Monday, December 15, 2008

La la la la, La la la la...

Elmo song! For those of you that don't know that tune you probably just haven't had a one year old around you in the last 10 years! I had promised to write about my latest "never will I ever, turning into: ok I will" moment. The dreaded television set. Most of the reasons I parent a certain way are either from a biblical worldview, from reputable statistics, or from a I don't want him to be like me standpoint. My stand on the no tv til Micah is two comes from all three of my points of reference. More specifically from the statistics that say kids just shouldn't watch tv before their 2nd bday. But after over a month of somebody being sick or grouchy in our house I have changed my tune (to Elmo's world). And I don't feel guilty about it. Micah loves Elmo and loves to look at him in the stores etc. I found out that the last 20 minutes of Sesame Street is all Elmo and I broke down and exposed Micah to it. He gets so excited and loves to identify Elmo and my favorite, Abby Caddaby. While my sister in law and others think he is deprived I think I have waited just long enough. I know many will disagree on either side of the argument but for us this is what worked. As always I don't try to force what I think is best for my individual child, I am just telling you what our experience is...Micah isn't enthralled in it into a trance (like I had hoped so I could shower:)) Instead he really does engage with it and then quickly moves on to his preferred method of constant motion and activity. I know that with the next child (Lord willing) I wont have the luxury of sheltering him/her for quite as long but I hope to attempt it. I know this is a boring post but I wanted to go ahead and out myself now before I begin to get the "I told you, you couldn't make it til he was two" and to you I say, "You are right!"

Disclaimer: Micah has been exposed to sports (surprise), background noise tv(bad, bad) and Nana's Secret Mission to let him watch movies long before this...just so you know we aren't legalists for goodness sakes.

2 comments:

Summer said...

We didn't have a tv growing up. In fact my parents didn't get a tv until I my second year in college. It's not all bad, and I don't think of myself as a freak!! :-)

beth ewing said...

we didn't either. i tried once or twice but miller was not interested so he didn't watch tv until after he was 2 either. now he loves it and somedays i feel he watches too much. so despite my efforts to wait until 2, i feel we are making up for it now. hehe!