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| not my pic, not my Lovie, not my TV. i mean, whose tv is that small? |
Lovie and I got home and the first thing out of her mouth as we stood outside of the house was, “Pop Pop”. But I had to pee. Badly (again... ever since having her, I can’t hold my pee for nothin’. Really need to get to doing those damn kegals again!). She wasn’t happy with my immediate stop to the bathroom and decided to hand me all the tampons and pads in the drawer before she tried grabbing the Bitch Cat’s tail (we have two cats- one is a Bitch, one is Dumb). When I was done peeing, I realized I had to start on making something for dinner for her as heating up chicken nuggets or meatballs (both premade/packaged freezer items) wasn’t an option for a third night in a row. Plus her high chair was filthy as was her tray and I just knew I needed to get cracking before she started getting hungry in three minutes.
I gave Lovie a couple plastic containers to play with and a straw sippy cup of water. No. She wanted goldfish. Fine. It’s not like I still don’t have to vacuum the other Nemo’s so what’s a couple dozen more? I finally started to clean and she immediately started whining. I ignored and continued cleaning and she started reaching for the damn stove knobs and I said No three million times before I picked her up and, with her legs kicking wildly, moved her away from the stove.
The tears. Oh the tears.
None of this behavior surprised me. It’s not that she behaves this way every day because she doesn’t… unless she’s needing to sleep. And since yesterday was Wednesday and I was at work, she napped for a whopping one hour all day long whilst at daycare. Yippee Skippee to a one hour nap for an almost 14 month old that has to be up at 530 in the morning.
I knew putting her down for a nap was pointless as she was overtired and ready for actual bedtime and not just a nap. So she’d fight me on that and really, why make an already unhappy camper unhappier just to get her out of the kitchen. My poor lovebug!
So.
I did it. I caved.
I placed her on my hip (she immediately stopped crying of course) and walked down the hall and into the living room. I turned on the TV, turned it to 127, ensured that 127 was indeed Sprout, set her down and told her I’d be in the kitchen for a bit if she needed me.
I expected to hear whining and her little paws running after me but halfway down the hallway (it’s a long hallway- an office, two bathroom, and a bedroom are off of it!), I turned around and saw nothing.
I felt bad because I HATE HATE HATE when I see her get sucked into the TV. I hate it. I’ve kept it off all this time and she knows no shows or characters other than the Wiggles (from some videos we’ve watched on youtube). I hate the way the world around her ceases to exist once the TV has got ahold of her- and that’s why it’s very rarely on (notice I didn’t say never? that would just be rude and frankly, I’d have a breakdown without TV!). But, I really needed to get the kitchen in order and dinner made before she had a complete meltdown.
After several minutes without her and with dinner on the stove cooking, I quietly snuck into the living room and peeked around the corner and saw her just standing there watching the TV. I was glad she was OK, but I was sad she was sucked in as much as she was.
After a couple more minutes (during a boring adult commercial I suspect), she came in to the kitchen whining. I asked if she was hungry and she responded with an enthusiastic “mmmm” so I placed her in the high char, loaded up a plate with cheddar broccoli noodles (prepackaged- just add water, milk… though I also steamed some mixed veggies, blended those for a second and mixed it all in together), and girl went to town on dinner.
Afterward, we went to play. The TV was still on and it can be seen from her playroom which is off the living room (the couch separates the two). We played for all of five minutes before she noticed the TV and, like a friggin zombie, walked over to the TV and just stood there watching. I let her for a few minutes, hoping she’d come back to me to play but she didn’t. So I joined her and sat her in my lap for a few minutes before the next commercial.
Then I told her it was bath time and off we went to the bathroom to get that ready.
After bath, it was bedtime (6pm- cuz of that lousy nap), and she slept till 530 this morning.
All in all, she probably watched a total of half an hour’s worth of TV. And in the grand scheme of things, it’s not that much… except that she’s only awake and home for two hours.
PJ watches part of a movie, Handy Manny or Curioous george, and Blues everyday. it helps get things done, and the only thing he actually gets sucked into is blue because that's right before bed.
ReplyDeleteThe tiredness is what sucks them in. If he's fired up, nothing will stop him. :)
Honestly, I keep the tv on in my daughter's room most of the time (tuned to Disney Jr or Nick Jr). And really, she barely watches it unless she's tired. Then she just lays in bed and zones until she falls asleep.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, she barely pays attention - maybe only for a minute or so - when she's awake. She plays and colors, etc when she's awake, even with the tv on. She gets a lot out of it though. Nick Jr & Disney Jr both teach shapes, colors, letters, etc. She's always learning something new on there and it gives me a few minutes break.
I am really stick on t.v. stuff but today I caved in to Barney (which i anhor! lol) I feel like such a sell out haha
ReplyDeleteHaha! Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on at daycare in the mornings while all the kids are getting there and getting settled in for the day. Thus, Babygirl gets a small dose of Mickey Mouse every day. Wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I put it on one afternoon when I REALLY needed to get a few things done. Babygirl, like Lovie, was GLUED to the TV. I do have to admit that it was nice to be able to get some things done without worrying about her. It's not a habit, but it's good occasionally. Least that's what I'm telling myself to make me feel better. hehehe
ReplyDeleteSo, we once had a TV that small - about 8 months ago. Tim took it off of our neighbors trash bin. Before then we didn't have a TV. Then the nanny came along and we ended up with a TV, cable, and DVR all within the last few months (Ada takes long naps). Sigh. I give up. I really like breezing through Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations without commercials. Except now I want to travel to about 80 places I previously had no interest in.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I did this just this very morning... Ada watched "Sid the Science Kid" while I whipped out a freshened version of the resume for a spur of the moment job opportunity.
Dude. It happens. It's OK. We've all done it in a a desperate moment. Modern life precludes the extended family that might have stepped in here. You're OK. Lovie is OK. I think that they are extra entranced when they hardly ever see TV. Makes for one super-effective tool when you need it.
Sleep tight, OK? One teensy TV session won't keep her from being a brain surgeon or rocket scientist should she choose either of those as her path.
XO, Peeper72
You let your kid watch TV?!?! OH NO! Her IQ drops a point each time that thing is on! ;-)
ReplyDeleteOK, for serious now (because if that were true my kids would be DUMB DUMB DUMB by now)...sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Rylie has never been a TV watcher until just recently, and Bryce still isn't unless it is Yo Gabba Gabba. So if 30 minutes of a weirdo in orange and yellow spandex is what it takes so that I can get something done, that is what I do. :-D Rylie wants to watch movies on the weekend too...if it keeps them from screaming at each other, it's fine by me.