(Reading the DVD cases since I said she couldn't watch the shows)
Lessons from a week unplugged:
1. Zoey is happier. I really thought it would be hard for her to give up watching her shows, but she only asked once all week to watch something. She woke up happier and generally behaved better throughout the day, I think because she loves having our undivided attention. (I started to realize I acted the same, and was pretty excited to get Cary's undivided attention in the evenings--like mother like daughter.)
2. It was brutal for me. Though I was pleasantly surprised at the better behavior from Zoey, that didn't make it any easier to get cleaning, cooking, or even just showering done.
3. The art of bribery is alive and well. The least painful way to get some things done around here is to let Zoey watch some tv in exchange for what I need/want (i.e. When needing to comb her hair, getting her to sit is possible if you offer tv time. Last week just turned into me offering treats instead of tv. So ya know, rot her brain or encourage poor eating habits... I'm not sure how much I improved.)
4. A 1 year old is pretty capable of entertaining themselves. Zoey did really well with reading her books and doing puzzles when I had to feed Tucker.
5. A 1 year old isn't very capable of entertaining themselves. Her attention can only be held by puzzles/books/her toys for so much time each day which created a lot of pressure to go and do something to occupy our morning hours. Although I often try to plan a fun activity for Zoey each day, knowing I had to was challenging some days when balancing Tucker's needs and my sleep deprivation.
6. Tv time makes getting ready possible. Showering or even just combing my hair and applying a touch of make up was ridiculously hard without something to hold Zoey's attention. Packing a lunch/supplies, unloading groceries, and cooking were also difficult and almost broke my conviction to limit screen time just about every day.
7. I felt really uninformed. I like knowing when hurricanes are forming and heading my way, or the government is in shutdown and our good for nothing representatives are not making any progress in getting it back up and running. These things are hard to know when you don't use tv, phones, or computers.
The take away: Generally, we're better off without the screen time and plan to keep it limited. However, there are certain circumstances in which it is a lifesaver and I fully plan to embrace it because, hey, I was born in the 20th century for a reason, right?
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