Life On The Farm With No TV!!!!

So, I wrote the other day about raising kids without outside influences. Outside Influences are defined as TV, iPods, cell phones and computers. The other day, I lost my marbles, when my two kids were in the back of one of our cars cleaning it. I was in the kitchen making some dinner. Wife was running errands. I looked out the kitchen window only to witness - fist flying, screaming and crying. Now..please understand this happened between a 13 and 7 year old!!!! How? How in the world can these two go from cleaning a car to wanting to end each others existence? I quickly stopped it and had the eldest come in and explain how it happened. I then asked the other to come in and explain what happened. I then did got my calculator, built an excel spreadsheet determined the probablities of fairness and wisdom and decided to administer the penalties as such;

No TV for a week

No iPod's for a week

No computer for a week (unless there is a paper due for school)

No texting for a week (the eldest only)

What has ensued has been one of the most peaceful weeks in recent memory. Our kids are calm, the pets are fed, the coop is clean, the garden has been tended to and the attitudes are a bazillion times better. There is no fighting, they are playing together. There is no sour faces, no poor pathetic me stomp-offs... it has been AWESOME!

I am convinced, outside influences on kids can be dangerous and with science pointing to low brain activity and higher blood pressures in kids due to these influences, it is painfully obvious, our kids need us, need to use their minds and use their bodies and in doing so, they may have a chance to be normal people. Shoot, remember having to change the channels manually? What a pain, but what a blessing, nothing on the 5 channels you got, cool go outside and play and that's what we did.

So, with modern society ripping around like they need to accomplish all of lifes goals right now, and the influence of the media making us believe our kids aren't safe walking out the front door, TV has become the "Go-To" babysitter and entertainment. Therefore, I must submit - get a garden, get chickens, plant flowers, build a pond, get an aquarium (salt water - I will speak to this later as I had one for 5 years and am going to put another up soon)... but get your kids hands dirty, use their muscles, have them read, talk with them, love on them but extract these influences and use them in complete moderation.

Sorry to be preachy, but my kids brains blossom when these influences are removed...I bet yours will to.

Off to surf Santa Cruz...!!!! with my kids of course