Find all of my 31 Moments of Motherhood posts here.
********************************
[Lights come up on a woman holding a remote control.]
Me
We are all told as parents to limit the amount of television our kids watch, that too much TV leads to a sedentary lifestyle, a diminished imagination, and the death of modern society. Maybe that is a bit over the top, but I always had this unspoken standard in the back of my mind telling me that I would be doing my kids a major disservice if I let them watch more than 20 minutes of television at a time.
I have lightened up over time, which my kids are thankful about. In fact, my youngest was asked by her preschool teacher recently about what she was thankful for, and she said, “I am thankful for my mom when she lets me watch a show.”
Makes me feel so proud.
But what I have found over the years is that I can be tremendously productive in those 20 minute bursts of time.
Kind of like this…
[She points the remote at the audience and starts pressing buttons.]
Me
“What do you kiddos want to watch? Jake and the Neverland Pirates? Blue’s Clues? You have seen that one before? How about Electric Company? Yes? Okay…here you go.”
[She presses the final button, and runs offstage. She comes back on with a basket of laundry, which she dumps out and folds in record speed. In the process, she stops to pull her phone out of her pocket to make a dentist appointment, send emails, and then quickly carries the folded laundry off stage. She comes back on with the phone at her ear, and stirring cookie batter in a bowl.]
Me
“Hi, AT&T? Yep…I can hold.”
“Hey guys, how much is left? 10 minutes?”
[She takes the bowl offstage and comes back onstage with a floor mop, still on the phone. She scrubs the floor while on hold, takes the mop offstage and returns with two backpacks that she unpacks and checks school folders.]
Me
“Yes, I’m here. I need to report some issues with my television service?”
Kids (Offstage)
“MOM! The show is over!”
Me (to person on the phone)
“I’m going to have to call you back. The show is over.”
“No – not that kind of show – but thanks anyways.”
[Hangs up phone]
Me
“Break time is over…and I wonder why I give in to the “second show” so often?!?
[Lights down]
