Courage to show Compassion

I have to admit, I was skeptical at first.  When my daughter told me the plan that she and her friends had hatched, my natural inclination was to protect her.  After all, I’ve been “burned” plenty of times in my life.  I know what it’s like to be hurt and I like to think I can spot a scam and manipulation from a mile away.

The history:

My daughter, Mack, really struggled for the first few months at her new school.  Changing schools while a teenager can be devastating.  She felt alone and friendless, hated the teachers, and had no interest in excelling at anything.  She stuck it out (she had no choice) and began to make friends.  Once friends were in place, her attitude about school changed.  Her confidence returned.  She began to like the teachers and once again get good grades.  Seventy-four kids showed up to her birthday party.  (I had given permission for twenty).  On a social level things are going well for Mack.

Enter Hannah.  (To protect privacy, all names in this post have been changed).

I first became aware of Hannah when Mack mentioned a girl at school who always seemed sad.  She reported that the girl talked suicide and that she was worried about her.  The girl didn’t have many friends.  In fact, most of the kids at school considered her strange.  We didn’t know the girl’s family so I advised Mack to tell the school counselor about Hannah’s comments and encouraged her to be her friend.  I didn’t hear much more about Hannah except for the occasional report that she still seemed sad.

Then last week Mack announced that she and three of her friends, Nikki, Lisa, and Becca, had decided to take Hannah shopping at the mall.  They felt that a few new clothes might cheer Hannah up.  Hannah had mentioned that her mother couldn’t afford to buy her new clothes and so she always wore hand-me-downs.  Each of the girls planned to donate her own money to the shopping trip.

I was worried.  I didn’t know Hannah or her history.  What if it was all an act?  Fueling my skepticism were recent news reports about panhandling in our area by teenagers who claim to be homeless but really aren’t.  Many people have bought into their sob story and have given them money.  Mack has to earn the money she receives by babysitting and doing extra chores, she doesn’t have an endless supply of the green stuff.  Was she about to throw her hard earned cash away on a lie?  Manipulation?  A scam? 

I know my daughter’s heart.  She genuinely cares about other people.  In grade school she stood up repeatedly for an autistic boy who was the butt of many cruel jokes.  Because Mack knows what it feels like to be alone and without friends, she has empathy for anyone in the same situation.  She truly seemed concerned for Hannah.

Still, the mother instinct to protect was in place.  “How do you know she can’t afford new clothes?”

For Mack the issue wasn’t the clothes or the money.  “Mom, she is so excited that we are doing this.  She even put on her MySpace page that some friends are taking her shopping.  Some of the kids at school are teasing us for doing this.  They think Hannah is weird.  But we don’t care.  We are going to do it anyway.”  The issue for Mack was that someone desperately needed some friends.

On Saturday the girls all met at Lisa’s house then walked together to Hannah’s house.  Lisa’s mom provided the transportation to the mall.  While at the mall they decided to let Hannah have a mini makeover.  In order for the makeover to be “free” they had to make a purchase.  Mack bought Hannah some eye shadow.  Then they visited some of their favorite stores.  Nikki and Becca pooled money in one store for a new outfit for Hannah, and then Mack and Lisa did the same in another store.

Mack was excited when she returned home from the outing.  “Hannah was sooooo happy!  She kept thanking us over and over.”

Hannah wore the new clothes to school on Monday and Tuesday.  Mack says that whenever Hannah sees any of the girls in the hall she runs up and gives them a hug and claims they are her new best friends.  I asked Mack if the other kids at school were still teasing and making fun of Mack and the others for taking Hannah shopping.  Mack says she hasn’t heard any negative comments.  She also says that she feels happier inside after having served Hannah.

I am so proud of my daughter and her friends and I am glad I didn’t stand in their way.  A new friend has been made, compassion has been developed, and a girl has been cheered.  The girls exhibited courage by not backing down to peer pressure to forget serving Hannah.  Not only was a good example set for the kids at school, a good example was set for me. 

The lessons I learned:  Don’t judge.  Serve anyway.  And don’t stand in the way of your kids if they are showing courage and taking the initiative to show compassion and empathy to someone else.

Lessons learned.  Lessons lived. 

 

Second Grade Wisdom

Are you willing to take advice from second graders?  Perhaps they have experienced just enough of life to share a bit of wisdom.  Take a look at some of the “Rules of Safety” created by my son’s second grade class.  I can’t help but wonder if some of them are speaking from experience.

*Clean up after yourself before someone slips.

*Don’t climb walls.

*No running in the halls.

*Don’t stay in the sun too long.

*Always clean your room or somebody might trip and fall.

*Stretch out before you dance.

*No running in the lunchroom.

*Don’t swallow hard candy whole.

*Don’t chew more gum than one.

*Do not throw food.

*Don’t jump off the swings.

*Be safe on the bus.

*Don’t throw snowballs at people.

*Never punch eny butty.

*Look out for cars when you cross the street.

*Always wear a helmet when you are skating.

*No running in the hole cuz sum wun will get hurt.

And we must all remember…

*Never hold the cat for a long time!

 

Graduating to Independence

LIFE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

(Things I hope my kids know when they leave the nest)

 

Social Skills- How to recognize manipulation and say “no” when needed.  How to get what they need without resorting to manipulation.  How to greet people warmly and look them in the eyes when speaking.  Proper table manners.  How to carry on a face to face conversation instead of texting or Instant Messaging.  How to be an active listener and mirror back what has been said.  How to see people and their quirks with empathy and compassion.  How to entertain themselves without relying on electronic media.  To be patient and not expect instant results.  To not take themselves too seriously.  How to apologize.  How to accept an apology.

Financial Skills- How to write a check and balance a checkbook.  How to put a certain amount of money each month into savings and know basic investment strategies.  How interest works.  Know the difference between a credit card and a debit card.  How credit cards work and the importance of paying off the balance each month.  How to comparison shop.  How to make do with what they have.  How to monitor their accounts online.  How to pay bills.  How to save for what they want intstead of impulse buying.  The importance of tithing and giving to others less fortunate. 

Cooking Skills - How to make meals using a slow-cooker.  How to follow a recipe.  How to make a few of the family favorites.  How to make gravy.  How to make bread.  How to substitute ingredients.  How to check to make sure meat is cooked thoroughly.  How to make good nutrition a part of every day.  How to boil eggs.  How to make homemade soup.  How to bake a cake.  How to put out a kitchen fire.  How to prevent a kitchen fire.  

Housecleaning skills - How to sort laundry and run a washing machine and a dryer.  To not put faux fur in the dryer!  How to remove a stain.  How to work a vacuum.  How to run a dishwasher.  How to do dishes by hand when a dishwasher is not available.  How to organize belongings.  How to iron.  How to clean mirrors and windows.  How to scrub a toilet.  How to mop a floor.  How to put bedding on a bed.  How to cooperate with others on sharing household chores.

Job Skills - How to fill out a job application.  How to type a resume.  How to dress for a job interview.  How to show confidence.  How to wake with an alarm and not rely on someone else to wake them.  How to give an employer 110%.  How to listen and follow directions.

Basic Independence- How to sew on a button.  How to hammer a nail.  How to hang a picture.  How to change a light bulb.  How to change a flat tire.  How to put air in a tire.  How to check the oil in the car.  The difference between a Flathead and Phillips screwdriver.  How to work a wrench and pliers.  How to run a lawn mower and mow a lawn.  Know basic first-aid (CPR, the Heimlich Maneuver, treatment for shock, treatment for cuts and bruises, etc.).  Know how to change a diaper.  Know how to hold an infant.  Know basic gardening skills. 

And most importantly, I hope they know they can call home anytime they have a question about anything. 

      

 

Letter For Mom

Mom,

Random thoughts to say thanks…

Thank you for teaching me to pray.  Your advice to “just say a little prayer” whenever I was seeking answers, going through a difficult time, or simply taking a tough test taught me faith and trust in the Lord.

