3 years and counting...

(What children who aren't watching TV may end up doing instead...)



This August marked our 3rd year of no cable TV. No TV antenna. I read the book "Unplug the plug-in drug" and in desperation to help improve the quality of our home life and my children's education and general well being, we pulled the plug. That's not to say we don't use the television. We have DVD and VHS machines. We subscribe to Netflix. We have the internet. We subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. But WE choose what comes into our home.

This was not our first attempt. But it was the first time it stuck. It was brutal at first. What do you do with all the quiet? The kids thought they would die. So did I. They were so "there" all the time, demanding my attention. (It was very cold turkey the first 2 weeks, no screens period.)

But eventually, something happened. They went outside. They played with the massive collection of Legos I had almost given to Goodwill. They brought out their toys. And played with them. I had more time to read. To put them to bed. To go to bed myself. Before we knew it, it was normal to not have background noise all the time. I stopped feeling like I needed to yell all the time so they'd hear me.

We have some good friends who have never had cable, and I used to marvel at them. They would always say, "I don't know how people have time to watch TV", and I now know exactly what they mean.

I of course waste plenty of time on the internet. There are days I'm desperate to just sit down and "veg out" in front of a screen. But the thankfully, it usually proves to be too cumbersome to make it come to pass, so I am far more likely to spend time doing something I actually care about, rather than procrastinate it.

I really enjoy reading headlines and thinking about what they mean, rather than having somebody else tell me what to think. Baseball games are a lot more fun to listen to than watch on TV. I love my kids not knowing "what they're missing" at the movies, in fashion, in Hollywood. I love not knowing who certain celebrities are, or what movies are coming out. That's not to say I wouldn't love "Dancing with the Stars", and I especially miss the Olympics and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But the trade off for a less clutttered mind is worth it. I am pop culture illiterate, and that's okay with me. I love the silence. I can't stand the noise of TV.

We still haven't reached my utopia of endless book reading, gardening, or model building, but we're closer than we ever had any chance of being that way to begin with. At least we can get homework done, read a book, or just play Uno.

I hope no one interprets this as a self-righteous lecture, I really don't feel that way at all. But if you're looking for some peace in your life, I highly recommend giving it a try!