Years ago when I was about 22 (not married) I was in a car with a friend when she asked me what I envisioned my life to be like in 10 years. To be honest I had never actually sat and tried to envision an evening in my house years from then. But it did make me stop and think after that conversation. Fast forward about 11 years. That often plays in my mind "is this what I envisioned?" Sometimes it's a resounding yes! and others, a big fat no. About 2 weeks ago I had a melt down after thinking about how little time I actually get to spend with my children on a school day. It's about 4-5 hours, at the most. Add in extra curricular activities and play dates and we're down to 2 or 3. Then I thought about what we do in that time. Get ready for school, eat breakfast, read scriptures, homework, piano, dinner, getting ready for bed. Then the "extra" time... t.v, computer, video games. I'm at fault here as well. I find myself getting on the computer or the phone during some of the most critical times of the day. I looked around that day and saw the boys playing a video game, Maddie watching t.v, Tae watching something on my lap top, and I was on my computer. It sank me a little. OK, a lot. Here is this precious time being swept away into crazy cyber space. So I had my melt down and cried to Jasper about the media plague I had witnessed. I told him "this isn't what I envisioned..." We went on about talking about other issues on the table that night. Later Jazz came back to me and said that line had struck a chord with him. So he thought we should change things. No we have 1 free hour when the kids get home from school where they can play a game, or watch t.v. Then all media goes off. Even for me and Jasper. We try not to talk on the phone from 5-bedtime as well. I can't tell you the difference it's made for me. The kids are totally on board and most days the t.v or video games don't get turned on at all.
When I lived in Denver I remember sitting at a park with my besties, Mary and Michele. Michele and I were both preggers and our kids had run off. We kept yelling at them to come back. They SO weren't into listening to us. But we still sat and yelled and got frustrated. Mary finally said "you know, sometimes parenting means getting off your butt". I thought that was hilarious. But it's SO true. I know so many times I know I want something to go a certain way, or my kids to do something this way or that way, but do I take the time to actually teach them? Or to DO something about what I want? So many times I just think it'll come and I don't get off my butt. So...I'm trying to get off my booo-tay and make better use of the precious family time we have together.
I'm only sharing this to make myself stick to it. I have faith in my ability to stay off my butt. I think.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
What was my vision?
Posted by
Jen-ben
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5 comments:
The other day it struck me how often Emma just hops on the computer for a few minutes, checking email (yeah, she has her own email address) or playing games on pbskids or something. Then I realized she's following my examples. I get on the computer countless times a day, most often without any specific reason. Definitely something I need to work on!!!
I would love to do this, if I had a partner in crime. Could you please talk to Eric while he's out there? That man has got the TV on more than anyone in the world. I could do without the TV completely, but he couldn't. I just wish we could have more family time, but I'm the only one who seems to feel it. It's like he's too tired to take the time for "quality time" and he, frankly, doesn't belive in "quality" time. :( Makes me so sad.
This is giving me the courage to do what I need to - what I've been thinking about for a while now. Thanks! And like, Meredith, I feel like I need to get my husband on board with this, what is it with these tech-men?!
Wow, thanks Jen. What a great idea of how to change things up in your home to really tune into each other. I've been feeling the same way today with the time I have with Steve. After the sealing and blessing this last weekend we feel like a really tough year is finally coming to a close. A good year but tough too. I thought to myself earlier, are we really spending our alone time after bedtime wisely or are we each on a computer or in front of the TV. Media plague is right. Thanks for the motivation to get of my duckus and actually DO something about it. Love you!
We've turned off the television almost completely and it has been wonderful. I don't miss it at all and our kids are crazy busy doing other things. It is such a mind numbing time sucker. It's nice to take a step away and just enjoy family.
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