedrooms, and by turning off the TV during dinner. Children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than one or two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content. It is important for kids to spend time on outdoor play, reading, hobbies, and using their imaginations in free play.
Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age 2. A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens.