I’m sitting here, trying to list things on ebay while the
girls have some floor time (enjoying Miss J’s goos and gars) and the other four play
around me. Aj is hard at work outside spreading mulch and cleaning gutters.
The internet is being VERY SLOW so I am writing this
while it loads each section.
At the start of the month the royal we (me with Aj saying
ok) went on a month-long TV fast. We put the TV screen away and out of sight.
Why you ask? Why not.
I was sick of being asked for the TV to be turned on and
sick of the whining when I said no. Now my kids have never had the TV on a lot. Tired
of the battle/tears when it had to be turned off. I was starting to be
seriously annoyed by the noise, and repetitive noises, that it brought. If anything
it makes life for me harder as the ‘babysitter’ is not about to entertain them
while I get some jobs done. But it is a small loss. I notice my kids playing
together more and more chatter about the house.
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| A cartoon I saw while at high school and thought how true it was...I think as a society we have gone one step further and we aren't sitting with our kids anymore either. |
A few things come to mind when I think about no TV.
Hippies, going back to all things ‘earthy’ – maybe, but is it such a bad thing?
Why do we need the TV?
Are the shows teaching our kids anything or is it just
zone out time for them?
We have land and LOADS of space for them to be kids, ride
bikes, swing, play with the animals.
Doing other things – notice how much longer it takes to
get things done in front of the TV.
I am a better mum/wife for not having the TV on of an
evening. It was pure ‘blah’ time for me. I would just crash after the kids went
to bed, now I chat with Aj and do things that I then won’t have to do the
following day. As for the kids, they are listening to more music – dancing and
singing too.
They are outside more; I hear more chatting and
interacting while playing with toys and drawing/creating together.
My house is messier – cut pieces of paper and lidless
textas lay on the table. Puzzles and toys cover the lounge floor. But it is a
more peaceful house.
I am not trying to tell you to get rid of your TV. For us
out of sight meant out of mind. In fact we still watch movies but on the laptop
and not everyday, as there isn’t a screen visible, and the kids just aren’t asking
like they used to. I will have to return the TV at the end of the month but
hopefully we will all have a new view on watching it.
