Day 4

If you lead them they will follow. Last night one of my kids came to my room and said, "Mommy, you can't come downstairs, the TV's on." Mind you, they have been stripped of their TV-watching privileges for a few weeks. During the school year the kids don't get to watch television on school days. In the summer the rule was that they couldn't watch TV until 6pm on the weekdays. A few times I caught them sneaking and watching a program. Then they would point to each other and say, "He/she turned it on." In any event, I warned that even if one person broke the rule and watched TV I was going to unhook the cable and all would suffer. Lo and behold, I caught one of my sons red-handed and I did what I promised. But because my husband is not bound by my goal or the kids punishment he put a program on (in his defense, it was something Discovery Channel-ish).

So in the end, it's nice to see that even my seven-year-old wants to keep me accountable to the promise I made to myself. But I have a feeling that she thinks that even if I glance at a television show something bad will happen to me.

Day 3

Yesterday I replayed The Office episodes in my head. Is that normal? I thought of the funny lines Michael has uttered, I recalled the foolishness of Dwight, reminisced about the sweet love story between Jim and Pam. Is that a sign of a true addict? Or is this just part of withdrawal--first I miss it, but eventually I'll stop caring? I know that's the way it happened with the competition-based reality shows I used to watch. My rule for years has been that any show that requires me to keep tuning in to see the results is a no-no. It was bye, bye American Idol (haven't watched that since by 8-yr-olds were babies), lights out The Apprentice, and new to the list HGTV's Design Star.

Although it seems difficult for people to comment on this particular blog site, I have been receiving encouraging words, not necessarily about giving up television per se, but because of my commitment to trying something different. So this August doesn't really need to be about an August with no TV, it can easily be an August with one less vice, or an August to finish a project.

Because really the challenge I set up for myself was to go out and do more. So far I'm winning. Though there is a nagging in the back of my mind that says, you did it; two whole days of no broadcast stimuli, go on, reward yourself. Watch a little TV.

Day 2

It's easy to fall into familiar patterns. Yesterday, late afternoon, I felt like turning on the TV and folding clothes. By that time, after being home all day with four kids who are yelling, arguing, tattling, crying, pushing each other, spilling things, wanting to get into everything, I feel a need to reach out to something adult. And sometimes the most adult I can get is Judge Judy, Judge Mathis, or the designers from HGTV. But I fought my desires, and decided to do something constructive. I decided to make it writing time. I wrote and completed a children's story and I edited my novel.

Today, without watching TV (or the crutch of a DVD or movie) I must admit I had the best workout I've had in awhile. I didn't realize how many times I paused to watch something exciting on screen, or stopped to laugh, or took time out to rewind because I missed a scene. My workouts also tended to be longer--yet less productive--because I wanted to see the show through.

If I'm being honest though, I never did get to the laundry and I didn't straighten up because, again, that's usually done to the background sounds of adults on TV.

Today's goal: clean up and fold clothes in silence (or I guess, to the sounds of kids screaming).

Hmmm. Let's see how that goes.

Day 1

So, an August with no TV 2011 has begun; my very own self-test to see if TV really is a timesink. To be sure, I'm not the addict that I appear. I mostly watch television when I'm doing something else: emptying/loading dishwasher, folding clothes, doing girls' hair, mopping. However, as of late, folding clothes has become an all-day affair. After I'm done with a chore I'll stand around watching TV because I have to see the outcome of the program. While this may be a good thing, I've actually searched out work to do just so I can have an unfettered excuse to watch something! I've DVR'd way more programs than I care to admit.

What I've discovered so far is that that it's easy to substitute one vice for another. I have spent way more time surfing the net then I've intended. Hmmmm. (May just lead to a September with no Internet...)

In any event, it's almost 2:30 in the afternoon and I'm off to live the rest of the day TV and (mostly) internet free.