TV Optional

It used to be, for many years, that my wife and I, at the end of the day, would retire to our couch to watch a show or movie for about an hour before heading to bed. We watched many a good show, plenty of movies, and this went on for well over a decade. We would rarely watch for more than an hour as we would be involved with our kids or other activities before that. However, within the past month, we have started a new habit of not turning on the TV and instead playing a game of cards, reading books, or just talking. I’m not gonna lie, there is a small part of me that misses just sitting mindlessly in front of the TV being entertained by some show or movie. Yet, my wife was getting to the point where she would be getting a fitful night’s sleep after watching a screen for an hour, so it became a necessary change for her. After the first couple of nights, it got easier, and while we have watched a show when we are exhausted, generally now we will avoid it.

There is something to be said for turning the TV off and keeping your brain active until your ready for bed. I will get tired regardless, but I feel that when I’m playing a game or talking, my mind settles more and even I fall into a deeper sleep than I would otherwise. To make it easier to turn off the TV, I’m not a big sports fan, and it seems like a lot of the shows coming out are sub-par compared to what they used to be. Give me a book or a card game, and it’ll beat the TV any day. Plus, if we build that into our routine enough, like I mentioned yesterday, it will also afford us more opportunity to perhaps pursue a goal of ours (if we are not too tired) in the evening. Its not always easy changing habits and routines, but not turning the TV on after dinner was a relatively easy one. I know a few people who rarely watch TV, but it isn’t many. In talking to a customer of mine, a professor at a local university who lives alone, she said she couldn’t imagine watching TV by herself, she said it would feel depressing. I kind of agree with that, especially if you live alone. But even if you live in a household with multiple people, why not engage them throughout the entirety of the day?

With our children, we have game time after dinner where we will choose a game to play, put on some music, and play that game till they are ready for bed. They are 14 and 12 and still enjoy this, because we have made it a habit and part of our routine. They have become adept at Pinochle, Rummy, and a slew of other card and board games. Plus it offers more time for them to decompress and talk about their days which they do so extensively. Since we did that with our children, we now carry it on after they go to bed. Some people say that having a family is stressful. It can be, but it can be easier if we allow the time to spend together and learn about our days, our struggles, our hopes and complaints, and work through them all together. It gets stressful when we have to deal with all of that alone and don’t have the support of those around us simply because we have not carved the time out to generate that support. What family or individual habit can you get rid of that will enhance our home life? Maybe its time to make another little change…