My 4-year-old son is absolutely hooked on television, especially those bizarre YouTube channels where adults with unsettling voices and oversized hands unbox toys. To me, it feels like a continuous infomercial for overpriced plastic junk. However, there’s some science behind this obsession. Every day, he’d plead with me to turn on his favorite shows, accompanied by a seemingly endless list of Netflix kid’s content. While I didn’t allow him to zone out all day, my screen time rules were pretty lenient. Admittedly, I often used the TV as a glorified babysitter so I could tackle chores without him and his 2-year-old sister creating chaos around me.
Then, about a month ago, I made a classic parenting blunder — in a moment of frustration, I imposed an extreme and unrealistic punishment: I declared TV was gone for good.
It was early evening, and I was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. My son was fixated on his beloved YouTube channel, captivated by animated characters having fun with colorful toys. I warned him, “Five more minutes, then it’s off.” He agreed, but when the time was up and I pressed the Off button, he erupted into a full-blown meltdown. And when my 4-year-old has a breakdown at dinner time, it’s pretty likely I’m about to lose my composure too.
“That’s it. No more TV. Ever.”
His eyes widened in disbelief, and tears began to flow.
“When can I get it back? Tomorrow?”
“Nope. It’s gone. Forever.”
Oh no.
What’s worse? I was so convincing that he genuinely believed me. For a few days, he asked half-heartedly about watching something on Netflix, but soon realized I was serious (I can be pretty stubborn and was determined to win this battle). Fast forward a month, and my kids haven’t watched a single show or YouTube video. Surprisingly, I have no intention of revisiting that “forever” anytime soon.
Now, before anyone assumes that our screen-free life has transformed our home into a serene paradise, let me debunk that myth right away. The last few weeks have been incredibly long. And loud. Oh so loud. Some hours I’ve survived without screens purely out of determination (and perhaps a glass of wine or two). The TV has a volume control and a pause button; my kids do not.
Sibling rivalry has reached astonishing heights. With no TV to distract them, they have endless time to argue over trivial matters—the correct way to close the front door, who gets the first frozen waffle, and who gets to play with the forgotten toy buried at the bottom of their toy box. The hair-pulling, shoving, screaming, and crying is almost too much to bear. Navigating the constant bickering between a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old should probably be recognized as a form of psychological torture.
And the mess. Everyone knows that children’s toys multiply like rabbits, but without the distraction of TV? My home is an absolute disaster zone. Crafts and dress-up clothes are strewn everywhere, and cardboard boxes that once served as castles now clutter the living room. Additionally, without my digital babysitter, I find myself “on duty” for even longer. It’s exhausting.
So why am I not backing down, even in the face of chaos? Why is this indefinite ban on TV likely to last even longer? Because, despite the noise, the fighting, and the mess, I’m noticing the benefits of our screen-free lifestyle, and I like what I see.
Firstly, we’ve been reading a lot more. Instead of just two or three bedtime stories, we now read throughout the day. My 2-year-old, who previously showed little interest in books, constantly begs for story time. We’ve made weekly trips to the library a new family tradition, and we’re easily devouring 20 books a week—many of which we read multiple times.
Moreover, their creativity and imaginative play have skyrocketed. Sure, it’s loud and messy, but it’s also incredibly heartwarming to see their minds at work. They’re outside building pirate ships and princess castles on the swing set, coming in dirty and sweaty. Long bubble baths have become the norm, and they’re falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer.
Selfishly, even though I’m wiped out at the end of the day, I feel liberated from the mom guilt that often accompanied those days when I let them watch too much TV. Logically, I know there’s nothing wrong with screen time, yet I often felt guilty about it. Eliminating that source of guilt, even if just temporarily, has been incredibly freeing.
“Forever” may not truly mean forever, and I know that kids’ TV will likely re-enter our lives at some point. But for now, this screen-free existence is working for us. And who knows, maybe my daughter will completely forget those odd YouTube toy videos—at least that’s what I keep telling myself.
For more insights into parenting and family planning, check out some of our other blogs, including resources on boosting fertility supplements and the authority on home insemination kits. You can also find valuable information on family-building options at Resolve.
Summary
This article explores a parent’s experience of banning TV from their children’s lives after a moment of anger. While the transition has led to challenges like noise and mess, it has also resulted in increased reading, creativity, and overall family bonding. The author reflects on the benefits of a screen-free lifestyle and acknowledges that while TV will return someday, this current phase has brought unexpected rewards.
Keyphrase: screen-free parenting
Tags: [“home insemination kit”, “home insemination syringe”, “self insemination”]