Thank you for teaching the importance of family.  Our monthly dinners, holiday gatherings, and other family traditions have helped our family remain close.  Silly videos, halloween parties, goofy games, “dollar” gifts and all the rest have added to my kids childhood memories.  They value the relationships they have with their extended family members and have learned many things from their aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. 

Thank you for showing support.  Whether it is encouraging me or my kids in our interests, sending cards of congratulations or showing up for sports events and dance recitals, your support has always been there.   

Thank you for listening and understanding when I call you with a problem.  Thank you for calmly giving advice.  Thanks for encouraging me when I cry and saying things that build my self-esteem.

Thank you for giving me life.  After experiencing morning sickness and labor four times I am amazed and in awe that you did it eight times.  And, even though I really wanted a pony ;-), thank you for giving me siblings instead.  The friendships developed with my sisters and brothers are some I value the most.

Thank you for being there when I went through my divorce.  Calling up and checking on me meant alot.  Finding help when I was having car problems, sending food our way, talking to others who had been through a divorce and passing along their advice all helped and was appreciated.

Thank you for exhibiting patience.  Thank you for not condemning me whenever I was acting less than lovable.  Thank you for exemplifying what the words “unconditional love” really mean.  Thank you for always forgiving.

Thank you for trying to teach me how to cook and how to sew.  Thank you for not pushing me when I showed no interest in such domestic activities.  Thank you for willingly sharing recipes now that I am finally interested in spending some time in the kitchen. 

Thank you for putting up with all the teasing sent your way as you try to learn the mystery of computers and how to navigate the family website.  It teaches my kids a willingness to learn new things and the ability to laugh at themselves.  Thank you for not taking yourself too seriously–something I need to work on.

Thank you for all the handmade gifts sent our way.  The afghans, especially, will become treasured family heirlooms in the homes of my children.  Thank you for all the random “just because” gifts.

Thank you for the past “cousin days” that allowed the kids to get together with their cousins and us moms to have a break.  Thank you for all the times you babysat when the kids were younger.

Thank you for all your prayers in our behalf. 

Thank you for showing me that the job of “Mom” doesnt end.  Ever.

Thank you for loving me.  Thank you for being my mom.

I love you.

 

My Laundry Legacy

Oops, I did it again.  If you want faux fur to keep looking like fur then don’t put it in the dryer.  My track record with faux fur is not good.  And my hooded maroon sweater has been the latest faux pas.

The first item I wrecked dried that had faux fur was Huh’s stuffed horse.  The mane was no longer long and flowing, it was a matted mess.  Huh, who was about 10 years old at the time, forgave me.  A few years later I decided to wash some of Yawlin’s stuffed animals.  I completely forgot about the horse mistake and tossed all of the animals into the dryer as soon as the wash cycle was completed.  That was okay to do with all of the stuffed animals except the stuffed orangutan.  I neglected to check the tag on it’s bottom.  The tag says to surface wash and then air dry.  Oops.

Yawlin shrieked when he saw his orangutan. 

His sisters took up the chant, “The monkey has a ‘fro!  The monkey has a ‘fro!”  The orangutan really did look like it had an Afro.  

Yawlin took longer to forgive me than his sister did.  Even now he’ll come up to me occasionally and ask, “Tell me again why you washed him?” 

I personally think the monkey is more cuddly with the ‘fro.

The next faux fur foible was when I washed and dried Hoob’s white sweater–the one with a fur collar.  Hoob actually cried when she saw the sweater because it was a gift from her father and stepmother.  I felt horrible.  I apologized.  I hugged her.  I gently reminded her that with a household of nine, laundry is a huge task that requires help from everyone.  And the help I have requested from the kids is for them to place any laundry items requiring special care aside with a note stating what care is required.  Hoob had forgotten to do that. 

As soon as the other kids learned of Hoob’s sweater, they grabbed the matted horse and the ‘fro monkey and held them up to my face.  “Look at what you do!  Why do you do it?”

