So my Little Miss threw a fit last night because we had to take her away from "Elmo" in order to eat dinner. When she came home from school, I was busy with a project and Daddy was cooking dinner so I put a DVD in for her to watch. If she hadn't been at school all day and used up tons of energy there, it wouldn't have been an option for our evening together. But I figured she could lounge around, sing and dance with Elmo and life would be fine.
I was wrong!
I have created a TV addict and have to get her out of this cycle.
Barney and Elmo are two of her most infamous words that she uses consistently throughout each and every day. We're even to the point that I am taking TV away as punishment... ugh, she's only 22 months and shouldn't have such an attachment to TV.
Unfortunately with a new baby in the house it's become an easy babysitter while mommy breastfeeds and finds spare moments to get housework accomplished. I've got to break the cycle now!
We have an entire playroom of toys, away from the television and within eyesight of me if I can keep her attention focused in there. She colors, she plays with her toys, she reads books, but then she finds her way to the TV - where she knows what buttons to push to turn it on!
Any "new" project ideas I can do to capture her attention? I would prefer to stay away from messy activities since she can't always be under my supervision if I'm up and about. Or any suggestions for this Momma on how you make TV time work in your house...
I'd love to hear them!!!
2 comments:
I certainly don't have all the answers for this. I actually posted on it last week. One thing that does work for me is putting the TV on DVD mode. When there is no DVD on, it goes to a blue screen and my boys don't know how to change the input. That way, when they turn it on, all they see is a blue screen and it does them no good!!
Cassie, even though she is just shy of 3, earns TV time by helping me with EXTRA chores. She has her "responsibilities" that are things she doesn't get paid for and then she does extra things to earn watching Max and Ruby. This can be anything from getting something that I ask her to go get to helping brother, to throwing trash away...all LITTLE things that encourage responsibility. I know that it is tough with a new little one. At this point, I don't think you should be too hard on yourself. It is TOUGH with a newborn! Let yourself have those moments. She is being educated by both Barney and Elmo, so it's not as if you're just letting her watch a mindless or violent cartoon!
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