Friday, September 28, 2007

Cartoon Addict.

Is it a horrible thing that my child is completely addicted to cartoons? I am not exaggerating in the least bit. I think he could literally sit on the couch ALL day if I let him and watch cartoons or a movie. I don't know what happened, but he used to never be interested in tv at all. I used to wish that he would watch cartoons even if it was just for 10 minutes so that I could get some things done without him nagging me. Now it is eight in the morning and we have already been up over an hour watching cartoons. Oh yes.....Boston woke up this morning some time around 6:45 don't ask me why. I tried to let him cry, but he wouldn't stop....so finally I told jared as he was leaving for school to bring him into my room and put him in bed with me thinking that he would go back to sleep. Oh no....he freaked out and was just crying in my bed, "I wanna watch catoons!" SERIOUSLY!? Have I created a monster? I feel so bad when he sits in front of the tv watching cartoons all day....not that anything he is watching is bad, but shouldn't he be doing something else? Should I be worried by the fact that if boston asks me for something specific to eat and I tell him "ok" but that he has to eat it in the kitchen that he will say, "ok I want crackers then..." because he knows that his goldfish are about the only thing I will let him eat on the couch? Should I be entertaining him more or playing with him more? I mean he will leave the couch for his occasional "time to find a toy to have with me" but that is about it. Otherwise I have to literally pry him off the couch or bribe him, or just let him throw a fit till he realizes that we aren't watching anymore of his tv.
Yesterday I felt like crap, but I was feeling so bad that I was just sitting there with boston letting him watch cartoons all day that I got up and took him out to the park and we kicked a ball around for a while, and then we went on a walk. It was nice...I felt like my child was doing something good and productive. What did he want to do the second we got back to the house....watch cartoons. Should I feel bad about this? Should I limit how much he watches tv? I don't really know....

These are some old pictures of keaton and boston watching a movie on the couch with some popcorn. This was prior to Jared getting home....and don't let the picture fool you. They only sat there long enough for me to get the picture.....those where the days that I would try anything to get them to watch tv for even two seconds.....popcorn and the whole bit. What have I done?



6 comments:

Sheri said...

Myca I know you dont know me very well but I had the same problem with my little girl Macey. She loves disney movies, the disney channel and anything on PBS. She would sit all day long and watch TV if I let her too. So I told her she can only watch while mommy is getting ready in the morning and while I am making dinner. She always after breakfast says I wanna watch TV! But be tough and slowly maybe he'll get better. I have read how toddlers should only watch an hour a day...but sometimes you gotta do what you have to. Being prego I understand, I just had our 2nd so dont feel guilty all the time. Maybe just slowly cut it back a little. Okay sorry but I know how you feel and I had to share!
sheri

Elizabeth Cranmer said...

I go through cycles of cutting out all TV except for an hour in the morning while kent and I try to keep sleeping ( evan gets up around 5:30-6:00 can you say ouch!). when i do that I ifnd that it takes alot of energy to keep them occupied. Then I get pregnant or start nursing again and TV becomes very valuable to buy time. There is a time and a season for everything. You have little energy and so you might "need" TV right now for awhile. However I find that when I tell Evan that the TV is broken or his shows aren't on he has a fit for a min or two, but then his imagination kicks in and he plays with toys or pretends to be a monster or something. I also find getting thier help in the kitchen a great way to get them away fromt he TV even if it is to do dinner prep in the morning or soemthing. anyways my two bits. I wouldn't feel too guilty if I were you we all do it.

Kacey Nielsen said...

Good luck with that one. I'd definitely cut him back though. I don't think it really matters all that much at this age, they are probably actually learning stuff. But it sucks when your kids are couch potatos when they are older. I wouldn't let it stress you out though. Your kid is going to turn out great. Great parents, great family, he'll be fine.

dirty>south said...

watching cartoons is a hereditary Earl trait. Need I remind you of the countless hours we all spent - especially a certain brother of yours (eh hem, collin)? you can't fight it. just accept it.

mumovearls said...

Uhmmm....Collin Hasn't stoped watching cartoons! It is a family trait! Good luck with that!

Corbin said...

It's either cartoons or jared taking boston to blow things up... and then it gets better when boston starts trying to jump off the roof with your tights on with an umbrella because he can't watch cartoons and his "imagination" has taken off and all he wants to do is be a superhero and fly. Then what will you do? Then cartoons aren't so bad are they! Cartoons aren't the problem... it's parents letting their children think! That's the problem!

Ummm... if he ends up being a big nerdy tv watcher... i'll beat him... let that be a warning. :)