The truth is, I don’t know why I have such a hard time remembering not to dry faux fur.  For some reason I just forget.  I forgot again just last week when I washed my hooded maroon sweater.  My new hooded maroon sweater.  The fur around the hood now matches the other faux fur freaks.  I could have kept the sweater hidden, the kids didn’t need to know, but I swallowed my pride and showed them anyway. 

Huh rolled her eyes.

Yawlin laughed and laughed and laughed.  He actually had tears coming out of his eyes he was laughing so hard.

Hoob was alone watching TV when I showed her.  Her eyes got big.  She gasped.  Then I heard, “Did you dry it?  Smoooooth!”

Of course my kids are going to remember my faux fur fiasco; remembering mistakes is what kids do.   But, I hope part of my laundry legacy is that my kids also remember that I did not fear admitting mistakes–and laughing at them–even if I didn’t always learn from them.

 

Teacher Appreciation Day

Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day.  Many choose to show their appreciation to the teachers in their lives by giving gifts.  Although the usual mugs and signs that say “#1 Teacher!” are nice, they can start to take up alot of space on a teacher’s desk.  Maybe some of these ideas will work for a teacher you wish to thank:

*Find out the teacher’s favorite charity and make a donation.

*Often teachers pay for certain supplies out of their own pockets.  Make things a little easier on a teacher by providing a supply of items for the classroom.  Some suggestions:  glue sticks, tape, construction paper, poster board, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc.

*Volunteer your time in the classroom.  Sort papers.  Take down or put up a bulletin board.  Read to the kids.  Correct papers.  Tell the teacher you are at his/her disposal.

*Let the teacher be pampered.  Give bath soaps, bubble bath, lotion, a manicure set, body spray, etc.

*Give a gift card to a book store.

*Buy a supply of books to add to the classroom library.

*Give a subscription to a favorite magazine.

*Movie passes and/or gift cards to local restaurants are always appreciated.

*A gift card to a boutique.

*Give the teacher’s favorite candy bar or soda.

*Have your child make a card.

*Sudoku puzzles.  Crosswords.

*Educational games for the classroom.

*Have your child personalize a pencil/pen holder.

*Have the class secretly make a scrapbook of the year’s activities.

*Post a big thank you sign that the class members can each sign.

*Give a plant.  Give flowers.

*Food prices are soaring.  Give a gift card to a local grocery store.

*Write a letter of appreciation for all the teacher has done for your child.

The ideas are limitless.  Teaching can sometimes feel like a thankless job.  Why not take the time this week to thank the teachers in your kids’ lives.  Even if your kids are out of school, or you homeschool your kids, isn’t there a teacher that touched your life for good?  Maybe now would be a good time to look that teacher up and let them know they made an impact on your life.  They made a difference.

 

The Ate Habits

Eight habits, eight action verbs, to develop that can help in marriages and families:

1.  APPRECIATE - Every day look for the good in your spouse and children.  Verbalize the good you see.  Write an occasional note of appreciation or send an email or text.  Say “Thank you.”  Acknowledge good deeds.  Pay sincere compliments.  Write what you appreciate about each family member in your journal.  Let your family members hear you express your gratitude for them as you pray.

  2.  COMMUNICATE - Develop good listening habits.  Stop what you are doing and look at your spouse or children as they speak to you.  Make time to visit with your spouse privately to make observations, plans, and goals.  Make sure your goals are mutually understood.  Enhance the private time visiting with your spouse with prayer.  Make time to nurture physical and spiritual intimacy in your marriage.  Talk with your children.  Ask them specific questions about their day.  Don’t give advice unless asked.  

3.  COOPERATE -  In your marriage work together as equal partners.  Learn how to negotiate a compromise and teach your children how to do so.  Stand as a united front where the children are concerned.  Have shared goals as a couple and as a family.  All family members should help with household chores.  Chores are simply part of being a family.  Help your children develop the habit of stepping in and helping when needed.  Older children can listen to younger siblings read or practice spelling words.  Teach your children healthy ways to deal with conflict.

