Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Stupid reality television

As a parent, one of the rules that I have always tried to enforce is limiting television time. When Mooka was born, I insisted that she would not be exposed to tv until she was at least two years old. While I was pregnant with her I read Einstein Never Used Flashcards and got completely turned off to the whole Baby Einstein concept. Granted, by the time Baby Bear came along, I had lightened up quite a bit (I also would just lick off his nuk when it fell on the floor before placing it back in his mouth *shudder*). Overall, I still remain pretty committed to limiting tv time.

That is unless it’s Tuesday night during my reality show blitz.

(or on long car rides)

Tuesdays are The Biggest Loser and American Idol night. They also happen to be A.’s night to play basketball at the church which means I am on solo mommy duty. So after letting them cut, paste, color and paint all over daddy’s fantasy football magazines, we head to the basement for mommy to multi-task.

I get them set up with their toys. I learned a trick from a friend a long time ago that if you take away toys and store them in rubber totes so they are not always accessible, it’s kind of like Christmas when you bring them out. The novelty of the “new” toys, usually buys me a solid 20 minutes of uninterrupted time while I use the treadmill. And yes, all the while I continue to flip back and forth between my two reality addictions.

After they get bored and decide to start launching toys off the back of the treadmill, I am usually ready to make the sprint up to the bedrooms to start the bedtime process. While they take their baths, I score another 20 minutes quasi uninterrupted.

Depending on the planets alignment, I will then either get lucky and be able to get them into bed or they get to watch tv with me.

(I am a horrible mother)

Last night, during my reality marathon, I lost the battle decided to bring them into the bed with me to watch the last half hour. They both got to watch the horrible elimination where poor grandpa Jerry got sent home while that lazy Joelle got to stay. As we were watching, Mooka looks at me and says “my heart is breaking for that old man, give me a hug.”

(repeat - I am a horrible mother)

I am hoping that it has more to do with the fact that she had 5 immunization shots earlier in the afternoon and not that she was wrapped up in the show. If it’s the latter, just add tivo to my Christmas wish list for next year.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

these kids are reallly funnnny!! I am glad you are such a good mom {and a reallly good writer.}