We got rid of our TV today.

We got rid of our tv today. 

Have you ever thought about tv being an adult binky? Think about it. You're kid is screaming and driving you up the wall, it's the end of the day and all you want to do is sit and relax. You sit on the couch, flip on the tele and the next thing you know it's quiet in the house and you're all sucked into watching two hours of doc mcstuffins. You. The adult you just wasted two hours on a little girl playing doctor on her toys. Sure the kids are quiet and you get to relax so who cares if you waste a little time right? Until that little Netflix screen pops up and says... "continue watching". Aka- continue wasting your day away binge watching??? Then you realize it's been a little more then a couple hours and you still have dishes in the sink, laundry to be put away and activities for the kids that are just loading up on your Pinterest waiting for someone to actually do them. Okay so I talk in third person but this has totally been me! I am as guilty as the next sitting and watching hours of tv with my toddlers. Let's face it- any quiet time with a child is golden! But is tv really the only resort we can put ourselves through? When was the last time you just sat and read a book and your kids got caught up in their imaginations playing dolls or trucks in their room? Give it a try because it actually does happen from time to time. Maybe the tv is a result of us trying to constantly entertain our kids too. We don't have to! Let them play. Let them have their own time so you can escape...maybe to a locked bathroom... and have a little quiet time of your own. 😉

My husband and I have been mulling over this idea of getting rid of the tv ever since we got it. We've established a long time ago that we have 'addictive' behaviors. It's a real thing. Believe me. It's not bad addictions. Don't get me wrong we don't even drink or smoke! But we are ADDICTED to tv. Have you ever been addicted to something that you just needed to quit cold turkey?? That's honestly how we've been feeling. See when my husband and I first got married we were poor. Living off college funds, loans scholarships and grants. Because of our busy schedules in school and our next to nothing pocket books we decided a tv wasn't really an option. Except when we found an old VHS tv by the dump. (Actually we found two! So one had to work- right?!) We hauled that thing from the dump and decided to give it a try. It worked! With having our first child while we were both in school we were stoked to stock up on some cheap classic Disney VHS' available for a buck each at our local thrift store but when we finally moved with our now two kids, got settled in our career, one day out VHS tv just went fuzzy and we forked out the cash to buy a brand new nice big screen tv. I look back now and having that old box tv was the happiest time of our lives! Because it limited our watching and forced us to be social. 

My husband grew up with tv. I mean his dad has since bought a next to 80'' screen tv. Tv was a big deal in their house. (No pun intended. 😉) Same with me. My mom went back to work when I went to kindergarten and my grandma would watch me during the day. Every afternoon I'd have the chance to watch any Disney show I wanted or nick jr. (my parents didn't have cable.) I watched hours of it! My grandma was older and couldn't move around the best so I'm sure it was just easier for her to do that. I established a habit so young. But not pointing fingers this just seems to be the American kind of way. I mean when America first had a tv in their home they gathered around together to watch the Ed Harrison show. Am I right?! I'm sure we can't think of a childhood memory without it being revolved around the popular show at the time. (Rugrats, saved by the bell, the simpsons... etc)

But where do we cross the line? Honestly it's only been a couple days without our tv and it's caused us to do some serious reflecting. What are we going to do with our time? What about Saturday morning cartoon with the kids? Or tv to keep the kids preoccupied while I cook dinner or tv for a date night. The kids have asked me a few times now for their favorite shows. Our youngest isn't yet two and he already has a 'show'?! It's been somewhat sickening to think about life without it. We're we that addicted to it that now we don't know what to do with ourselves?? 

Here's the thing- my husband works nearly 70+ hours a week and i am a stay at home mom. I'm not beating down on any mom out there that gets the long hour thing and just needs a moment to vedge in front of the tele. That's me! And please don't let me sway you but just hear me out why we chose to ditch our tv. 

I'm sure many of you might be familiar with Chip and Joanna Gaines. They have now become small town Waco,Texas celebrities that have their own construction house flipping kind of business. They've really made it big appearing in their own show- fixer upper on HGTV. Anyway. I started reading their book called, the magnolia story. (Very inspiring! You should really get it!) They were given a challenge at the very beginning of their marriage to not have a television to spend quality time with each other. Six months later and still no tv and they didn't really miss it. So thirteen years later and four kids now and they still don't have a tv and I look at them and think - wow!! You guys have accomplished so much!! and they're happy! I mean genuinely happy because they've been able to make so many others happy with their talents! 

One day we'll return to live with God and I hope when that day comes I don't sit there and think wow. Half of my time was spent just sitting on a couch. I really hope I can say I made something of myself and I made something of someone else too! I really hope I can reflect on the lives I've been able to come in contact with, the messes I've made with my kids and the progress I've made within myself. So for me, my time is going to be spent doing something else and not tv. Don't get me wrong- we're not like anti tv now. If something comes up and our friends or family nearby want to watch it we'll go to their place or catch a game at a restaurant or go to movies for a date. It's going to be more of a social gathering for us. OH it's gunna be a HARD adjustment for sure but I think... I really think it'll be worth it. I told my husband the other day that I don't want to be mediocre and if that's the case then I have to make some big changes including how my time is spent. So here goes nothing to spending time in better ways and hopefully I can look back in ten years from now and be proud of who I've become. Hopefully I can say- Life is really worth LIVING and I'm living it!