Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Summer Challenge


Is it Spencer or Ezra? I know, it's like impossible to tell!

It is JUNE! And the sun is SHINING! This alone is worthy of JOY AND HAPPINESS! It's supposed to rain again tomorrow, so whatever. My flooded basements is unhappy about this news. But a giant fan from the carpet people will hopefully dry everything out before tomorrow.

And since it's JUNE and it's WARM, I've got summer on the brain.

A lot of my incredible friends are doing something along the lines of weeks with themes and field trips and oh my gosh so much fun.

I am not.

It's not that I don't want my children to enjoy summer, of course I do.

But guess what? I did themes and field trips ALL YEAR thanks to home education.

So, we're ALL taking the summer off. Just lots of playing outside, and tons of book-reading and yes field trips and gardening and bug watching and all that jazz, just without the schedule.

AHHH! YES!!! It's like taking a big stretch after a great nap. Mmmmm. Nice.

With that plan firmly in place, I am taking the good weather of the summer to face a different challenge.

TV time. To be clear, I have zero issues with MYSELF and the TV. I could take or leave all but two shows. I mostly choose to leave... but my kids.

Oh my kids. See, with winter and Ezra being born, we got into a rut of "Lunch-school-movie." It's just what happened. I don't like that my kids automatically know that it's movie time. I don't like the incredible amount of whining that occurs when it doesn't happen on their time frame or if I nix it after 40 minutes. I don't like it.

They don't need it. Guess who needs it?

Yup. ME! I'm the true movie-time addict. It's sad but true. So, it's my issue that I need to undo.

I haven't decided how or when to instigate new TV time rules. Ideally, I'd like it to be so rare that it's a special treat for us all! Like, when it actually stops monsooning and rain is a rarity, or maybe Fridays or something!

It's not that TV is bad. I assure you my children watch nothing questionable. It's not that I think they are suffering from it. No, I do not.

It's the incredible guilt I'm carrying around knowing that I 100% use that stupid flat-screen (she's a beauty, really she is) as a crutch, as a baby-sitter. I need to be better. Honestly, I wouldn't care if they watched an episode or two on PBS kids every single day, IF it wasn't something I couldn't live without.

So, without further ado, I am undoing what I've done to myself.

Viva Le Revolution!

Oh my kids are going to freaking hate me.

5 comments:

Alice said...

Spencer. I say that having you time in the middle of the day is not a bad thing. I really think it is important for your sanity. I'd keep movie during nap time, but that is just me, just sayin'. You are so good at what you do and do need down time on occasion. So there is my two cents on the subject. Sorry about the flood. Maybe an ark is necessary! Have a spamtastic day.

Unknown said...

Good luck. You'll do great. Our girls can earn 30 minutes each (this is of TV, movie, video game or computer time). It gives them what they want (which is some time with the idiot box) but also gives structure so they don't freak out on me (since tv is a stimulator - and not in a good way).

I admit, this rule doesn't apply to So You Think You Can Dance. That is the one show I do watch (stupid I know).

Good luck with the flooding (again). I wish your landlords would actually fix that for you.

Tonya said...

Oh, the television! Love it, hate it. I feel your guilt. However, all moms need breaks. I think our generation of moms do not have the support that our moms and grandmas had. Some of us live far from family, many women work outside the home. That can leave many of us home alone with young children for hours upon end. If it helps you to have the TV on for a little while, I say no problem!

Yasmine said...

I'm fearing the summer tv time overload, so thanks for inspiring me. It's ok for the kids to hate us!

Anna said...

I say Spencer too

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