Wednesday, February 3, 2010

WFMW: Taming TV

Since I'm new to blogging, I really have no tips to share.  However, I do have a confession to make.  My kids watch TV.  Sometimes it gets a little out of hand.  Especially this past month.  We have gotten into the habit of T watching TV as a little break while she would eat lunch.   It's not as though I didn't appreciate that time to get my own things done (bad Mom moment)!  Well, as you could imagine, lunch turned her into a TV Monster.

When the TV Monster appeared there wasn't a whole lot of productive work done after lunch.  My initial solution (that just sort of evolved) was to try to get everything done before lunch.  I wonder how that made any sense to me; rushing through school so she could veg out with TV.  Hmmm?

Well, I did come to my senses.  We turned off TV (shock!).  I started to read to her during meals.  What a change!  The transitions between meals and schoolwork is smooth now.  She is staying more focused on her work.  Her imagination is in full bloom again.  She is excited about independently working.  I really think I was deadening her progress by letting her turn on TV.

So, yeah, that's my totally enlightened tip of the week:  Turn off TV and open a book!

I know, I know... I'm pretty slow sometimes.  It may take me awhile, but at least I finally figured out what worked for us.  To find out what works for others, pop over to We Are That Family (this link sends you to the first installment of her powerful "He Said/She Said" series) and check out Works For Me Wednesdays!

2 comments:

  1. Love it. :) I was homeschooled and my mom never let us turn on the tv until after school was done. I'm not a mom but I babysit a lot and it AMAZES me how many kids these days have no imagination because all they do is watch tv. My mom opened me up to the wonderful world of books as a kid and to this day I'd rather curl up with a good book than with a tv program. :)

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  2. Every time we get back from visiting my folks we have to wean our kids off tv again. I have convinced my kids that watching tv turns them into whining monsters, so when they whine about not getting to watch, I just point to that as evidence of them having had too much already.
    I think it is fun that you use your napkin holder as a book holder. We do the same thing! Currently we are loving Charlottes Web.
    I am having Give Aways for the whole month of February. Come check it out at http://teachingmoneytokids.blogspot.com
    Staci

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I love a discussion!