4.  CONTEMPLATE -  Spend time alone to pray, meditate, read scriptures or other uplifting material.  Reflect inwardly and honestly about your personal relationship with your spouse and children.  Set goals for any improvements that you need to make.  As a family worship together, read scriptures, pray.  Seek to be in tune with the Lord or your inner voice.  Use your journal to write down any inspiration received.

5.  PARTICIPATE -  Attend the sporting events, music concerts, and dance performances of your children.  Join your family members in their hobbies.  Show an active interest in what they are doing.  Spend time as a family doing activities you all enjoy such as bike rides, hiking, attending plays, playing sports.  Get involved with your kids’ schools.  Volunteer in their classrooms.  Be an active participant in the lives of your family members.   

6.  CELEBRATE-  Remember birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates worthy of commemorating.  Develop fun family traditions to set special days, such as birthdays, apart.  Celebrate holidays.  Display the awards family members receive.  Hang up exceptional school work.  Share accomplishments with extended family members.   Almost anything can be reason to celebrate:  a promotion at work, a soccer win, an improved grade, handling a difficult situation well.  As a coupl celebrate the day you got engaged.  Celebrate the anniversary of your first date.  Be grateful for every day you have together.

7.  MOTIVATE-  Look for good things that happen throughout your day to share with your family.  Let your family see that you enjoy what you do.  Look for talents in your family members and encourage them to pursue them.  Speak positively about their efforts.  Schedule family meetings to discuss future plans of individuals.  Encourage everyone to show their support.  Make motivational books and videos available in your home.

8.  ELEVATE -  Make your spouse and family your top priorities.  Allow no interruptions during family meeting times and outings.  Teach your kids proper manners.  Promote civility.  Speak with a soft, calm voice.  Teach your values to your children.  Provide uplifting reading materials, movies, and music in your home.  Always listen to both sides of the story before making any judgements.

Appreciate, communicate, cooperate, contemplate, participate, celebrate, motivate, elevate.  Eight ideas.  Eight habits.  Perhaps they will resonate with you to rejuvanate and invigorate your family life and then you can anticipate better days ahead!

Some of the ideas for this post came from an article written by Russell M. Nelson (”Nurturing Marriage,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 37-38).

 

Teenage Foot Soldier

There is an ongoing war in our house.  Dancer vs. Sports Freaks.  Those who play sports like to tease our lone dancer about her choice of activity. 

“Dancing is for wimps!”

“Dancers are nothing more than over-grown Barbies.”

“You would never make it through one of our practices.”

Our 12 year old dancer holds her own.  “If dancing were easy it would be called football!”

The verbal barbs are said in a good-natured way.  The teasing back and forth can last for quite some time and the lopsided war continues.  Even threats are used.  Older sister, Huh, is a softball player.  She is heard to say often, “Hoob, if you ever become one of those snotty, stuck-up, girlie cheerleaders in high school I am going to come back and kick your butt!”  And Hoob usually just smiles and walks away.

Since this ”war” hasn’t gotten out of hand I have let it continue.  The other day I was in my room making my bed and tuning out the chatter of my children heard throughout the house.  Yes, I admit it, I sometimes tune out what the kids are saying to each other.  But, I quickly tuned in when I heard Huh say something new to Hoob.

“Hoob, if I ever hear of you doing drugs or drinking alcohol I am going to come and kick your butt!”  I stopped what I was doing so I could better hear the reply.

“You won’t have to kick my butt.  I wouldn’t do that.”

“Good,”  said Huh.  “I would hate to have to kick my little sister’s butt.”

I have no idea what led up to that statement, I wish now that I hadn’t been tuning them out, but I was happy to hear it.  The unexpected appearance of a teenage foot soldier in the bigger war against drugs and alcohol was thrilling to me.  Older siblings can be such an influence for good or bad.  I was glad to hear my daughter state this particular position to her younger sister.

Later, after I’d thanked Huh for making the statement to Hoob, she smiled and said, “Well, I will kick her butt.  Doing that stuff is just stupid!” 

Stupid indeed.  If we as a family can stay united on that front, one enemy raging against families will be defeated.  That is one war I want to win.

