TV or not TV that is the Question

I am beginning to see a pattern.

When there is change in the air or stress on the horizon, I can become a little too preoccupied on 'perfecting' for my own good.

Whether it is a morning routine tick chart, or creating nutritious lunch boxes, I have a tendency to go all gungho on my latest and greatest obsession, in an attempt to bring a sense of control to my life. 

And so it was, with the latest school holidays looming and the impending stress in which they could entail, that I started to analyse screen time and found myself asking, TV or not TV, that is the question?

Most sane people would interject at this point and warn that school holidays is not the time to be a martyr and question TV viewing. 

But I was!

Determined to avoid the effects of too much TV time over the holidays.

Of course it is not just TV anymore, it is a whole lot more prevalent now with DVD's, Wii, Xbox, PlayStation, and the net (thankfully we are not proud owners of all of the above culprits).

Before you know it the kids are having a screen fest and I have observed that this "screen" stuff can be rather addictive.  Just one more episode, just one more game, just one more level...

Now I am in no means against TV, for in times gone by the TV and I forged a close relationship.  I found it to be most obliging to babysit Precious on his frequent 5.30am risings, playing reruns of our knight in shining armour... Thomas!

Nowadays, it's the power of the pig.  Pepper Pig,  a little female snorting pig, along with her brother George who somehow manages to simultaneously stimulate, educate and entertain a 7, 4 and 2 year old!

Of course in a perfect world my lot would sleep in, consume a large nutritious breakfast (and clean up after themselves), venture outside for the day to play happily and creatively, reappearing only for the needs of hydration and refuelling. The mere thought of "screen" a distant memory...

But my reality plays out a little different to that!  Well alot different, and so to meet the needs of all of those that dwell within this home, it was a given, we need screen time!

But how much was the question?

I confess there have been times I have been tempted to take things to the extreme and crank up the lap top to provide a third and alternative viewing experience, to accommodate the 3 different ages and stages of interest and development. 

And in more dire times when desperate for a "moment" of peace and quiet I have been known to threaten "quiet TV time or time out"!

Finding a happy medium was now my objective.

And I took a rather radical approach. 

Instead of setting limits for TV time (knowing the energy required to instigate, negotiate and adjudicate these limits), I decided to allow the kids the freedom and responsibility to "self televise" something like "self medicating" although a little less hazardous to the health.

Some may call it irresponsible... I called it survival!

So how did we go?

Well the results are in and surprise surprise, this new found freedom meant the kids watched less TV than normal and we all lapped up the benefits as a result.

Will this tactic continue for the term?  Most definitely not!  We may test the waters again as the next school holidays draw near, but in the meantime...


What do you think?  TV, friend or foe?