Limited TV Week Summary

Like I said in my previous posts about limited TV was not a life altering week. One thing it did make us realize was how much TV Eli watches. Most of the time he is playing and completely un-interested in anything else but if a song comes on TV he stops what he’s doing and makes his way to the living room to check it out. Cheers, for instance, is a theme song he loves! It is kind of funny to see him “dance” to things on TV but it is also not necessary.


After last week Chris even talked about not having a TV in our living room and putting it either in our bedroom or a guest room just to keep the kids (yes, in May we will have two kids) from watching too much TV. Most of the shows me and Chris watch come on at 9:00 anyways so the kids would be in bed already. You know those 9:00 shows you love: The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Castle…admit it!

Overall, it was good and I don’t think it would hurt people to make a conscience effort to limit their TV just to see how much they do watch and/or depend on it for things. As I said in the beginning I was using the TV to keep Eli occupied so I could get ready or unload the dishwasher, etc but now I’ve just learned to keep my bedroom more child proof in case little feet come wandering in and I’m getting pretty good at loading and unloading the dishwasher with his “help.”

Limited TV Day 3

Like I ended my post about day two--there is no life altering revelations taking place.  We are just being more productive with our time since we are not sitting in front of the TV.  For Eli that means we read more books and practice coloring more.  Reading books, alone, makes me realize how old Good Night Moon is getting.  Before Eli was born he actually received two copies of that book and they both look like they have been through the ringer.  As soon as I start reading one book he'll throw Good Night Moon down in my lap.  His own suggestive way of saying he wants that one read next.

This challenge is actually not that difficult for me and Chris because we both like to read so when the TV is off and Eli's in bed we'll just pull out our Bible or another book we're reading.  It's not really torture.

One thing I have noticed this week is my sleep pattern.  I don't know if it's because I'm seven months pregnant or not over-stimulated by the TV but I have been REALLY tired at night and therefore, I am sleeping so deep I haven't had any crazy pregnancy dreams this week.

Limited TV Day 2

Yesterday was day one of our little challenge and it went good.  There were no major melt downs or desperate pleas for TV. 

This morning started off with the news and Eli decided he wanted to be REALLY cranky so he went down for an early nap at 8:30.  Once he went down I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher (always a nap time chore), and sorted laundry and started washing the mountain of laundy that had taken over our bedroom closet.  Eli ended up sleeping for two hours!  When he woke up we played for a little while then it was time for lunch!  After lunch I attempted to clean the guest room but with little hands "helping" I didn't get much done.  Once I gave up on the guest room we moved on to practicing coloring.  We colored some pictures and practiced not eating crayons (it's still a work in progress).

Then, guess what?  Eli got super cranky again.  Lately, he hasn't been taking two naps but the rule in our house is, "Cranky babies go to bed."  I put him down in his bed and we went right to sleep so he must have been tired.  During his second nap I worked on some Scentsy stuff and read until he woke up.

There was no life altering revelation on day two.  I'm not really expecting there to be but it's nice to know it can be done.

TV Challenge

Yesterday I read an article about a family that went a week with limited TV viewing.  They didn't do it to be super holy but instead to see if it was the cause of their son's sleeping issues.  I was intrigued.  I asked Chris what he thought about it and he was game to limit our TV viewing.  I know of families that don't have TVs or don't have cable and props to them.  We have a TV and basic cable in our house.  I don't feel that we are addicted to TV.  It is merely a crutch we lean on or noise in the background.   

There are three main reasons we watch TV in our house:

1.  When I want to dry my hair or put make up on I will turn on PBS and as long as someone is singing my son is interested in it leaving me the chance to quickly make myself presentable without having to pull Eli out of the closet or keep my lipstick out of his hands.

2.  3:00 is when Friends comes on TBS everyday and I love Friends.  When it was on NBC originally we watched it religiously.  3:00 is usually when I take my good mommy break.  Eli is usually eating a snack or playing with his toys and I'm watching Friends.

3.  Relaxing.  After Eli goes to bed Chris and I have our favorite shows we like to watch and just chill out.  There is something to be said for being able to enjoy a TV show with no 1 year old screaming just because he can or the possibility of getting a ball thrown at your head. 

After discussing it with Chris we decided that starting today and ending next Sunday we would watch the news in the morning, leave the TV off all day, and then watch only 1 hour at night after Eli has gone to bed.  I know, it may not seem like much to you do-gooders that don't watch TV at all but it might turn out to be a pretty big deal for this family.

I think this will probably be hardest for me during the day with Eli.  Don't get me wrong, he doesn't sit in front of a TV all day but, like I said earlier, it is often my way to keep him occupied while I attempt to do other things without his "assistance." 

So far in Day 1 of our challenge it has not been difficult.  We had the news on in the morning, then went to church, came home, ate lunch, and now Eli and Chris are napping and I'm updating this blog.  I'll keep you posted how it goes!