Confession Time

"Confession is good for the soul". We have probably all heard this saying at one time in our lives, and if you are confessing your sins to Christ, this is abundantly true. I also believe that letting others know our faults and failures is also not only a sweet release, but can place a salve on someone else's broken spirit, or serve as an inspiration as they struggle.

So here is my mommy confession, which to some may seem comical, while others would be mortified. For about 5 months I have allowed the television to babysit my child for hours (sometimes 4-5 a day). This goes against my core parenting beliefs and all the education I have received. I know the dangers. I have complained about other people doing it. That being said, it was easy and happened almost without me realizing it. It started when we finally got satellite last November, because I felt we needed some educational shows for Lane and Christmas movies for me :) He quickly found new shows that he loved, and for the first time ever he was totally in to watching a show from beginning to end. I was able to actually clean house, lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling, talk on the phone without interruption, and so on, while he did this. Then he was so excited by a couple shows he would ask for more and rather than establishing limits from the beginning, I figured "oh why not". Plus it gave me more time to complete tasks around the house. 

I quickly realized he was spending too much time watching TV, and tried to rein it in, but holidays, sickness, my laziness, and vacation would derail my best laid plans. Until this week, when I decided to buckle down and be the parent I know I am capable of being. So he now has limits to his TV time, and you know what, sure he balked initially at some of the restrictions, and I had to be careful to make sure he did not see these limits as a punishment of some kind, but he seemed better than okay with them. He actually seemed to find his voice again. He had tons of energy. He has been more imaginative. He hasn't rushed through meals. He hasn't whined about not having more TV. He has played with the room full of toys again. He has actually slept better. He has asked us to play more, which sometimes feels like a distraction, but it is truly the greatest investment we can make with our time. And, the greatest reward from this was last night, as he was laying in bed he tells me that he loves me and Daddy " much more than any other people". Although he has always loved us, less TV meant more one on one time, us being more creative with him and him knowing that he mattered to us, which most assuredly led to the overflow of love from him, which made all the extra "work" this week so worth it!!!!!

Thankfully, those few months probably did not do too much harm, but seeing the vibrant, awesomeness of my boy this week makes me feel bad I wasted the preceding months, and will serve as a reminder not to backslide on the restrictions again, just to make my life simpler.