Okay, admission time here. We've been watching waaayyy too much tv again. It's amazing how a little germ can throw everything off. We let the boys veg-out in front of the boob tube when they were sick and then when Jeff was sick, I left the tv on to babysit them while I finished killing the germs around the house. After that, we just kind of fell back into the old routine. Well, almost - we still weren't watching quite so much as before.
(I've always been meaning to put this side note in somewhere and this looks like a good spot: We don't let our kids just watch anything on tv. We only watch PBS and it's all educational programming. No violence. No commercials. No random nonsense. We've always been very good about the choices of shows. It's the amount of time they spend that we don't like. Jeff and I were actually tv free for at least two years before we had kids. It was wonderful. We talked, read, spent time together, cleaned, cooked, walked the dogs, lots of things. It was a much less stressful life without the veg-out. Sounds like it should be less stressful WITH the veg-out, but it wasn't. Anyway, that's my side note. Glad to have put it in somewhere. Back to our regularly scheduled blog...)
Anyway... last night was another rough night of teething for Witt and when everyone got up for the day, the tv went on. Breakfast was stressful because the boys wanted to watch instead of eat. Getting ready for school was stressful because they wanted to watch instead of get dressed. ETCETERA ETCETERA ETCETERA... This was a stressful morning.
Was it all the tv? No. Did it make matters worse? Yes. Can I fix that? Yes! :) Jeff and I have already discussed that the tv stays off tomorrow and future mornings. We're going unplugged again.
I thought it important to write about our little pitfall. There's no need to make it seem extremely easy. It's an adjustment and we're forming new habits. We - Will - Make - It!!! :)
Thanks for letting me vent for a minute. Hey, wait, this is my blog; I can do what I want to!!! (Yes, feeling a little sassy today! ha!)
5 comments:
As sad as this is to admit, my kids would probably lose their minds with no TV (that includes video games, too!)
They will play games and go outside, but they do like their TV!
Thank you Thank you, Beth! Of all the mom's that have posted, emailed me, and from the ones I know, most everyone says they watch little to no television! I am glad to know that I'm not the only one out there with kids that love tv!! Thank you SO much for you comment, it really made me feel better. :)
Becky
It is a really hard adjustment, and the fact that you guys are even aware of TV viewing time is way ahead of the game.
One of the things I worry about with my blog is seeming preachy or superior. That is not at all my intention. I just hope to encourage and support anyone who is interested in going in the less or no TV direction, that is all.
For us it is easy because we have no cable or satellite and without that here in our remote area, there are zero channels. With zero channels, there is no temptation to turn it on. Plus my kids have never had TV at home at all in their lives, so I am not trying to wean them off it. It has never occurred to them (yet) that we would have TV at home.
My hat is off to you and other families for even trying this. I am not sure I could do it after the kids were used to it either!
Please don't feel discouraged. PBS is a great channel and very educational. The TV is not "The Evil Box" no matter what some people say. But as you know, it is nice to limit it if you want to, and not let the kids watch just anything.
Anyone who tells you the transition is effortless is probably not being completely forthright.
I have a post planned of an interview with a friend of mine who decided to cancel the cable a year and a half ago, when her daughter was about 6. I'll try to get it up next week sometime. Perhaps it might be helpful to read about someone else's transition experience. DON'T FEEL BAD!!
I hope we'll see you on Monday for the project!
Mom unplugged -
Your blog does not seem preachy!! I find it a supportive and informative place. Not just informative about tv either! (I am coveting those little baby caps you posted about recently) :)
I appreciate your support. Weaning tv is a hard task; I knew it would be. I knew there would be "plug in times". (Sometimes I just gotta have the babysitter box)
I'm learning my limitations and (the kids limitations )regarding tv watch time. I'm excited about that.
Oh, man, I think I feel a blog coming on... :)
I'll be linkin' up with you Monday!
Becky
Oh good. That is a relief! Thanks for the kind words! I'll look out for Monday's post!
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