Confessions of a TV Junkie

My name is Carole, and I am a TV junkie.

Perhaps I should really call myself a TV listening junkie.  I don't really watch too many shows, I do have a few that I record and watch, but mainly I like to have the TV on for background noise while I do, well, just about anything, around the house.  I like to hear the sounds of conversation as I am doing laundry, or dishes, or cleaning the bathrooms, or making bottles, or playing with Emma.  It is soothing to me.  Perhaps it is because I grew up in a house with 12 kids and there was, and still is, constant noise.  There was always the sounds of music, conversation, games being played, the occasional bickering between siblings, all constantly competing with one another, creating a steady dull roar of sounds.  Many find the noise and chaos to be overwhelming, I find it soothing.  Living in such a silent house now, it feels lonely and empty a lot of the time.  So, I put the TV on so sounds of conversation and music can fill the house.

But, with the TV on so much, I fear I will make Emma a true TV junkie.  I do not want her parked in front of the "boob tube" soaking up nonsense, stupidity, immorality, and poor values.  I do not want her sense of self-worth, her self-esteem, her values to be governed by what society or Hollywood dictates.  I want her to be active and healthy.  I want her to read and play and have a great imagination.  I want her to know that her value and worth have nothing to do with looks, money or things.  I am not saying all TV shows are bad, there are some great educational kids shows out there, I am just saying that many of them are mindless drivel, teaching bad attitudes, bad values, disrespect and cruelness to others.

So how do I keep her from endless hours of TV watching?  It will have to start with me and Josh.  I will have to curb my own TV time, limit it to an hour or two a day, preferably while she is sleeping, and keeping it turned off the rest of the day.  It wont be easy, I will miss hearing the conversations, but I will try to live with it and turn on music to try to fill the silence.  Here's to the start of a TV limited life for me, and the start of my TV addiction recovery!  I pray it works out so I don't ruin Emma and turn her into a TV-aholic.  Wish me luck!