tv fasting
About six days ago we started our TV fast.
This is how our TV schedule went normally: wake up, turn on cartoons for Lily, TV stays on almost all day through our daily doings, most of the time even at breakfast,lunch or supper. TV goes off when we go to sleep at night.
The reason we decided to get 'rid' of the TV was because of Lily. She has some behavioral problems relating to chemical damage when she was a baby/toddler (you can read more about that in an older blog post titled 'chemical free for a reason'.); along with being very very 'spirited'.
When we allowed her to watch TV all the time like that she would act out and be tired, not listen, etc. It flared up her behavior problems and I knew that we were messing up -- we had never ever wanted our kids to watch TV this much!! In fact, Lily didn't even watch her first movie on the TV until she was 22 months old! Almost 2 years old! Over time, with Elizabeth being a baby and us being so busy, the TV just started being on all the time and we didn't even realize what we were doing. It's very unhealthy and habitual if abused; we knew this was wrong.
Lily had been very bad the few days before 14th; and I was just sick of this routine day after day: TV, fight with Lily, TV, fight with Lily -- it was exhausting and unneccessary!! She would sit in front of the TV, whether it was on or not; and dig through the movies saying "Mommy I want to watch this one!" I'd think "okay just one". But after that movie was done she'd want to watch another, I'd say no and she would scream and cry! I knew she had an unhealthy obsession and we never wanted that for our kids --it's obviously unhealthy! I pledged that Lily would not watch a movie or TV for thirty days.
So we shut the TV off and moved the couch so instead of facing the TV it's turned towards their toys and our center of our living room. So far the TV's stayed off successfully for Lily. I will turn it on during their afternoon nap to watch General Hospital. And after they go to bed at night sometimes Chris and I will watch a movie. But she hasn't watched it and she actually doesn't even ask or notice. Three days into our 'fast' I mentioned something to Chris about the TV and she asked "Mommy, I can't watch TV because I was mean. . . . I'll be nice now. " CUTE :) But it remained off and it will for 24 more days. After that we are creating a healthy TV schedule which includes educational movies only. And regular movies 2x a week.
I'm so relieved that we are finally getting the TV out of our lives! I feel so much better through the day and Lily does too. Which means we get a long better, my day is easier and there is peace in our home.
Thank you Jesus for being a light to our mind's of what is right!
This is how our TV schedule went normally: wake up, turn on cartoons for Lily, TV stays on almost all day through our daily doings, most of the time even at breakfast,lunch or supper. TV goes off when we go to sleep at night.
The reason we decided to get 'rid' of the TV was because of Lily. She has some behavioral problems relating to chemical damage when she was a baby/toddler (you can read more about that in an older blog post titled 'chemical free for a reason'.); along with being very very 'spirited'.
When we allowed her to watch TV all the time like that she would act out and be tired, not listen, etc. It flared up her behavior problems and I knew that we were messing up -- we had never ever wanted our kids to watch TV this much!! In fact, Lily didn't even watch her first movie on the TV until she was 22 months old! Almost 2 years old! Over time, with Elizabeth being a baby and us being so busy, the TV just started being on all the time and we didn't even realize what we were doing. It's very unhealthy and habitual if abused; we knew this was wrong.
Lily had been very bad the few days before 14th; and I was just sick of this routine day after day: TV, fight with Lily, TV, fight with Lily -- it was exhausting and unneccessary!! She would sit in front of the TV, whether it was on or not; and dig through the movies saying "Mommy I want to watch this one!" I'd think "okay just one". But after that movie was done she'd want to watch another, I'd say no and she would scream and cry! I knew she had an unhealthy obsession and we never wanted that for our kids --it's obviously unhealthy! I pledged that Lily would not watch a movie or TV for thirty days.
So we shut the TV off and moved the couch so instead of facing the TV it's turned towards their toys and our center of our living room. So far the TV's stayed off successfully for Lily. I will turn it on during their afternoon nap to watch General Hospital. And after they go to bed at night sometimes Chris and I will watch a movie. But she hasn't watched it and she actually doesn't even ask or notice. Three days into our 'fast' I mentioned something to Chris about the TV and she asked "Mommy, I can't watch TV because I was mean. . . . I'll be nice now. " CUTE :) But it remained off and it will for 24 more days. After that we are creating a healthy TV schedule which includes educational movies only. And regular movies 2x a week.
I'm so relieved that we are finally getting the TV out of our lives! I feel so much better through the day and Lily does too. Which means we get a long better, my day is easier and there is peace in our home.
Thank you Jesus for being a light to our mind's of what is right!
