Going Unplugged…
Current Mood: 
I hadn’t posted today because I have been thinking since reading my friend Nicki’s blog yesterday. She’s counting down to Christmas by doing two projects: Advent stockings and an Advent garland. We have never done Advent before: it seemed kids and busyness always got in the way. But this year? I was looking for a way to emphasize the meaning of Christmas and family time and this seemed to be the perfect way.
With having a newborn and an active toddler, I don’t know if I can actually sew up 24 little stockings and go all out. BUT I did see this much easier to attain idea:
idea & photo credit: Kiddley
Origami paper is folded into an envelope with family activities within them. Each evening after daddy gets home from work, the kids will open the envelope for the day and we’ll spend some time together doing an activity.
We’ll also be unplugged for the Advent season. Inspired by Unplug Your Kids blog, we’ll be unplugging our television for the 24 days before Christmas. Quite frankly, since the baby has been born, I’ve become quite dependent on the TV (DVDs specifically since we don’t have cable service) to babysit and distract my kids while I tend to Joshua. Some days, the TV is on all day long. It is so easy to put it on when the kids whine about being bored or when I need to distract Rachel while I nurse Joshua. I’m a bad mommy, I know.
I believe becoming unplugged will be a challenge but the rewards will be worth it. Will you join us?
By cbmrj777 on Nov 18, 2007 in Family
Hi Christine,
Thank you so much for your lovely comment on my blog. Comments like yours make it all seem worthwhile!
I wish you luck with your Unplugged Advent. I think that is a great idea, and a nice way to try out life without TV for a while.
I really like your Advent ideas. I would like to link to them in one of my Christmas Unplugged posts if that is OK.
Thanks again for stopping by and please let me know how it goes!
Mom Unplugged | Nov 18, 2007 | Reply
Becoming unplugged about 5 months ago (by finding Sarah’s site) was one of the greatest things I did for my kids and for me. Sure, there are some days where I just want to stick them in front of the “TV babysitter” but now I let them play in their rooms while I’m doing housework. It is an adjustment but one that I have found to be well worth it.
I still let Em and Ro watch Signing Time and the occasional show every once in a while… but I try to limit it. And Em’s (the 3 y.o.) attention span has gotten much better.
If you ever want to talk about it, feel free to email me. I’m still new to it also. And I LOVE your idea above about the family activities envelopes. I think we might have to try something like that too.
Take care,
Hettie
Heather | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply