As I sit typing, Oliver is upstairs napping and Silas is engaged in an enthralling episode of Chuggington. As far as I can tell, Brewster is upset because Zephie picked up something at the quarry that she wasn't supposed to. He'd better hurry up and tell "V", or "Vee", or whatever.
,
Hard core stuff, I tell you.
I'm not going to lie-- we watch TV in this house. When we get up in the morning, Silas watches an episode of Mickey Mouse clubhouse while I make breakfast. Then it gets switched over to GMA until 9:30 or 10, when Oliver takes a nap. Then it goes back to Disney or Nick Jr (as long as it's not Dora or SpongeBob. I cannot stand those shows.) for an hour while I work on the computer checking papers (I'm an adjunct for a local college). It does go off after that, while Silas and I do school and play, until they take afternoon naps and the TV becomes all. mine.
I have an autoimmune condition called Ulcerative Colitis. It's a lot like Crohn's Disease, except there's bleeding ulcers involved, and yes, it's super fun. It's been relatively under control for several years-- I'd never had a major "flare" until fall 2012. Then, I got really, really sick. And because I'm a stubborn little mama, I didn't to go to the doctor and thought I was fine even as I wasted away to nothing and lost so much blood (thanks, bleeding ulcers) that I couldn't stand up, let alone function as a wife and mama. After about six weeks of non-functioning, I did go to the doctor, where I was promptly rushed to the hospital for a blood transfusion and treatment of my UC.
This is why I'm thankful for TV.
While I was flaring, and then afterwards when I was recovering, I could just barely drag myself out of bed to get my kids up in the morning. I would make it downstairs, turn on the TV, settle down to nurse Oliver, and then not get up off the couch for several hours. No joke. When Oliver decided he wanted to move, I'd drag myself on the floor over to his bouncer. I'd stick him in it, and then crawl back over to the couch, where'd I'd remain for an hour or two more. I literally couldn't walk more than a few feet at a time without starting to black out. Of course, how do you watch over a 5 month old baby and a very active 3 year old boy when you can't even function?
With the TV, that's how.
My super active Silas, who previously couldn't sit still for more than 30 seconds, suddenly found that he could watch whole movies while Mama slept on the couch! I think there was one week where we watched Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3 every day. I have those movies memorized, and yes, I still tear up when Andy delivers his toys to Bonnie.
There were days the TV was on 18 hours a day-- and I am so, so thankful. It kept my children occupied and safe when their mother couldn't.
After treatment and my medication got figured out and I started to recover, the TV started to play a smaller role in our lives. It's still on quite a bit-- I do like my Project Runway and Deadliest Catch, after all-- but it's job has been greatly reduced. Now that Chuggington's over, Silas has migrated to his play room where's he's playing with his trucks. Recently inspired by the latest Truck Town book we've read, aptly titled "Smash Crash," Silas is now creating quite a ruckus with his dump trucks while yelling "SMASH!! CRASH!!!" Thanks, Truck Town. Your next book should be called "We like to drive quietly along country roads" or something like that. It would make my life a little easier.
Anyway, I know many people would condemn me for the amount of TV my kids watched for a short period of time. But I seriously thank God for it. It allowed me to heal and rest while my kids were safe and in sight.
Also, somewhere along the line Silas learned to count to 10 in Spanish.
Thanks, Dora. Now that that's done, we're Never. Watching. You. Again. Take your backpack and map elsewhere, we don't want any of what you're selling.
Bring on Phineas and Ferb!
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