Mummy Mugshot #16 - (Almost) TV-Free Week

After reading this Babyhuddle Blog Post, receiving the Disney Stories book from The Works and writing about it here, we’ve been limiting the boys’ television viewing.

We started off really well on Day One although I very nearly automatically turned the TV on whilst I made breakfast. There was no telly until late in the afternoon and the house felt much calmer.

We watched Beauty and the Beast for the first time and the boys actually decided to play upstairs half an hour in!

This is going to be easy.

Day Two started well again. I dug out a Disney CD I’ve not listened to for years and Spud especially enjoyed listening to some new songs.  We don’t listen to music often enough and I really miss it.  I think an apres breakfast dance will set us up for the day every day now! Watched a couple of programmes with the boys before story and bed time.

Day Three and Scatty Dad’s first day back at work after his rest days. Getting into the swing quite literally and started the day with some music. Pooh Bear was in nursery first thing so Spud and I popped to the charity shop on way home and bought 3D Snakes and Ladders so we played that until lunch.

Slight setback as Nursery was cancelled in the afternoon for Spud until his toe has healed better next week.  Off we went to get Pooh Bear and we decorated cupcakes then watched a spot of telly late afternoon before I made tea.

Was a little worried on Day Four since Spud can’t wear proper shoes until his dressing is removed but managed to occupy them until late afternoon when Scatty Dad surprised us with an early finish and a trip to the library.  They watched a little TV after tea as a treat.

By Day Five we were going a little stir crazy so made a trip to the shops in the January sunshine.  Spud was refusing to walk so I had Pooh Bear in the Moby Wrap and Spud sat in the buggy.  Pooh Bear lasted a whole minute before falling asleep :D  After lunch we watched the most TV we have all week and we might just have had a collective snooze but I think we deserved it!

We’ve not ditched the TV altogether but have stopped getting into the habit of whacking it on without thinking.  We don’t need it as background noise and the quiet has taken the edge off those stressful times when the boys are having a mad half hour.
We’ve spent more quality time together, read more books and and have enjoyed each other’s company without the television as a distraction.  I’m pleased we gave it a go and will keep it up in the future.   Spud didn’t even mention watching anything until Day Four which I was amazed at and he even got his pointy finger out and told Scatty Dad in no uncertain terms that “We DON’T need the telly on!”

I would be devastated if books were completely replaced by technology.  Sadly, I think to a certain extent in most households, they already have been but I don’t think they can ever truly be replaced…

“I like a good book and I like to read in the bath, I can’t tell you the amount of times I have dropped my books in the water and I dont think the Kindle would take too kindly to that kind of treatment” – Donna: Little Lilypad Blog

How do you think your family would cope with limited or no television?  We only have the one TV For now but I’m wondering whether we can sustain that when the boys are older.

Faded Seaside Mama has joined up again this week with some lovely photos of scooters at the seaside :)

If you have taken any photos of you with your children this week or have an old blog post you would like to link up, please do.  Grab my badge and comment with your link and I will add you to the main body of this post.