Friday 1 January 2010

Incedious Unwanted Guest

And I have kicked him out.

We have busy house with lots of people and lots of space.

We have one TV, no cable, no Tivo (I actually don't even know what that it, exactly), and pretty ancient guidelines/rules about watching only on the weekend.

Over the last year or so, the TV has been making a more and more invasive presence in our home. Borrowing movies from the library has become an almost weekly expectation. Teenagers like all kinds of crazy television. Saturday morning Yu-gi-oh turning into Saturday afternoon bad 70s movies, turning into baseball games, and now football games. I haven't liked the refocusing, but I have let guidelines be bent.

Until this weekend....when a disrespectful unload from a teenage mouth that had just spent hours in front of the television led me to walk to the box, unplug it, and remove it from the living room. I didn't have to or plan to offer an explanation.

You might be wondering what television has to do with a disrespectful mouth. Well, it's all attachment. Television disconnects from relationships and when our kids are disconnected from the loving people around them, they forget how to behave. Sounds simple...and in many ways it really is simple.

The kids were facing a Sunday through Wednesday holiday from school and were distraught...it seems they have completely forgotten how to make themselves happy without the plug in box.

"What do you expect us to do while you are at work all day?"

"You mean, after you finish your chores?"

"Uh, um, yeah...?"

"It's not my job to entertain you, my dear. I am sure that you can figure it out."


When I returned home on Monday afternoon, the house was quiet. I couldn't hear a peep. Only the dogs greeted me at the door.

Good golly, they ran away to a house with cable!

Actually, I found them. Quietly doing a variety of creative activities in their rooms!

I love when it is so clear that we, as parents, do the difficult, but right thing!

Yours in Chaos,
Sink

11 comments:

  1. Bravo!!! You inspire me to find my spine and get rid of that wall mounted headache!Starting today!It seems refreshingly fitting.

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  2. We disconnected the wifi today for the very same reason - hope it has the same result.I, of course access via a cable ;)

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  3. Ugh! This math teacher needs to spell check more carefully! So sorry - incIdious!!! I-I-I
    sorry!

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  4. Great idea. I'm making similar threats at the moment.

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  5. Unlike most teenagers, I am finding it increasingly difficult to find ANYTHING watchable...so thank goodness I learned how to read, and play scrabble and dominoes and oh, yes, talk.

    Bully for you...you have done them a BIG favour. I think!

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  6. Well done, Sink! Have you ever thought of doing your own Youtube videos on 'How to Parent'? I think there's a niche for you, and you are so right about 'detachment', I think! Bravo! x

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  7. Even with the seemingly harmless TV that my 6 year old watches, it does influence his vocabulary. He doesn't so much get a smart mouth but he just sounds like one of those whiney kids who think they're funny when they're really not!

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  8. Bravo! We've just implemented official 'parental control' on our tv as from today, whereby there will be no way she can access children's tv at all on weekdays and only 1 hour on Sat and Sun. Little E is 10 and has become too addicted to Hannah Montanna which is on Disney, and she would easily stay glued to that all day if we let her. Parent power!

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  9. The previous comment needs delecting - it leads to a porn site!!! I get them all the time - most aggravating. I hate to suggest it but comment moderation may be necessary.

    What I intended to say was - WELL DONE, SINK. I wish I had had such courage years ago. Too late now - he owns the TV, the house, me....

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  10. oh, you absolutely did the right thing. Similar scene here the other day.. I left them a list of things that they needed to do before I got home, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the list DONE! and the TV OFF!!

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  11. Thanks john..I removed 'the unwanted guest!' and will place moderation on....so l will have to check in more regularly, likewise Fhina!

    so John you get many of these l hear, care to explain further tee hee...

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