Unplugged

Nicole was telling me on the phone today about a family she saw on the Today show that had agreed to try living for 7 days without certain modern technologies. I think they were going without their washer & dryer, computer, television, microwave, and iron. Well, the iron would be no problem, and I could even do without the microwave, but no washer and dryer!!! No computer!!! Those 2 would get me for sure! But what about the TV? I know my kids depend on the TV for much of their entertainment in the morning. So, I told the kids during breakfast that we were going to leave the TV off all morning. I got a little resistance at first, but they all quickly made their way upstairs and started playing together, and I actually had time to get some stuff done. But the greatest part was that they all WILLINGLY pitched in with chores - they put away toys, they cleaned up their room, they put away their folded laundry, and after lunch, Isaac even vacuumed the living room! And not one single solitary time did any one of them so much as whine about having to do 'work.' They were enjoying it. And because their room was clean, we had space to build up Dinosaur Mountain in the middle of the floor for them to play with (a toy that hasn't seen the light of day for a few months now!). I'd say our experiment was a success! I think I'll try it again tomorrow - maybe we'll successfully get these kids UNPLUGGED!