NEW RULE

I was recently reading a blog by my good friend Emily (dinnertime - Emily) and was inspired to adopt a summer rule which her family uses. NO SCREEN TIME BEFORE NOON
What a great idea. So the night before last I wrote the following rule and posted it on our TV:
NO TV OR DS BEFORE NOON: READ A BOOK, COLOR A PICTURE, GO BACK TO BED.

Well don't you know at 6:40 the following morning my light was abruptly turned on and I was rudly shaken awake by a very disturbed 8 year old boy. "Are you serious Mom? Where did you get that idea?" I rolled over and went back to sleep making a mental note that I needed to add DON"T WAKE UP MOM to the new rule.

When I awoke later and came downstairs I discovered a 'counter-note' written by my 6 year old daughter which said, "Rhiannon doesn't like this rule". :-) Amazing how quickly children can get into a routine of watching too much tv and how quickly parents, or at least this parent, can fall prey to the alleged peace and quiet which is afforded by the hypnotizing screen.

Day 2 of no morning TV is going well and we are coloring pictures for Mrs Baines. (Incidentally, Teagan is currently licking the white piece of paper which she colored. I can only assume that she thinks licking it will cause it to seal.) Peace and quiet is not present but neither is the sick feeling in my stomach that I am doing a disservice to my children. We are not happy that we are missing our FAVORITE shows that might never be seen again. They have begun bargaining to have the rule changed to 10:00 instead of Noon. Ingenious they are but not successful.

The one problem caused by this new rule is that I am now the entertainment. Mom can you please: play ball, ride bikes, help me finger knit, set up the finger paints, play this board game, read this book, and where are my clean clothes anyway? Maybe 10:00 isn't such a bad idea after all. :-)

Blessed to be Momofkrit and WoJ, and camp director to Aubrie this week,
KT