Can I just say wow, what a crazy week.  What a busy week. What a week of learning.  This week our TV was turned off, a sign was placed on the screen that read, "No TV Week!" and was colored so beautifully by my 4 year old son.  Every once in a while he would open our armoire doors to peak at his handy work but never once did he try to turn the TV on.  We had a good week.

Here are some of the many light bulbs that turned on in my TV-less head:

1. Wow, do I seriously turn the TV on that much?  I started noticing every time my thoughts turned to the TV and realized I would've turned it on now.....and now.....and now.  Really?  The kids are playing nicely by themselves...a few minutes of Mommy screen time.  Folding laundry....a few more minutes of Mommy screen time. Or I need to get this done really quick...children screen time.  Or I need to make a quick call.....a few minutes turned to full show of children's screen time.  It really adds up, little by little and I was amazed at how often my natural tendencies gravitated to that little on button.
2. I got a housekeeper.  Seriously, push the off button on your TV for a week and watch your house whip into shape.  It is quite amazing. My house is the cleanest it has been in a long, long while.  Yes, I did have the motivation of guests coming on Friday but I also devoted more time to it without the distraction of the TV and the kids joined in as well. 
3. My kids are friends.  They ACTUALLY like each other. Really they do.  There were still moments of an 17 month old's squeals from a brother's "love" but they played together way, WAY more than I have seen them play, I think EVER.  And they laughed.  I loved running to a room filled with laughter to soak it in rather than running to rescue a little girl in tears. TV off meant for good old fashion fun for siblings (it also helped that their rooms were clean and the toys organized and ready for little hands and eyes to find them easily.)
4. Did we really miss anything?  Does it really matter that I missed watching Rachael Ray make her meal that looks yummy but I know I'll never make it?  Does it really matter that I didn't see that cute craft on Studio 5 that looks awesome but again I wouldn't spend the money or the time to make it myself?  Does it really matter that I didn't see some soon to be "idol" perform?  Does it matter that my son didn't see Curious George get into trouble and somehow get out of it once again?  Yes, actually it does matter. Why?  Because all of that time was spent with one another and making our home a more enjoyable place to be.  We didn't miss a thing.
5. Conference is the best 8 hours of TV we could ever watch  (more thoughts on wonderful General Conference coming soon in an upcoming post).
6. Lastly,  our TV world is about to go through a whirlwind of change.  We haven't finalized exactly how it is going to pan out but big changes are to come and it will be good.

Yea, for No TV Week.  I learned a lot in our last two TV fasts but this time something different happened.  Something changed in me and now something is going to change for our family.

How do you regulate TV time at your house?  What have you done to make sure it is not over-used?  Have any of you gotten rid of your TV all together?  If so, how did your children respond and how did your life change?
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