Since the school year has ended I’ve had this idea that I’d like to try to go as many days this summer without tv as possible.
Only, I’m not telling my kids this. During the school year and the schedules and the hectic this-that-and-the-other thing we tend to allow more screen time than necessary. It almost becomes part of the routine.
I’ve noticed my kids attention spans, imaginations, willingness to listen/have patience and ability to entertain themselves goes waaaaaaaaaaaaay down when they’re in front of any kind of screen for any amount of time.
Which, if you ask me, is a recipe for a complete disaster for an entire summer vacation.
So anyhow: on her last day of kindergarten I asked her if she thought we could go an entire day without watching TV. Her answer? SURE!
And I’ve asked her that every day since and every time I ask her she says: Oh yeah! Sure! Yup! You bet!
Like she doesn’t remember that yesterday we did the same thing, for 24 hours. At any time if they ask me to break the challenge for the **day** I’m guessing we’ll break it. But they haven’t asked me yet.
How’s it working? We’re playing outside every day, which isn’t the easiest thing to do in this apartment. So we’re picnicking to parks, riding bikes, going to new green spaces and exploring. Our daughter is a coloring madwoman and we’re watching her become the artist/author she’s always been. (She’s on to writing her own comic books)
Playdough, bubbles, dirt between our toes.
We’re only a week into summer and only a handful of days into this challenge, at that. I’m just proud of them for going along with it for this long. I’ve questioned, many times, whether or not to just get rid of our TV entirely. I’m not enthusiastic about the things they pick up (even from the few ad-free child channels we have). Plus, that’s what books are for. And we live only 3 blocks from our library.
Yeah. I think we can do this.
That’s my secret to our Summer 2011: Out Of Focus.
Leave a comment and tell me your secrets to summer success.
Cancel your cable. Buy a Roku or an AppleTv with Netflix streaming and Hulu. I barely turn my TV on and the cost is tremendously less. But the option is still there if I want to watch something. That way you can have an occasional family movie night or something on the cheap. Oh, and the commercials… range from non-existant to barely noticeable.
Great challenge! You can do it! š
I to am trying to get my kids outside more and more – using tv only when it’s been rainy for days. Though I’m limited as to what we can do outside all day. Nothing in the yard to play with (other than a pile of dirt under the deck) and the littlest can’t ride a bike herself. I need to go buy another kiddie pool and try and get out to the park closest to our home. My goal is to spend all morning quickly doing chores, and then outside till lunch!
Hesther – love the idea! We have an apple tv already too! Do you pay for hulu as well or just get the freedies?
I mean Heather. So sorry!
Try geocaching! You can go to a different park whenever you want and find treasures down the trails.
There are some neat things on some of the PBS and science channels. But, hands on is good, too. Maybe on a rainy day…
If all goes according to plan, I may be there for a few days later this month…maybe we can do the park together.
Jodi, I pay for Hulu. It’s 7.99 a month. worth it for me. But I don’t think the AppleTv supports Hulu Plus yet.
A park sounds fun! Hopefully we’ll see you in just a few weeks then Uncle Jim!
Sounds like a good routine – we have a kiddie pool but no way of using it at this apartment. There’s no water service on the outside of the house and we don’t have a hose any more. Plus there’s no where to leave it up and filled over night. Cats and other wild vermin will think it’s for them. Gross.