So, I thought maybe it would be interesting to share the "moment" when you decided to go tv-free... what was the "thing" that did it.
Here's my story... So, it was a winter's late afternoon. My husband is a large animal veterinarian, so he has some irregular hours and I was alone, in our little apartment. I had a mug of hot chocolate, I was cozied up on the couch and was nursing my 3 month old son who was quickly falling asleep. I was watching Oprah, enjoying the warm TV flicker and banter, the cocoa, the darkness of winter and a nice blanket. I fell asleep too. I woke up some time later to see my 3 month old "watching" Dr. Phil (who must have come on after Oprah
). Dr. Phil is screaming at these people- a couple dealing with drug abuse and infidelity- they are crying and yelling and begging... and though I know my 3 month old wasn't "watching" it like we would think, he still must have heard those sounds and voices of anger and desperation. I thought (I remember this clear as day) "Is THIS what I want to be his first ideas of the world and family?" I quickly flipped, but that night I told DH how much the idea disturbed me. That I didn't want him to grow up around those voices and pain and the adult world too fast. That his baby and childhood should be calm and safe without the intrusion of adult worries and complexities and responsibilities.
We decided- OK, no "adult" tv for baby or around baby where he could hear it
. So as a SAHM, I'm looking for other things to do that do not involve me watching my TV during the day. It was hard, but I did it. And I did it because I knew I wanted something for my son that was important- a sense of peace and calm and childhood.
But I, being of the TV generation, looked up when Sesame Street came on and planned on being home for that. It came on, and I plunked my 3 month old DS in front of it to watch it. I mean, who doesn't love Sesame Street? Its harmless enough and maybe he'll like it. After about 2 minutes he was bored. I was trying to get him to watch the TV, stop putting his attention elsewhere. Another epiphiny- "I am TRYING to get him to watch TV instead of playing with his toys!" I snapped that off. Again, DH and I talked. We started researching. And while the TV was off (no "adult" tv in front of baby! Our tv was cut WAY down...) we started realising how addicted we were and how much of our (former!) lives were centered around tv and how much everything seemed to be "lighter" without it all the time. We realised that "baby TV" and kid TV was taking time away from playing- even play that seemed "meaningless" to us was important to DS in developing.
The final straw was the cable went out. We never had it fixed. We moved 8 months later and the TV went into the garage, abandoned.
After the dust settled, we came to understand that it was a major choice we made in the health and direction of our family. We understood it may be the single most powerful decision we have made yet as parents- to choose to be with eachother instead of just sit next to eachother. We came to understand how it changed our relationship as a married couple, how it shifted DS's values away from commercial influences, how it changed our use of our time- our lives really. Occasionally DH and I will rent a DVD for the computer for after DS goes to bed and we order pizza nad have a bit of a "date night", but I could never again imagine a TV in the livingroom or watching on a daily basis. Good riddance!
So- anyone else have a moment (or two) where the light bulb went off and you said "Hey- this isn't really a good thing..."?
Here's my story... So, it was a winter's late afternoon. My husband is a large animal veterinarian, so he has some irregular hours and I was alone, in our little apartment. I had a mug of hot chocolate, I was cozied up on the couch and was nursing my 3 month old son who was quickly falling asleep. I was watching Oprah, enjoying the warm TV flicker and banter, the cocoa, the darkness of winter and a nice blanket. I fell asleep too. I woke up some time later to see my 3 month old "watching" Dr. Phil (who must have come on after Oprah
). Dr. Phil is screaming at these people- a couple dealing with drug abuse and infidelity- they are crying and yelling and begging... and though I know my 3 month old wasn't "watching" it like we would think, he still must have heard those sounds and voices of anger and desperation. I thought (I remember this clear as day) "Is THIS what I want to be his first ideas of the world and family?" I quickly flipped, but that night I told DH how much the idea disturbed me. That I didn't want him to grow up around those voices and pain and the adult world too fast. That his baby and childhood should be calm and safe without the intrusion of adult worries and complexities and responsibilities.We decided- OK, no "adult" tv for baby or around baby where he could hear it
. So as a SAHM, I'm looking for other things to do that do not involve me watching my TV during the day. It was hard, but I did it. And I did it because I knew I wanted something for my son that was important- a sense of peace and calm and childhood.But I, being of the TV generation, looked up when Sesame Street came on and planned on being home for that
. It came on, and I plunked my 3 month old DS in front of it to watch it. I mean, who doesn't love Sesame Street? Its harmless enough and maybe he'll like it. After about 2 minutes he was bored. I was trying to get him to watch the TV, stop putting his attention elsewhere. Another epiphiny- "I am TRYING to get him to watch TV instead of playing with his toys!" I snapped that off. Again, DH and I talked. We started researching. And while the TV was off (no "adult" tv in front of baby! Our tv was cut WAY down...) we started realising how addicted we were and how much of our (former!) lives were centered around tv and how much everything seemed to be "lighter" without it all the time. We realised that "baby TV" and kid TV was taking time away from playing- even play that seemed "meaningless" to us was important to DS in developing.The final straw was the cable went out. We never had it fixed. We moved 8 months later and the TV went into the garage, abandoned.
After the dust settled, we came to understand that it was a major choice we made in the health and direction of our family. We understood it may be the single most powerful decision we have made yet as parents- to choose to be with eachother instead of just sit next to eachother. We came to understand how it changed our relationship as a married couple, how it shifted DS's values away from commercial influences, how it changed our use of our time- our lives really. Occasionally DH and I will rent a DVD for the computer for after DS goes to bed and we order pizza nad have a bit of a "date night", but I could never again imagine a TV in the livingroom or watching on a daily basis. Good riddance!
So- anyone else have a moment (or two) where the light bulb went off and you said "Hey- this isn't really a good thing..."?
