The Great TV Reducing Challenge Days 3-6

Sorry about the few day delay in these posts, I have had a super busy few days! I had a cake to bake and decorate this weekend, a website to edit, a website to design/create, a house to clean, grocery shopping to do, and children to watch since my husband had a training course this weekend. Nevertheless, I will fill you all in on how we did during these days of the challenge.

Day 3: Developing Coping Strategies

Friday morning, I woke up with Nolan to find about 6 inches of snow on our walkway. Since Rowan was still asleep, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to get the shoveling done. So I got Nolan his breakfast, put on a movie, and headed out to shovel. Once I got back inside, Rowan was babbling in his crib, so I got him up and nursed, then got his breakfast for him. When he was finished eating, we turned off the movie (it was about half way through), and headed downstairs to Nolan's room to play. While the boys played, I gathered some old paper towel tubes, tape, and scissors, and made Nolan a car track going down the stairs to his bedroom. Rowan went down again for his nap around 11, while Nolan and I continued to play with his car track and train set, as well as tidy up his room again. Once Rowan woke up, it was time for lunch and some dancing to the radio, then we went down to Nolan's room for more cars, trains, drawing, and playing in general, until around 4:00 when both boys went down for their afternoon nap.

We made it through the day with about 2 movies (a  movie and a half with dad while I was preparing supper), but a lot of new ideas of things to do without having the television on.

Day 4: Cheat Day #1

Saturday was definitely a cheat day, as it was a very busy day for me, and Matt was out of the house at a training course so I had no one to watch the kids while I got things done. As much as I hate to use the TV as a babysitter, sometimes it is the only way I can meet deadlines that have otherwise come up too quickly. Such is life when you are a work-at-home-mom! The best part about Saturday, though, was when I got up with Nolan. Instead of asking to put a movie on, like he normally does, he asked me to come downstairs and play trains with him! Which means that my challenge is not only working on me, but on the kids as well. I went and played trains with him for a while until his brother woke up, then after we ate breakfast the television came on so that I could get the things done that I needed to.

Day 5: Cheat Day #2

Matthew was home today, but since he had essentially worked 6 out of the 7 days this week, I decided it would be okay to allow him to relax with the boys and not have to do too much today. I still had lots to do, so just needed the boys out of my hair, and dad did an excellent job doing such. They didn't sit and watch movies all day, but one was in the background all day while they played around together. By the end of the day, though, our house was a disaster zone, and I was seriously dreading it being the end of our weekend.

Day 6: Momma Just HAD to Clean

As much as I hate to admit it, we watched a lot of movies again yesterday. I got as much cleaning as I could do while they were eating and napping, but still had plenty to do while they were awake too. As much as I could, I got away with having them upstairs listening to the radio and dancing around with me, as well as playing with bowls and other kitchen things. By the end of the day, my house was looking considerably better, though we had put I think 4 movies on. A lot more than I would have liked, but hey - not every day will be ideal or perfect, and we are still improving, so I am still happy with how we have been doing.


As our challenge winds down, I am reflecting and learning more than I expected to. I am learning to cut back on television, but am learning new strategies to keeping it off as well, and also that there are some days that the television is going to be on, so not to beat myself up too badly when it happens. Tomorrow is always a new day, a new opportunity to have the television off, and a new chance for better days. My goal is always to do at least 1% better than the day before, and I have learned that there are many ways that I can do better than I did yesterday. Even if I didn't watch less television than yesterday, there is some other way I have grown as a mom, or a person, that has made me at least 1% better than who I was yesterday, and I will absolutely call that a success!

How has the challenge gone in your house, these past few days?