When I was growing up at my parent's house, I never really cared that much about TV. We never had cable. I 'missed' it growing up because all my friends had cable. It seemed, at the time, like everyone else in the world had cable. And we didn't. Cue the sad teenage violins. Even though we didn't have cable, television was always on but mainly just as background noise. I rarely remember watching any specific shows or series programs or anything like that. If you ask my parents today, they are strictly devoted to several shows about celebrities dancing or singing or ice skating or something else ridiculous.
Throughout my younger 20's and up until just a few months ago I have done that same thing, except with cable. Once I got my first apartment, I got cable. Rebellion from your parents: party of one! Rarely though did I get involved in any one TV show especially a current show because I can't ever remember what channel or what time it's on. I would get involved in the Food Network any time of day or night and could always get sucked into those marathons of Law and Order: SVU. Who doesn't love 19 straight hours of Benson and Stabler?
Corry and I have always had cable since we moved in to our first apartment together. However, since having kids, I have now become more aware of the shows that my children watch on television. Before we go any further, I will say that my children watch television and they have learned an exponential amount of awesome things from educational television. I am not a follower of the 'no TV before age 2 or your baby's brain will rot and fall out' mindset, nor do I believe that exposure to violent or sexual behavior on television shapes the way that we grow up. I love SVU, but that doesn't mean that I am going to go out and assault someone. I digress..
Before we moved into this newer house, in an effort to save money, we talked about getting rid of cable. We didn't have that much spectacular stuff with our current cable package and it was well over $100 a month including taxes and fees. Ridiculous. And what's even worse is that we watched like 5 channels on a regular basis. Even more ridiculous.
My husband couldn't have been happier when he saw a NeoTV box on the Black Friday deals in our area. I, of course, didn't know anything about it but was quickly schooled that it could stream Netflix and Hulu. Sold. I originally missed live television, but now I can't even tell you that I notice it. Plus, I get to become involved in shows that I never watched before, like Survivor. I have become a Survivor crazy person. How did I never watch any of the first like 24 seasons of this show?
I would like for one of the positives of this year with my new exercise resolution to be that I get more exercise, yes but possibly less television. I want to not be one of those parents that entertains my children with television. I want them to remember that we went to the park, and out to the zoo, and that we played games, and not that they knew which channel Cailou was on everyday. I'm working on it... as soon as Survivor is over!
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