Thursday, February 9, 2012

You'll get square eyes!!

Photo credit to my Mama

A long while ago I was given the advice "start how you intend to continue", it has travelled with me and been spoken into my life by many wise people. I apply this to a lot of things - my faith, my marriage, my parenting, my friendships. Some times I don't end up continuing how I started things but I have learnt that it is far easier to stay in good practices rather than try and make up for lost time and bad practices.

What do I want? I want a family who is committed to quality time, who will talk and socialise, who will ask each other how their days were and will have things to share from their own. I would like a family who at the end of the day will feel as if they lived. They got out, learnt, adventured. I would like a family who can go away at the weekends, fill their afternoons. A family who can get off their bums.

Recently, I have been considering this mantra to my internet and television life.

Milla is aware. Very very aware. She notices, she looks, she listens, she learns. As a result in the last month I have seriously limited my internet usage and tv usage.

I'm not a huge TV watcher but I have it on during the day for company. I noticed that Milla will stop what she is doing and watch TV (even when I'm not). Infomercials, the news, the latest happenings in summer bay, what ever. If its moving, it has her attention. To be honest, that scared the crap out of me. I dont want a toddler hooked to the TV. I don't want a 10 year old who needs to play the playstation. I dont want a 15 year old who wont leave their room and is glued to the TV.

So, what did I do? I started how I intend to continue. I turned the TV off and I shut the laptop. I don't want her growing up thinking she needs to compete with an apple symbol for my attention. 


I still have Breakfast on in the mornings, and I occasionally keep Master Chef on (although it's finishing tomorrow). Instead during the day I have been playing music from a hiding laptop (really need to invest in a radio for our lounge) and I have been making a conscious effort to participate in her play times. I check my emails and blog while she is asleep. If the day is dragging we get out of the house, we visit friends, do some shopping, drink some coffee or just get out and get some fresh air.

We aren't perfect. The TV often gets turned back on for the news, or to occupy me while I'm cooking dinner. I don't feel as if I'm going overboard with this. I think everything in moderation is a good thing.

At night our lives are a bit different. When the husband comes home often all we have to do is watch a TV programme. We get whole seasons of a show we like and we go through them at our leisure rather than watching things we're not really interested in. Some times its hard to get out and continue to do the things you used to do. With a new baby, the wonders of TV really are wonderful. It would be nice to think of something new we could do together in our own home. Play a game? Do a puzzle? Who knows.

I'm finding it interesting to grow as a parent as Milla grows. Seasons change, and so do we. This new aware thing is a new season, and soon something else will need to be adjusted, and then something else. It's all learning and its all growing.


10 comments:

  1. Well done Sophie! I think also just having the one child, makes it more tempting to turn on the tv/laptop because you've got more free time and need something to interact with that isn't baby-related. When there are more kids, there physically isn't much spare time to watch tv etc and the other kids need your attention.
    I definitely limit tv watching to only a couple of kids shows in the afternoon .. but my kids are older than Milla.
    You definitely adjust and grow as your child does! :)

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    1. You're right Jacinta. Right now I do have a lot of time. Only one to keep my eyes on. I'm sure that changes as more are added, as you say. Hope you are doing well with your new dynamics :) xxx

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  2. Cool! It's so easy to just leave the TV on all day. Things Dave and I do at night? ummm watch tv/series, do our hobbies, sometimes they merge, sometimes they don't. We have made a decision to eat dinner at the table together most nights and talk about our days. You could have more people over for tea? (hint) and turn that into a night with no tv, play board games or sardines. You could all go for a walk around the block or to get ice creams, just to all get out of the house for 30 min. That's about all I can think of at the moment

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    1. Good ideas ames! We do have dinners and no TV nights - It depends whos over :) If its the vogels we dont go near the TV. haha. Mmmmm. Ice cream.

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  3. good post - I spend too much time online. But I have a no TV before 2 and only on a Sunday for the boys

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    1. Thanks Miriam :) I think I do too. Trying to be more efficient with my time online, not muck around on home pages scrolling through rubbish I don't really want to read!

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  4. Your instincts are spot on. There have been multiple studies about the damage screen time for under twos does. I still use it from time to time, but as a tool, rather than a babysitter, and they mainly watch videos on youtube because I can control it.
    My own screen time is another matter. Come kids bed time I am all over the internet :)

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    1. Thanks Rachel :) I'm actually a little nervous in raising a person in this technology driven world. Trying to find a balance.

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  5. I think it's awesome that you are doing this for your little one. Babies are so smart today. It's almost like they come out knowing so much already and they sure do pick up everything. They seem wise beyond their years. I think they have to be clever from a young age in order to be able to deal with all the challenges in life. Your baby is so beautiful.

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  6. I must admit I spend too much time online and I'm trying to cut that down by doing things like culling my facebook 'likes' and friends. This means that there are fewer posts to wade through, so it is more feasible to only check once or twice a day. This is definitely working, but I'm still hooked on email and checking for blog updates...
    Telly during the day is not a problem as we don't have a tv in the room that the kids and I spend all our time. In our old house, I had it on all the time for company, but I don't miss it at all these days- there is definitely enough noise around here with a 3 year old and a 1 year old!!!

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