 

Prime Time for Family Time

I clipped out a Dennis the Menace comic from the paper a few days ago.  The comic shows Mr. Wilson in front of his TV  with his remote in hand.  Mrs. Wilson is looking at a book with Dennis and saying, ”I think there was much more prime time before television.”

I clipped the comic because I felt there was much truth in that statement.  One definition of prime is having the highest quality or value.  I think it would be safe to say that families spent more quality time together  before the invention of television.  Prime time today means the hours during the day that advertisers can reach the most viewers.  One value I saw in National Turn Off Your TV Week was the opportunity for families to spend valuable, quality time together.  It was a prime time for family time.  (Related post)

I challenged myself to “unplug” for the week.  There would be little or no TV or computer for me and I challenged my family to do the same, adding video games to the list for all of the kids.  I announced to my family, “Hey, it’s National Turn Off Your TV Week!”

My announcement was ignored.  Instead, I heard from two of the teenagers, ”Yesterday was National Smoke Pot Day!” 

How and why would they know that??!?!?   

I decided to press forward by accepting the challenge for myself and see if I could create some prime time for my family.  I confess that I cheated a little.  I still watched the evening news after kids were in bed, and I still accessed our family website to keep up on news of our extended family.   (see post about family website)  But I didn’t watch any other TV shows and, hardest for me, I didn’t do any blogging.  I even stopped reading the blogs of others.  During the week I was able to get some organizing done and some carpets scrubbed and, more importantly, spend some one-on-one time with family members.

Here is a brief summary of how my week of being “unplugged” went:

Monday - Yawlin and I finished organizing his room and scrubbed his carpet and the hallway carpet.  My 17 year old daughter’s bird died.  I sat on the edge of Huh’s bed, rubbing her while she cried.  I listened while she mourned her feathered pal that she’d had for years.  She reminisced about how he could sing like an opera star and announce that he was a good bird.  I spent alot of time with her that day while she pulled herself together so she could play in her softball games that afternoon and evening.  I allowed her TV time that night.  It was her way of trying to forget. 

Tuesday- I got more of the upper floor carpets scrubbed and then teenagers started showing up at our house.  A gas leak had occurred at the high school and the school had been evacuated.  Our teens thought it was the greatest thing ever.  Some of their friends came to the house and, of course, we had to turn the TV on and watch the news reports about it.  Our cupboards were raided, dirty dishes piled up in the sink, and the house was filled with the sounds of talking and laughing.  Not a bad thing at all. 

Later, when Mack returned home from her school, she announced that one of her drawings had taken first place in a Middle School art competition at the mall.  We just had to get online and let everyone on our family website know the good news!  

Wednesday- I kept Yawlin, who was off track from school, busy practicing his magic tricks for cub scouts that afternoon.  At 4:30 p.m. nine cub scouts came to our house for a “Magic Party.”  The rest of the family scattered.  A house full of cub scouts can be a little scary.  We were using the rooms with the TV and computer for the magic party so everyone was forced to find something else to do.  That evening Hub and I went on a date.  We got dessert at Applebee’s and talked.  It was nice.

Thursday - This was grocery shopping day.  Yawlin went with me.  Later the two of us played “Clue” together.  He won.  When it came time for me to take Hoob to her dance practice I got to drive her to the new dance studio, the one that is 30 minutes away.  Instead of our usual five minute drive and quick chat, we got to talk with each other for 30 minutes.  I learned some new things about my daughter on that drive.  Hub and I had a dinner to attend that night so Hoob’s father is the one who picked her up from her dance practice.  I hope he took advantage of the extra drive time to talk to her as well.

Friday - Four of the seven kids didn’t have school this day.  Even though I’d already visited my Grandpa earlier in the month, I decided to take my kids to play games with Grandpa Great again because they enjoyed it so much the last time we all did it together.  (See related post)  This turned out to be a valuable experience because Grandpa pulled out his old year book and shared some great memories of his high school days.

