The Joys of Technology

     This weekend was momentous...my hubby set up the entertainment center, and we are able to watch movies again. Part of me is happy about this, and part of me just wants to say goodbye to our TV forever. It was so nice to see the girls playing creatively, and not asking to see a movie every day. I hate being the stick in the mud, but that's kind of my job as a mom. I do have to admit that it was really nice to throw in a movie for my youngest this morning when she woke up before I ran, so I could still have some alone time running in peace.
     I do think there is a balance in everything; and at different points in motherhood, it has looked very different.  My dear sister-in-law assured me that it was just a season in life to get through when my two oldest were under four, and to not  feel guilty about them watching a small amount of TV everyday in order to keep my sanity.  She was right. They soon became more interested in playing with each other than watching "Blues Clues". We had lots of weeks where we barely turned on the TV. Last year we went through the adjustment of homeschooling,  and I admit that I occasionally threw in a Wiggles movie when my youngest skipped her nap (and we needed to do something cerebral like math).
     Now that I know what they are capable of, I'm sure that I will once again feel a little more confident in setting a tighter boundaries in their movie watching time (we still have no satellite dish or internet for our computer-my hubby thinks it's a bit silly that I blog on my phone, but I think it's great).
     Times change. Even though I strongly resisted getting a smart phone, I'm glad I finally switched to one a couple of weeks before moving. I'm beginning to find my own balance with it as well...and it hasn't dominated me as much as I had feared. I'm still trying to figure out how to access one of my e-mail accounts, and I hate that I don't know how to edit my facebook comments. I'm slowly coming to terms with having some typos in them, and not cringing too much. When I try to edit them, I accidentally hit the button to post it, and I don't know how to take it back.
     I remember feeling like an oddball as a kid because there were lots of shows we couldn't watch, and we took summers off from TV. As a parent, I can finally appreciate this because I know it helped me develop a real love for  reading, and helped me to spend more time with my pets. I've repeatedly told my kids that I don't think watching TV or movies is bad (especially when you are selective about what you watch)...it's bad to miss out on the things that you could be doing instead (which is why they don't get to veg for hours in front of the TV ignoring me or their siblings).  Balance, right?  No freaks...just well-rounded kids is what I'm aiming for.