Electronics Fast

With mom being sick for so long, we got into the bad habit of watching A LOT of TV, playing on Ipods and playing on the computer.  As I was getting better I tried to wean them back down to a reasonable level.  It just wasn't working - lots of arguing and yelling and temper tantrums.  So Dad and I decided to put everyone on an electronics fast.

Sunday morning it started.  That day each kid asked at one time, "Can I watch a show?"

Nope.

Monday came - Andrew struggled for about 5 minutes in the morning but then was fine the rest of the day.  I just kept saying, "we are on an electronics fast."

Tuesday was a breeze.  No one asked.  No temper tantrums.  Easy to bed.

Wednesday was free sailing.  Lots of toys were coming out, kids were going outside.

Thursday, Dad asked if anyone wanted to watch a show during dinner - either Survivor or Hotel Impossible.  I looked at him to say why? But went with it.  Skylar and I headed off to piano shortly thereafter anyway.

Thursday night was dreadful.  By the time we got home from piano, Andrew was already asleep.  I put the girls to bed but within a few minutes, Skylar was downstairs watching another show with Dad.  At 9:30 she came in and said she was ready for bed so I tucked her back in.  5 minutes later she was complaining she couldn't fall asleep.  At 10 PM, she was disturbing me while I was trying to go to bed.  She then threw a temper tantrum about going to bed. The next 30 minutes was spent either in temper tantrum or complaining she couldn't fall asleep.

Finally, she went to sleep but every 2 hours she was awake - complaining of one thing or another.

Lesson learned - no electronics is awesome!!  Putting electronics back in the diet is not good for anyone.  When we do allow electronics again, it will be a very small diet.

Today, there was no TV again today and especially tonight.  Skylar went right to sleep, never heard a peep out of her.  Cairn is at a sleepover - she is going to get to watch a movie.  I will get a report from her tomorrow about how she slept.