Saturday- Squid had a rugby game, Yawlin had a soccer game, and Hoob had a dance competition.  We split up as a family in the morning so that some were supporting Squid and some were supporting Hoob.  Everyone was able to attend Yawlin’s soccer game because it was later in the day.  Hoob’s dance company took first place in their category at the dance competition so we once again got online to announce it to our extended family members.  The rugby team and the soccer team didn’t do so well.

Sunday - This has always been our day to attend church and spend time together as a family.  It is our family rule that TV and computer time are limited on Sundays.  After church we visited with each other, some played games, some spent time in the yard enjoying the warm weather.  That evening my four kids went to a family gathering with their father’s side of the family.

Monday-  This was supposed to be my day to plug back in and start blogging again.  Family matters and kids needs took precedence again and I didn’t get to spend any time on the computer.  Instead I was shopping for t-shirts for the seniors on Huh’s softball team, creating locker flyers to announce the final home game of the season, taking Mack shopping for some required art supplies, and listening to Yawlin excitedly tell me about his first day being back on track.  Not to mention spending time listening to Hub as he shared some frustrations with his job.  Though I didn’t get to write a post this day it didn’t matter.  Family always comes first for me.

The week flew by rather quickly and it was quite painless being unplugged.  I wasn’t perfect at it, but I did create some “prime time” with family members that I might not have if I hadn’t challenged myself to stay away from my electronics.  I don’t know the statistics on how many people actually participated in National Turn off Your TV week, but I hope families at least tried it for one day or evening.  We make time for the things that matter most.  I would hope Family Time would be one of those things that matters. 

     

 

National Turn Off Your TV Week

Can we do it?  Can I do it?  While sitting in the waiting area of my daughter’s orthodontist I was thumbing through a magazine and saw a small blurb about April 21 - 27 being National Turn Off Your TV Week.  Always on the look-out for ideas for my blog I jotted the dates down on a scrap piece of paper I found in my purse.

I planned to write that it might be a good idea to limit tv time this week and for people to use the time to do things with their families.  A little while later I heard a plug for the week on the radio, except our area is taking it one step further and encouraging us all to “Unplug and Play”–meaning all electronic devices used for entertainment.  No tv, no computers, no DVD players, no video games.  Instead of using those devices this week we are encouraged to play something else, indoors or outdoors.

As this week drew nearer I realized I couldn’t blog about it if I wasn’t really going to do it myself.  I think most of us would readily agree that we spend too much time “plugged in” anyway.  This week is actually a perfect time for our family to do it.  Yawlin, who attends a year-round school, is off track right now, so he has lots of free time.  There are plenty of things the two of us can do together.  We started decluttering and organizing his room last Friday before he went to his Dad’s for the weekend.  We can finish his room today and start on other projects.

I’m not sure how I am going to approach it with the rest of the family.  The teenagers are the ones who are going to resist the idea the most.  Maybe it is something I can encourage strongly, but won’t force them to do.  I certainly don’t want to create hostility!

Tonight should be pretty easy.  Our family is signed up to help clean the church so we won’t even be home.  And Saturday morning we will all be participating in a neighborhood service project.  As for the rest of the time…well, I’m up for the challenge!

I don’t watch alot of tv, so that isn’t what is going to be hard for me.  Giving up the computer for a week is what is going to be my challenge.  Since first starting to blog at the end of February, I have discovered that I really like it.  Not only do I like writing my own, I also enjoy exploring the blogs of others.  But, one week spent doing some extra things with my family, instead of being on the computer, won’t kill me.  I am willing to do it!

I thought of writing some ideas for families who want to spend more time together this week but aren’t sure what to do, but I realized that most of my ideas need explanations and would make this post too long.  I may share some of the ideas in future posts.  The obvious ideas are there, of course:  read a book together, clean out the garage, do yard work, ride bikes, go for a walk, attend a local sporting event, wash the car, go shopping, be a tourist in your own town, play board games, talk to each other.  I could go on and on.  Good luck to any who decide to give it a try, even if it is only for one evening.  Whatever time you give to your family won’t be wasted time.

I now sign off for a week.