Wow, old habits die hard. I think we’re making some progress, though. When little one got out of the tub tonight, it was the first time she didn’t automatically ask for a show. My oldest alternates between accepting that the TV is off and pushing me to see if I’ll give in just to keep her quiet for a few minutes. There was a discussion about renting a movie tonight, to which I said “no.” Not yet. I want to see how long we can go before we watch a movie. I want to see how long it takes to decompress.
I’m starting to embrace the silence. I never realized how much “noise” was always in the background, even if the volume wasn’t that high. I like that my oldest is not racing through reading a book so that she can get back to the TV. She’s actually paying attention to the plot and can tell me what’s going on in the book. You have no idea how thrilled I am with that alone.
There has been a LOT of coloring going on over the past few days. It was the first thing that the kids discovered they could do without TV. Coming out of that, though, is a sweetness I didn’t expect. My girls are learning to sit next to each other and share. With a 6-year age difference, it’s hard to find common ground. Coloring books seem to bridge that gap, at least a little. There is a sense of peace as they sit next to each other – sharing crayons and choosing pictures that will become refrigerator masterpieces. The older one does not have to be “in charge;” the younger does not have to play a subordinate role. The conversation between them is precious.
We’re about to embark on our first unplugged weekend… a long one at that. If you like, join us on this journey. You may come out of it with rewards you never expected…
