The TV: Our Enemy or Our Friend?

So we've implemented a system to limit TV viewing around here.

I guess it was Spring Break that really killed things for me on that, what with the older girls sitting around watching those decorating and cooking and makeover shows. All. Day. Long.

And then, of course, for the younger set, there's the incessant inanity of the Disney Channel. Zach and Cody plus Hannah Montana, please kill me now! Ya THINK?!

Anyways, it just HAD to stop.

I know, I know, we probably should have taken care of this years ago. But truthfully, we never had cable TV until we moved to Hawaii almost two years ago and there was no "free" TV on the air.

Then we had to make a decision: get cable TV, or have no TV at all.

Well, we chose wrongly, I'm afraid.

I told the kids we would have to limit their TV time somehow, or else I'd pull the cable plug for good. They were shocked by this threat, but I'm perfectly willing for the TV to go to video/DVD's only.

The kids said, "What about the babies? They LOVE TV!" I pointed out that the babies would be perfectly happy to watch the three Braney videos we own over and over for the next year.

Then they realized this was serious, and had to go along with the limits.

Now we've got an elaborate chart system where the kids have to sign up for an allotted TV time for the week, and then turn it off when the time is over.

It's working okay so far, I guess.

ET says she hates it. Which, as my husband says, is proof that it IS working well...