Television Challenge. It's not too late to join in the fun!

A week ago today I decided to accept the TV Challenge from Alex at Late Enough. I thought it would be easy because we don’t watch much TV. What I realized in the first week is that, if you count baseball, we do watch TV regularly. I also now recognize my son needs a 12 step program for Wii addicts.

To continue with this challenge, I had to come up with a rule: you can bank time and use it all at once. For example, you can give up TV for 3 days and then watch a baseball game. We have to play this way or drop out. I am sorry, but it is baseball season.

The first day of the challenge (last Thursday) Monkey and I decided to watch baseball. We promised to give up TV for the next several days to be able to watch the game, which seemed like a good plan at the time. Strasberg pitched against the Mets last Saturday and we missed watching the game because we gave up our TV time all weekend to be able to watch the game on Thursday. Thanks Alex. Thanks for coming into my life with this challenge during baseball season.

Other than seriously affecting our baseball viewing over the weekend, this challenge has not been too difficult. When I felt we were nearing a crisis, I packed food and took the kids to the pool. This was a great distraction.

Monkey had the biggest adjustment as a result of this challenge, but he did well the first week. I enjoyed playing more games with him and watching as he chose alternative activities on his own. His Lego creations from last week are spectacular and he has been reading more.

I have been following Alex’s progress on her blog this past week. She is really having a difficult time. Alex lit her house on fire, hid from her children in public restrooms, and made a video of her son for him to watch over and over again.

If you read last week about the challenge, you know I am confident that we will beat Alex and her kids. I was a little worried about Alex’s thoughts on my interpretation of the rules until I read about her first week. If Alex tells me my cumulative TV time rule isn’t allowed, I am going to point out that the video must count towards her son’s TV time. I am feeling a bit more confident in this new rule now that I know about the video of Alex’s son.

As we enter the second week of the challenge, I am hoping it will be easier than the first week. Either way, I am not worried because I have a plan if this becomes more difficult. I am going to give my kids Alex’s address. And money for bus fare. And drop them at a Greyhound station. And move while they are visiting Alex.

Check in with us next Thursday to find out if Alex tries the light-the-house-on-fire diversion again in week 2. I will also announce where my children will be living. Clean out the guest room Alex. Just in case.

Actually after one week in the challenge, I believe Alex and I are both winning. We have had fun adventures with our kids and found ourselves involved in activities we normally would not think of doing otherwise.