Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Warning: Extensive babbling follows...
I was reading my sisters blog and she was posting about simplification - it started me thinking...I could stand a little simplification in my life. I think I see that need especially with my kids - it is so easy to fill their lives with toys, activities and cartoons that they never have a chance to just be kids. You know, spend time imagining the tub is a boat, or pretending to be pirates and princesses. I am really trying to shut off the TV and just let my kids be kids. It's interesting, I think in a way it scares me to take all of the distraction out of their lives because then (gasp!) they might want to play with me, and sometimes (I know it sounds ridiculous) that just seems overwhelming. But what I am finding is that they have wonderful imaginations and are great at playing and creating themselves. Sometimes they want to play - but that's okay it's good for momma too! I am so grateful I was a kid in Idaho - in a lot of ways it was such a different world - sort of a Leave It to Beaver life, but it taught me some really good life lessons like the importance of imagination, spending time outside, and interacting with other kids. Some days are better than others - but I hope in the end my kids get enough time to play and pretend and that in some small way it can contribute to a fuller life for them.
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5 comments:
Way to go!! I too took the TV watching down when Parker was 2 and could work the VCR all by himself, and after reading some articles that said more than 2-3 hours of TV a week could cause ADD. If you need some activites for the kids I know plenty, you can get some great books filled with them through my website www.readonemore.com. Check it out.
I thought it was funny when I was helping a friend trim his hedge and Parker was bored, so my friend put on cartoon network for him. Every 5 minutes Parker would come out and tell me the show was over... it was just commercials; he didn't know what they were. He only watched movies at home, not regular TV.
I think that is great. When Hunter was younger we never had cable. We have cable now so we can get local stations out of Utah and PBS. I eventually blocked Nickolodean, Cartoon network and most of the kids stations because I got so sick of the commercials. Hunter was not used to them because he had only watched PBS. We try and keep it 30 min. or less. I was really good with Hunter I don't think he watched TV the 1st year of his life. I need to recommit to this.
It's interesting that you would say that...I guess it gives me encouragement - you know we don't have a TV(by choice) and it's good for our family but I am really on the verge of breaking that principle - with Loic taking naps about every other day now... I REALLY need some quiet time every once in a while... We'll see ;)
Lindsey - I looked at your blog and then read everyone's else's in your family. Such fun. I posted to Sadie to tell her how proud we are of her. Hope she knows who I am. Can't wait to come back to see you all with Grandpa.
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