TV and Soda

I posted before about our family's decision to ditch the TV subscription, and I'm happy to report that we are none the worse for wear. It has been about four months now, and there were no D.T.'s, no "weaning" off the tube, no begging on the part of the boy to turn it back on.

I should, in the interest of full disclosure, admit to two exceptions (easy to make with DirecTV service because you can turn it off and turn it on any ol' time)...We turned the service on for the Olympics, and I'm glad we did. We have also had it on for the last two days or so while little man is recovering from a hideous stomach flu and wants to do nothing but lie on the floor under blankets and get better.

Even so, it is not the first thing he has chosen. I also got him some games, a new puzzle, and a lego creator set to ease his suffering and he has spent a lot of time focusing on them as well. In the past TV was the "default" choice. Now that the habit has been broken, it is really the last choice he makes. He understands that as soon as he is better the TV is off again, and he's fine with that, and in the meantime I maintain strict control over the program choices.

I wish to draw this analogy: I love CocaCola. My favorite meal during football season used to be a ham and cheese sandwich on Italian bread and a Coke. Knowing what I know now, however, I know that soda and carbonated beverages actually leach calcium from your bones, not to mention the shock to my system from the sugar and caffeine that results! I also know that white bread is as bad or worse for you than the Coke. I suppose the ham and cheese have some value in terms of protein and what-not, but there are certainly better choices, if you want to consider that the ham is probably preserved with all kinds of phosphates and who-knows-what, and the cheese is high in fat and cholesterol. My knowledge of this tasty meal surpasses my body's ability to enjoy it now, and I no longer find myself wanting to eat this kind of thing.

The same is true of TV. When I see it now, I am offended more often and bored more quickly by all of the "junk" that enters my brain. I actually think about the money I'm wasting to have this gobeldy-gook enter my house. I consider the damage it can do to my family, both to their physical, as well as their mental and emotional well-being. My knowledge of the subject has surpassed my ability to enjoy watching TV.

Will we go back to TV? As far as I can see, no. Having Mom and Dad both completely on board with this, as well as having just started a blog, a new home business, and oh yeah, educating the children (!) we are occupied with many more valuable things that will contribute to, not detract from, our family's health and well-being.