Feeling "Inspirated"

It's been ages since I posted here, and there are lots of reasons.  Rather than list them all, I'll tell you what is new with us, and why I am excited to be back!

For most of Grayson's and Grant's childhood, I was super-duper strict about television/computers/video games.  Over the last few months, I suppose I just got lazy about fighting that battle.  It was just so very much easier to let them watch television or play on the computer than to fight them and come up with something better for them to do.  As their screen time crept upward, their attention levels and interest in creative activities spiraled downward.  It was so gradual that it was hard to notice at first.  It felt like I just turned around one day and suddenly had kids who were incapable of entertaining themselves for long periods, or who were too tired to play  outdoors.  Everything that wasn't television was "boring."

After a certain climactic brainless event which left Jeff and I stunned at the thoughtlessness of one of our children, we conferred and decided to make some drastic changes.  The child involved in the brainlessness has been without screen time completely for one week.  The other one is following our new rule of only thirty minutes of screen time in a day.  That includes ALL screens (DSi, Wii, computer, tv).  They do have the opportunity to earn more screen time by doing parent-approved scholastic activities, but so far they have been having too much fun to do so!

The changes in behavior, attitude, and maturity this week have been amazing.  We are back to the kind of family I had envisioned up being from the start.  The kind who spends quality time together, encourages one another, creates together, and inspires one another.  I am looking forward to seeing what these boys of mine get into in the future and sharing it all with you here!