We're Trying Something Different

Since moving to the new house Cal's been TV free. We've never had an actual TV, but we've always let him watch a lot of kids shows on our laptops, phones and the iPad. But since coming here we've gone cold turkey. We told Cal we don't have any internet here and that we're gonna do other fun stuff instead. And bizarrely he's totally accepted it. He's asked for TV about 3 times in the past week and I can't get over how smoothly it's gone. I was expecting meltdowns, whingeing and perhaps even physical violence, but nada. In fact, I think we miss it more that he does. I definitely miss the "stun gun" as we call it and its gifts of quiet half hours for reading or peaceful make-up application.

The decision came about because we noticed that he was having a lot of trouble playing on his own. If he wasn't watching TV he was driving us crazy with requests for Nickelodeon-style high adventure games, and it was absolutely knackering us. So in an effort to calm everything down a bit we're trying to do slower, gentler things with him. Lots of reading, drawing, cooking, outdoors adventure etc - probably like we should have been doing all along. And of course he's happy with more of the right kind of attention from his folks. As for independent-play it hasn't quite kicked in yet, but we're still hopeful.

It's probably not a forever thing, the no-TV, but at the moment it's a good thing. Although I do kind of miss the Octonauts and Fireman Sam, which is something I never thought I'd say.

I wasn't even sure he could digest food without YouTube but so far, so good

It's a good sunny space, a little cold this month with all the glass but we're loving the new house

Sunday Scone-day 

Filling lolly-bags to give to his friends at HH kindy to say goodbye

Sometimes filling the bags, mostly eating the candy

Bedtime comes early, right at 7pm and he's sleeping beautifully

The story of Mum's greatest adventure. The time she climbed a volcano in Bali

With a promise to take Daddy and Cal to the top one day to see the fire

A walk around the neighbourhood to find new friends

Didn't go quite to plan

And home again stuffing a chook to roast for GrandDad