No TV

Ok. This is going to be interesting. But it needs to be done. We ate taking away electronics for a full month. I decided one movie a week will be a reward to them so it's not exactly zero electronics. But absolutely no tv shows, no Nintendo DS, no Wii, no computer (except in computer class at school). It seems they are never listening to us. We tell them to do things to help clean up around here and it's usually ignored the first few times we ask. I know some people can ask their kids to do things and they will listen and some people need to resort to taking things away when they don't listen. There are numerous techniques. Some better than others obviously! I think reading has become a chore to my first grader instead of a relaxing activity. He'd rather vegge out in front of the tv. I like doing that too! :-). Heck, we just got a huge flat screen tv a couple months ago! But when I tell them they can only play their DS or any computer/video game for an hour per day and my oldest (10 yrs) is sneaking it when I'm not looking, it gets me very perturbed! Lol. He thinks we aren't serious about these rules and sees that we are busy doing so many other things that we can't watch him 100% of the time. Anyway! I feel like I'm trying to justify my choice to do this!! I don't need to justify myself to anyone - although my mom thinks I should with her usually which annoys me endlessly!!! It's really something but that's an entire conversation in itself!!!! Maybe I'll share that someday, maybe not. Everyone probably has had issues with their mother at some point... I hope my kids won't be so annoyed with me someday!!! Odd that she doesn't even know we get annoyed with her bc she lives in her own bubble.

So I asked my oldest to make a list yesterday of things to do when they don't know what to do during the next month - and he knows he's lucky that February is a short month!! ;-). I said if I hear "I'm bored...." they will be doing chores. They will be doing those anyway but they need to learn to entertain themselves. Just yesterday I kicked them all outside because it was really nice and they all said how much fun they had!! Lol. Imagine that!! Fun! Exercise! Playtime! We've all gotten so removed from that idea with the daily use of tv programs, video games, computer games, etc... I know it's easier as a parent to let them watch these things!! All their friends are! What a good argument! We certainly don't want our kids being the odd man out amongst their peers, do we? I know that pressure all too well. Hard to ignore. Which is why I'm only trying this for one month. I'm wanting to break their habit and create new ones. We will never get back to watching it absentmindedly again. My first grader needs more structure and this will help.

So here is my 10 yr old's list of boredom busters:
1. Make cookies
2. Make dinner
3. Make lunch (he likes to help me cook!)
4. Take a nap
5. Have a friend over
6. Jump on trampoline
7. Play with cat
8. Write a story
9. Makes comics
10. Do chores
11. Make paper airplanes
12. Practice writing
13. Jigsaw puzzles
14. Practice math

The last three were my ideas. :-)

So we will see how this next month goes... :-). I'll keep this updated. There will be adjustments I think.