The author doesn't have a TV screen in her new house, so her kids sometimes watch movies and shows on her laptop.
Courtesy of Jillian Pretzel
When my three kids and I moved earlier this year, I carefully packed our clothes, books, and toys. But when it came time to box up the TV, I stopped. This move, I realized, was an opportunity for a fresh start. This could be the beginning of a television-free life.I'd never considered having a TV-less household. Whenever I heard people proudly say, "We don't have a TV," I'd have to fight rolling my eyes.But since becoming a mom, I felt like the TV slowly went from being one of my favorite appliances to my main adversary.I just didn't like how my kids, ages 5, 2, and 11 months, were so fixated on the screen. My older two asked to turn it on as soon as they woke up in the morning, and they begged to watch "just five more minutes" every evening before bedtime. Even my baby would drop his toys to crawl over to the TV when it was turned on.And tantrums were not uncommon when the TV finally went off. They were like little Cookie Monsters on an episode of Sesame Street: unable to resist a treat I knew should only be consumed in moderation.So, at the very end of moving day, I decided to rehome our screen.Right away, I felt relieved and excited for a TV-free reset. But eight months in, I've accepted that a truly screen-free household didn't quite work for us.
