Saturday, February 20, 2010

Too Much TV

Lately (for the past 2-3 days) I've been allowing Capt. Adorable to watch waaaay more tv than usual.

I have several excuses:
1) We've just discovered Bob the Builder, which is a darling show with kind people who are polite and espouse eco-friendly concepts. And drive trucks and fork lifts and cranes and front loaders all over the place all the time...
2) We've just discovered that Pingu is on the instant play on Netflix. Another sweet, funny,show with short episodes and delightful characters. Pingu concentrates on the value of family.
3) Watching tv is one of the few ways to keep Captain Adorable out of the "work site" (as we've been calling the family room during the cosmetic renovations) when Daddy is actively sanding or painting. (We don't want him to inhale that stuff!)
4) It is cold and snowy outside; not so easy to take our usual walk down to the water or spend a few minutes blowing off steam at the platground.

But the real reason is:
5) I spend too much time on my computer.

I have lots of explanations for that. Whenever I am on chemo I get lots of time to myself and I tend to spend lots of time online for entertainment. I've just had surgery and I am still recovering. I am in the phase right now when I've started weaning myself off the computer but have not really done it yet. I no longer check the computer first thing in the morning, nor do I carry it from room to room anymore. However, in the afternoon, when I am tired and a bit overwhelmed (Captain Obvious was sweet enough to let me have a nap this afternoon!) I let Capt. Adorable watch another one and another one and another one because I want to play on the computer. Then I look up and it is 3 hours later and I am very disappointed in myself. Also, the longer I let him watch, the harder it is to tear him away. We both lose when I go overboard with the tv.

Today we went sledding, moved around the furniture in the playroom, built a block castle and a block car ramp, made lunch, and for the rest he spent hi time playing in the work site while Daddy worked and watching tv. I've got to step up and do a better job.

We need more kids to play with. Having other people around helps us both. (And, yes, Leia, I did copy your post title. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.)

2 comments:

Melissa said...

Hrm....sounds familiar! ;p Except that I don't have the valid excuses of surgery and chemo for the amount of time that I spend on the computer! Now, occasionally I _am_ doing actual paying work, but really...mostly I'm playing on Facebook. :)

Unknown said...

I think everything in moderation is ok. I wasn't allowed any television growing up (though mainly because we were overseas and the English language programs didn't begin until late at night). Later (in the US) I was allowed 1 hour per week. Though I'm certainly not a television addict, I think that a little bit can actually be good for a child. Besides - with all the other activities that you just listed, you've more than earned a little facebook time.
P.S. A watches Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick Jr. (I love that show) and SuperWhy on PBS. I'm not sure what to do yet about C being six months old and watching "secondhand" television - still thinking on that...