Tuesday, February 26, 2008

TV Time
















































I heard an interesting statistic today and it goes something like this...Americans spend approximately 63 days out of their lifetime watching tv! A friend at Bible study told me that this morning and my jaw dropped. This leads me to my blog entry today:
Rob and I have always enjoyed watching certain shows at night when the kiddos go to bed. It's our relaxing time together and we usually wind up watching something on Discovery Health or the Discovery Channel (it's amazing to see nature at it's finest on high def. tv), so somewhat education right? =) Well, ever since Avonlea became a toddler, I've really felt compelled to limit her tv time (I guess a child under the age of 2 isn't supposed to watch ANY tv, so our pediatricians tell us...how possible is that? We have to get dinner made and take showers don't they know!) Anyway, I've been working on a little project (the teacher in me...and yes, it's laminated!) to help Avonlea choose her tv priveleges. She has four little tvs (see picture above) in which she can choose tv shows for the day (4 20 minute programs). Two tvs are for after breakfast (when I'm getting Lincoln down for a nap, showering, getting dressed and clearing breakfast dishes) and two tvs are for when I'm cooking dinner and getting Lincoln fed. The rest of the day is spent on outings, outside playing, board games, puzzles, toys, etc. Ever since we started implementing these rules (and we've been VERY consistent with it), she knows exactly what to expect and she doesn't ask to turn on the tv at times where she knows she isn't allowed to watch it. Mind you, these rules still exist on weekends, although she usually doesn't watch as much because we're out as a family all day.
So it works like this...each morning she will choose her tv shows and place certain characters (I got them off the internet, cut them out, laminated them and placed sticky tac on the backs) on the tvs (1 per tv). We've had great success and it's a great, visual way for her to have limitations and learn how to entertain herself without the use of tv.
If any of you try this, let me know how it turns out for you and your little darlings. =)

2 comments:

The Dryden Family said...

Is that 63 days a year or a life time? The latter doesn't seem high enough? Thanks for such and educational post Kel! Dean

Kayleigh and Brian said...

Wow! You are so creative!!! The teacher in me would have NEVER thought up the ideas you have come up with!
I really would like to know where you get all of the energy to come up with these ideas plus do all of the things you do with your kids. You are quite the inspiration!