Yesterday I shared with you a list of the cons for turning off our screens for the week. It was quite a list! But they were real and I want you to know and understand a completely unbiased view of our experience. The cons were real but so are the Pros and let me tell you, the Pros surprised me simply by the vast AMOUNT of pros! My hubbie and I both sat down and we talked about how different the week had been and he gave me some pros that he liked as well. So here we go! In no certain or particular order:
PROS of going a week with No Screens
- Peace. This one caught me off guard completely. I had no idea how stressful TV and computer was making our lives until we turned them off! I EXPECTED it to make life harder based on the cons I listed yesterday but that simply was not so.
- My kids fought LESS (See #1). I couldn't believe it! Often when the kids were up in arms about something and continually getting at each other, I would distract them with TV. Ahem. Apparently I was making the problem worse because the amount of fighting probably reduced by 30% (Notice I did not say they STOPPED fighting! I'm not supermom!)
- Meltdowns reduced - Now, the first day was RAMPANT with meltdowns because I wasn't letting my kids watch TV and apparently I am an unfair mommy. oh. well. Truly the TV related meltdowns took FOUR days before they stopped complaining about it - but they did stop! The kids were overall much better behaved and easier to get along with with less fit throwing and "I'm not getting my way" demands.
- I was more accessible to my family and less distracted (my hubbie brought this one up and it was his favorite). I have to say that this one humbled me and shamed me too. My husband brought this up last night and I realized it was very true. I was more attentive to my family's needs and it was much easier to focus on the things my husband wanted to talk to me about because he wasn't competing for what was going on in my "screen."
- My activity choices were better. I used to be an avid reader back in high school and when I went to college, I read homework constantly. So when I got married shortly after graduating, reading was very low on my priority list but this week I had time to "spend" and I used it and read a TON! I finished reading the 6 magazines from subscriptions that had piled up. I read 4 books and listened to 3 Radio dramas from Focus on the Family I had never listened to. And I read about 45 kids books to my kids. Umm. . .NONE of those would have happened with screens on in our home.
The replacement for my TV time (yes, that's where our TV goes!) - My house stayed cleaner. Notice I said CLEANER - not clean - just thought I should point that one out there!
- I made better meals for my family because I wasn't under a time crunch.
- My husband and I went to sleep earlier. This one was also surprising! It seemed that having the TV or the computer on was actually preventing us from realizing how tired we were. This helped because I had to get up with the kids earlier because the TV was not "watching" my kids in the morning anymore!
As you can see, the results of our "No-Screens" week were pretty obvious and VERY positive. So on Sunday night, my hubbie and I had a talk about what to do with our newly discovered information. Tomorrow I will share about THAT conversation that most likely has changed our lives forever. But, no our TV is not for sale! :0)
In HIS Grip,
Ann, it is so wonderful to see that this past week has been such a blessing. I look forward to the rest of the "no TV" series! :)
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Encouraging!
ReplyDeleteAnn, loved reading your post! I can tell it is very full of honesty, and it's evident your heart is slowly being changed into what God desires. {Keep it up, sweet friend!}
ReplyDeleteYou're going against the grain of this world, but you will defiantly be blessed for your faithfulness, and for having an open heart to what HE is teaching you.
We don't watch T.V. in our home. It's been this way since Shane and I got married. We were too busy to watch T.V. because of all the work that came with building our home. {Really, I believe it was a built in blessing, we never got attached to the tube or the couch.}
We do however watch movies once a weekend. Sometimes twice, but normally Friday nights. :0) I believe our children are more imaginative and "know how to play" better because of the lack of television, gaming and computer time.
I myself daily, strive for "proper" time via the computer. {Doesn't always happen, but when I follow my daily planned scheduled, It's so much easier to prioritize my life, and not fail. Therefore my life is truly blessed, when I choose to die to self. {Which is not always easy!}
Your pro's of not living without screens, were wonderful and so very true.
I pray as you and your husband work out the next step, that you will be blessed because of your decision to do what's right for your family. {I believe many people would be amazed at what can be accomplished without a screen in front of their face.} Cell phones included! ;0)
Much Love & Blessings,
ESTHER
www.oursimplecountrylife.com
I was going to comment on audio books on yesterday's post when you said folding laundry was boring. I got an ipod for my birthday last year and put music and books on it and listen while doing housework. I love how portable it is (much more portable than a screen) and makes the work less boring.
ReplyDeleteWe are working on this in our house. I totally notice a change in behavior from my 3 yr old when he watches 'too much' TV. My problem is that I find myself letting them watch TV more for my sake than theirs (like you mentioned about fighting, or just to give me a half hour of almost silence)...shame on me. Right now we are limiting electronic time to one hour (usually a half hour in the morning and a half hour with daddy before bed) and that is working ok, but I still would love to see the love of imaginative play that Esther mentioned above =) Well, we are working on it at least! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLooks like I need to try a no screens around here too! Love it!
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