We've given in to the dark side....

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After almost a year without a TV, I'm back to having a TV. And cable. Bo was offered a deal that couldn't be passed up, which offers channels she loves (History, Discovery, Nat Geo, among others). We're testing the service out for a couple of weeks, and if we like it,* we're going to keep it.

I'm looking forward to some aspects of having cable. Family movie nights will be easier, and I'll be able to watch some things that I've been missing (like Doctor Who). But despite going back to a traditional TV-in-the-living-room setup, the rules for TV-viewing for the munchkins are still in effect. During the school year, they only watch shows on days there is no school, and during extended breaks (winter break, spring break, summer), they can only watch shows on the weekends.

The munchkins don't seem to mind the rule. (Not that they have a choice in the matter....) They only occasionally ask to watch something, knowing that if they're allowed to watch a show, I'll offer. We also do "family movie night" on Fridays, so they get to watch quite a bit of TV on Friday nights. I think that satisfies them.

When they get older, we'll be able to relax the rule a bit, but I hope that, by then, they'll be much more interested in other things** and will have little interest in watching TV.

In the meantime, I'll be watching Unsolved Mysteries while I work this morning.






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*We're going to like it. I have BBC America. Hello, Doctor!

**LIKE BOOKS!!

No TV for us, thanks

Way back in January I posted about not having a TV. I didn't bring it when I moved, and made the decision not to replace it. The kids watched shows on my tablet on the weekends, and that seemed to satisfy them.

Throughout the spring I became a bit more lax. Work became busier, so I would let the kids watch a show while I was finishing a project, or we would watch something together over dinner. It wasn't the end of the world.

Last week, however, my tablet decided it had had enough. It's not really working anymore, so when I picked the kids up from Monty, I had to tell them they couldn't watch anything. No tablet, no shows.

When the tablet first went out I considered replacing it with a TV, at least in my bedroom. I reasoned that we could do family movie nights in my room, and when the kids were gone, I could watch movies or shows.

But I don't think I will.

It's been five days with the munchkins and no shows (though they did watch Monsters, Inc. after dinner on Monday), and it's been much more peaceful around here. The munchkins play together (mostly) well, and are discovering new and exciting ways of keeping themselves entertained. When they do get loud, they aren't competing with the volume of a show, so it doesn't feel overwhelmingly loud. If I need or want noise (after the munchkins are in bed), I can watch something on my laptop, or listen to music or a podcast.

We may have to readjust our family movie nights (maybe we'll do family game nights instead), but I think keeping our home TV-free is a good decision for the foreseeable future. I don't miss having a TV, and aside from one almost-tantrum from Puck about not getting to watch something this afternoon, the kids don't seem to miss it either.

Things may change in the future. I may end up getting a TV and cable. But for now, I like our show and movie habits just the way they are: virtually nonexistent.

We are a TV-free home.

There is no TV in my new home. It was something I'd been considering from the time I knew I was going to move. I thought the transition would be a good opportunity to leave it behind. I figured the munchkins would be excited about their new home and routine, and wouldn't miss not having it.

I was right.

Last week, I asked Puck if it was okay that I don't have a TV. He has a few shows he really loves, and will ask to watch them frequently. He said it didn't bother him. He pointed out that we do watch things on my tablet sometimes, and that there are other things to do.

He's right. There's always plenty to do without turning on the TV. Shows and movies can be entertaining, but with as much as Puck and Tink are learning and growing right now, I'd much rather engage their minds in other ways. They both love to build things with blocks, and they're kind of addicted to puzzles right now. I'd much rather spend an hour doing that with them than watching another episode of some mindless cartoon I've seen a hundred times.

I think, too, it's a way for me to continue de-cluttering my life. Moving has allowed me to pick and choose what's important enough to stay in my home and get rid of stuff I've just been carting around for no real reason. Well, not having a TV is a way for the munchkins and I to de-clutter our minds.

Our home is more peaceful without it. After a while, even favorite shows can become just noise. And I'll admit that there have been times I've turned something on just for the background noise. Eliminating that has helped me quiet my mind more.

I still have subscriptions to Netflix and Hulu+ for the time being. After all, I have to get my Doctor Who fix somehow.* But since my tablet is working well for watching the few shows I like, as well as the occasional shows for the munchkins, I'm happy to continue as we are.

Do you have a TV in your home? How often do you watch it? What do you watch?





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*Also, last week we watched Doctor Who for our evening show, and Puck got very upset during David Tennant's final episode. I explained that a new man was playing the Doctor, but it was still the same Doctor just with a different face. Then, Puck got very excited when he saw Matt Smith for the first time, and it was all good.

Why I watch TV

I have to admit something to you.

I watch too much TV.

My office space is currently in our living/dining room area*, and I can see the TV from my desk. So when I'm working, I usually have something on for background noise. Law & Order reruns on TNT, Storage Wars on A&E, or whatever horrible B movie happens to be on the Lifetime Movie Network. (I know. Don't judge.) Most of time I'm not paying attention to what's on, but sometimes I get drawn in to a show or movie, and find myself writing a bit slower than I should in favor of seeing Six from Blossom as a college student rushing a sorority.

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But I've learned to use my too-much-TV-watching to my advantage. If I'm drawn in to a show, obviously there's something good about the dialogue and story, right? So when I find myself watching more TV than writing, I try to listen to the dialogue and dissect it. What is it about these lines that's made me want to watch? What does the dialogue tell me about the characters? About the story?

When I was in college, my husband (then boyfriend) and friend would try to get me to play video games with them instead of writing. Once my friend said that I should play video games because it was "for my craft." It was research...or something. After a while, we jokingly justified anything by declaring it "for the craft."

One of the good things about being a writer is that you get inspiration from anywhere, and since you draw from life for stories, all things in life can be source material. Anything can be "for the craft." Sure, the college coffee-stained writer used it as an excuse to play video games and go for a coffee run instead of writing, but there's a lot in life that can be used to help strengthen your writing.

Including TV.

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*This fall my office space will be moving to the closet in the master bedroom. It will give me a door I can close, shelves for my files, and privacy when I need it for a deadline (or call with a client). I'm super excited to have an official office, even if I have to share it with my clothes and shoes!