Chris and Too Much TV

When I was young -- I am way too young to be starting sentences with that phrase -- anywho, when I was young, the sibs and I weren't allowed to watch much television. I'm not saying we didn't try to watch tv any chance we could, I'm just saying there were house rules limiting the amount of television we were allowed to watch.

When Mama Bear decides her family spends too much time in front of the TV, she bans it for a week. Then the Bear family finds other ways to have fun and keep busy, so they watch less when TV is allowed again--and they don't even miss it.

Much like the Berenstains we found other ways to spend our time: making up games, riding bikes, playing pretend, reading, etc. I distinctly remember swinging on our swing set and making up songs.

It seems that over the years I have slowly come to rely more and more on my television as a source of companionship. Whoa . . . I just read that back and it sounds a lot more pathetic that it did as I typed it. But I don't take it back.

My reliance snuck up on me.

I have really noticed my television usage because I haven't had a lot of time to watch it. I have certain television programs that I just "have" to watch. So I have my DVR set to record them. I sat down the other day to start watching my recorded shows and was astonished at the sheer number.

I have been slowly eliminating the shows I don't really "have" to watch. I am hoping to ween myself from the television.

Another thing I have noticed I have been using my television for lately is as background noise. I want to change this. My plan is to switch from using the television as background noise to using the radio or some of my cds.

Maybe I'll eventually get back to a little silence every once in a while. :-)