Member-only story
When the Screens Go Off
And other times I fight modern crutches in the name of parenting and sanity
I fully admit that I, too, have dropped my child in front of the television to keep her occupied while I get a little extra work done.
I fully admit that I, too, have handed her the tablet downloaded with a new movie for a long car journey or plane ride.
And I fully admit that I, too, have handed over my phone in the grocery store so that she can look through pictures in favor of, you know… not whining about my disinterest in filling our cart with Kit Kat bars.
Sue me.
But sometimes, the screens need to go away. I need to turn them off. We need to do something else.
Sometimes, it’s because her majesty has made some bratty comment I don’t like and I take them away until she earns them back. Sometimes, it’s because she’s watching garbage I don’t approve of with no clear life lesson. Sometimes, it’s because I’ve had to call her name more than a few times and she’s too warped into a show to have heard me.
More often than not, though, it’s because I just don’t want them on anymore. It’s time for them to be off, and this is when I get to pull the “Mommy said so” card. (A delightful card to have in one’s back pocket… Mom, I get it…
