It's been a long time since I've posted anything. The kids are out of school now and have been for a few weeks... I was expecting to be hating life right about now, but it's sort of weird how smoothly things have been going. I've been slowly cutting back on the screen time, and at this point we are pretty much not watching TV and not playing computer games-- except for the occasional Magic School Bus episode (see the Twitter update to the right) or just today we rented some really nerdy DVDs from the library (how about that crazy run-on sentence?). I kind of feel like anything with a call number doesn't really count as TV.
Speaking of the library, the kids just got their own library cards today!! What a milestone! I remember getting my own card about 5,000 years ago and it was quite a proud moment in my life. Emma is reading (!) and so I figured it was high time she have her own card. I wasn't really expecting that Charlie would be allowed to get a card, but he was able to "sign" his name, so they let him have one as well. It is so cute to see their names scrawled on the signature lines of their cards. I want to take the cards from them and mount them on the wall for posterity, but I think they would be a little ticked off if I did that. They are beyond proud of themselves.
So we've been not watching TV and doing stuff like going to the library and to the farm to pick strawberries and swimming a little. So far, so good, Summer. You can stick around for a while.
I have been amazed at how much turning off the TV *most* of the time has improved Charlie and Emma's behavior and general joi de vivre. I was expecting to have to literally put chains around the TV armoire and throw away the key in order to try this unplugging thing, but that has so not been the case. They don't even ask me to watch TV! I feel like I'm sounding so braggy in this post. I'm not meaning to. I'm not saying my kids are little angels all day long or anything, but I'm just amazed at how much better they play and how much more stimulated they are without the TV to get in their way and do all their work for them.
Well, I just wanted to do a quick post...sort of pop my head in and say hello. I think I need to head to bed soon.
Keep checking back...Mommytown is going to be a stop on a blog book tour (think a regular book tour, except in cyberspace)!! And there might even be a giveaway involved!!! And maybe even ice cream!!!! Okay, I got a little carried away....there won't be any ice cream, but the rest is true!
Nighty night.
3 comments:
How cool that Mommytown will be a stop on a blog book tour!
I've also noticed that turning off the TV improves my children's behavior, I've been trying to do that more also - I definitely find it easier now that the weather is nice enough to spend hours outdoors...
The first library card is a huge and exciting milestone! As a librarian-to-be, I officially welcome Emma and Charlie into the proud ranks of card-holders. :)
I also really like your theory that anything with a call number doesn't count as TV, which means that my checking out Sex in the City DVDs is actually educational and basically the same as studying. Yay! Everyone wins!
I'm so proud of Emma and Charlie, too! I am impressed they are dealing so well with "no" TV. My kids, for which that is basically the norm, still have problems with it. :)
We went to the spray park yesterday afternoon, so I feel Summer has now officially begun. Or at least it's coming...we still haven't eaten any homemade ice cream yet. :)
RAK
Post a Comment