*** This post was supposed to be published last Wednesday, but due to an unavoidable impromptu camping trip in the Rocky Mountains, publishing has been delayed ’til now. Humblest apologies.

photo © 2007 woodleywonderworks | more info (via: Wylio)

So today was our dry run for our TV-free month of July (which starts on Friday!). Yesterday Isaac said “bye-bye!” to the Backyardigans DVD as he dropped into the library returns slot. Immediately after returning the DVD we headed to the dollar store (can’t say it enough – I LOVE that in Tiny Town you can literally walk everywhere you want to go) where we chose a few special items to go into his “quiet time entertainment basket”. My biggest conundrum for giving up the TV was what to do with him whilst putting his baby sister down for a nap – he’s a spirited and curious child, and I would be very much afraid of him wandering around bored, downstairs unsupervised. The possibilities for trouble (or reasons to visit the ER!) would be pretty much endless. Thus, a special basket for him to play with during those ten or so minutes (or longer if necessary!). We bring it up to his room where he “makes art” while I’m blissfully cuddling a sleeping baby across the hall, then we move downstairs together once the little one is in dreamland in her cozy little bed.

When Grammy was here visiting last month, she taught Isaac how to use scissors, and he’s now obsessed with cutting paper into tiny little bits that I have to pick out of the carpet. It’s awesome. He’s also a fan of stickers, so I got some regular stickers and some of those foam shapes with sticky backing, in the shape of barns and fences and farm animals. I threw in a new colouring book, a pad of blank paper, a new puzzle, and the “quiet time entertainment basket” was complete. Technically there’s no basket yet, but I’m on the hunt for the perfect one in my thrifting travels.

So today when I took the Ally-gator up for her nap, Isaac came too, toting his art supplies into his bedroom. He was quiet and content, and the whole thing worked rather like a charm. It was perfect, and I dutifully congratulated my excellent mothering skills. Sometimes it’s the small victories that make your day (week).

***

Back to present-day (Monday, July 4)

The first three days of our TV-free month were pretty easy-peasy, since we were camping in Banff National Park, and ya know, didn’t bring our TV with us. {Yes, as a matter of fact, it was quite glorious, and I have beautiful photos to share as soon as I get them all organized and whatnot.}

This morning proved to be the real test, as the day dawned with the nervous anticipation and knowledge that the “last resort” back-up plan for meltdown kids and moments of peace was now GONE. And in its place? Art. This morning’s nap time went off without a hitch again, with Isaac enjoying his scissors and stickers. He even began categorizing his crayons into colour-coded piles, which made this organizing-happy mama very proud .

There may come a day when I need to add in a few more activities as he gets tired of these, or perhaps I will just rotate a few things through – puzzles, colouring, playdough? But for now, this is working quite well… and we don’t miss watching TV in the slightest.

Beth

Beth is the creator and editor here at Red & Honey, a lifestyle blog for the naturally-minded homemaker. She recently began a passionate love affair with coffee and her life will never be the same. She has had three babies in less than four years, is a professional laundry-avoider, and loves to stay up way too late making weird stuff from scratch that normal people tend to just buy in a store. Hence, the coffee.

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