Too Much TV

Are you sure those are the reasons you're watching too much TV? Are you sure it's not because the new season of Angel has begun?

That explains where my butt is on Wednesdays at 9 pm, but I'm talking during the day. WAY too much Playhouse Disney/Noggin.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Spike is a ghost! How unfair is that! No hot Spike action! rats. But I'm digging it. It's full of Whedon-y goodness.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

I've noticed my kids get REALLY whiney if they watch too much TV. So I set the timer for 30 minutes, and when time's up, the TV's off. I do the same for computer games. Otherwise, I forget, and the next thing I know, they've been watching cartoons for two hours.

We have a "school box" that is full of crayons, colored pencils, washable markers, kids' scissors, wooden beads and shoestrings, sewing cards, felt shapes, glue sticks, etc. They can pull it out and string beads, draw, color in coloring books, make designs with the felt shapes, whatever. Keeps them busy for a while, and they can get at it whenever they want. I have a similar one with Play-Doh. I keep them on the lowest shelf in the pantry. Why there? My youngest gets "hungry" when he's bored, and looks in the pantry for something to eat. Hmmm takes after his mom. Usually he gets distracted by the box of stuff.

Good luck! Sorry you've been feeling out of sorts!

My 3yo in particular is screen-addicted, and the girls "pretend" using cartoon characters! TV is just too easy to turn on. Lately, our satellite service has been out (squirrels), but we have a pile of videos too.

I'm hoping once I get my homeschooling back in gear we can find other things to do during the day. I'd even rather they go out back and wallow in the red clay. Thank goodness, they still seem to prefer doing that at least. Soon as this nursing settles down into some semblance of a schedule.... I was comforted at least by my eldest's enjoyment of some of the books we've been reading. It's not total brain rot! And it is reversible, right?

I promise this is my VERY LAST comment on the subject but it looked from the previews as though they are going to come up with ways to have hot Spike action now and then.