January 5, 2009

We are giving up TV.

Normally we are not a family of New Year's Resolutions. In fact, we've made a point of giving resolutions a wide berth. So I am not so sure what to call our family's choice of action this coming month. An early Lent maybe?
We're ditching the screens. No TV. No computer. No video games.
Okay, not totally ditchin'. But, it feels like it to the fam.
Big Shooter and I will be limited to 1 free hour a day. (So I can blog and check my e-mail.) And Crumb Snatchers will be allowed 1/2 hour daily.
I'm blaming it on Andrea of Sgt. and Mrs. Hub.
I love, love, love to visit her site and read about her fam. She's one of those people you instantly think of as a friend. She is an awesome momma. She is a thoughtful and loving wife. She is funny and honest. She is the kind of girl I wished lived next door. I am very impressed and encouraged by her. Therefore, I am always influenced by her. So one day when she casually mentioned they didn't have a TV, I became very intrigued. A few days later she explained and I was hooked. Line and sinker.
Go visit her. You'll be hooked. You'll wish she lived next door. Promise.
Anyway, I loved what she described. Dinner every night together at the table. Uninterrupted family time. Quiet one on one time with hubby in the evenings just for chit chat...or whatever.
She said if they need to watch something, they record it and watch it when the kids are asleep or they look it up online. I don't want to become a family of brainless scarecrows...
So we're trying it out for a month. We'll be starting it in a couple weeks.
I'll be letting you know how it's going.
First, I have to wrestle the remotes away from someone...

Note to my Big Shooter: Thanks for agreeing to this little experiment. Even if I did have to do a little arm twisting.

Post One Year Ago: If you give a kid a camera...

10 comments:

Flea said...

Bravo! We gave up cable a couple of years ago and it was the best decision we'd made in a long time. You won't regret it. After the initial withdrawals.

Rudy said...

I could handle giving up the tv but not the computer! You are really going cold turkey....good luck.

Gordostyle said...

Grrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeat idea! Good for you guys! Can you come here and be the boss of my hubby and son? I don't think THEY could do it! I NEVER watch TV so that would be a breeze.... it's the computer that you'd have to PRY away from me! (Oh... and I may have been a little obsessed over the Wii and my son's Nintendo DS --- but that's just because it was Christmas break... now that things are back to schedules and routines, I will quit.... after just one more game of each. Ha! (OK... I may need some intervention too!)

Good luck!
Jen

ShEiLa said...

My sister Tess doesn't watch TV. She has one for DVD's and she watches a ton of foreign films.

I however, love the news. I watch TV (TheView) while I exercise.

I don't think I would/could cut out the computer... or TV unless I stopped paying for the service. Why have it if you are not going to use it?

I wish you success in your brave decision and I will stay tuned to see what happens.

ToOdLeS.ShEiLa

ps. I worked for a doctor whose wife allowed no TV. He would go to the office and sit in the patient education room and watch it anyway. I always thought it was sad. Afterall... he was an adult male he should have been able to relax in his own home.

Anonymous said...

Wow.
I am just not one of those people that find TV to be a bad thing. My children are not addicted and I never have a problem turning it off. We do have quiet dinners and evening chit chat. We are not scarecrow minds either. This morning my 10 year old was watching National Geographic special about the 10 deadly sins before school. And he asked if I would tape the rest of it for after his homework tonight. So for us, the TV is like the phone, the toaster, and yes the computer. of course all things in balance.

I wish you great luck and I am sure you will succeed in this. I just wonder if maybe balance isn't really what you all need and not total banishment. Just send your adorable kids to their Aunt Marcy in California. They can watch TV here!

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I don't think not having TV is any great loss...we didn't have it for years and I regret having it now.
-FringeGirl

Fawn said...

But, but, but Bachelor premiers tonight...and and The Biggest Loser tomorrow night. What about Desperate Housewives?

Oh, no. I don't think so.

suzspeaks said...

LOL to the rock's comment!! I hardly watch tv but my boys do! I get where you're coming from... Good luck!!! Thanks for your sweet comment today!

Kristina P. said...

Only 1 hour a day makes me cry!!

Anonymous said...

1. How is this going?

2. I think you're INSANE for trying. (Well, for other reasons as well, but mostly for giving up TV.)