Great Expectations: Kids, Work, Life

Television viewing, to me, is much like eating: enjoy your indulgences, just don't overdo it ... generally speaking.

Last week I cancelled our satellite tv service. I got sick of it going out every time a storm or heavy wind blew past, necessitating yet another service call. I don't personally watch it all that often and I figured the kids could substitute DVDs for their favorite shows. It's been killing me to pay $60 a month for some cartoons, reruns of Full House and my weekly dose of Desperate Housewives--if the kids are in bed--and Grey's Anatomy (which I will hopefully be able to watch once I get around to buying an antenna). Don't even mention cable--can't get it in my neighborhood for reasons too ridiculously involved to mention.

I've always had a reasonably laissez faire attitude about the children's tv habits. They keep busy enough that I don't worry about a pre-dinner show or two ... or four. Still, I was starting to notice that watching the tube was starting to promote bickering and irritibility rather than relaxing them. Since we've cut off satellite service, they've been forced to find other activities, like arts & crafts projects, to engage themselves.  They seem to be fighting less, too. If I ask if they mind not having tv they'll say they do, but if I don't mention it, neither do they.

"Well, la-di-da," you say. "Aren't you special?"  Take comfort in the fact that last night I rented Hustle & Flow, stuck it in my DVD player and the darn thing wouldn't work. That really pissed me off. 

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• #2 Comment from dcgrenier 
  3/31/06 5:36 PM | Permalink

  Yeah!  We haven't had cable for 7.5 years and we can't get tv through cable where we live.  I initially turned it off when finances were tight and haven't turned it back on.  All of our kids play sports as well as other activities so we are very busy and it seems silly to pay for something we rarely have time to watch.  It's much easier to turn off a video or dvd for homework or chores without feeling guilty because I'm interrupting their show. (I know, I'm a sucker)  It's also easier to control what they are watching since everything is dvd or video.  The whole family reads more too.  There are a few things I miss but overall, I am quite content without cable.  So, la-di-da, I'm special too!
  
  Now if I could just outlaw the computer!
• #1 Comment from shoegal019 
  3/31/06 3:28 PM | Permalink

  Just to let you know, if you want to get Desperate Housewives without TV, you can get it on iTunes music store. The TiVo has been recording the Sopranos since March 12 so I keep missing Housewives. I have had to keep getting it on iTunes and it's so much better because it's without commercials.