RainStain

Media in the Home

Call me old fashioned, but we do not have cable TV in our home. We do own a TV and the accessories that go with it, but we do not subscribe to any cable companies.

Now that most of you are (hopefully!) done gasping from surprise, I will share the benefits I enjoy because of the decision we've made to go without cable TV.

It is easy to monitor what goes in my children's ears.
I have complete say in everything they watch, while allowing them the freedom to choose whatever they want to watch during allotted TV-time because I buy the DVD's.
My children spend more of their time away from the TV. This is like automatic limitations, because of the out of sight/out of mind concept.
When we do watch DVD's, I am able to pause whenever I want to ask my children questions about what they are watching. This helps them with comprehension of storytelling (and patience because I am not allowing them to veg out like zombies while watching).
I am able to supplement the program's content with additional related activities, like Alphabet Bingo or story time with a related book.

Now, let's hear from some experts.

Baby Center recommends that we:

Limit the amount of TV our toddler watches.
Watch programs, not television.
Choose calm, quiet programs.
Watch with your toddler.
Help your toddler watch with a critical eye.
Extend the show's content with activities or books.

Read the entire Baby Center article here.

Forever Families recommends these practical ideas:

Get a TV Guardian to block inappropriate language from your television.
Consider buying a televison that has teh V-Chip to block shows with harmful content. (All televisions manufactured since January 1, 2000 are required to contain the V-Chip.) For more information, visit the V-Vhip website.
Consider movie and television ratings but don't trust them to tell you what shows you should or shouldn't watch. Those who set the ratings may not have the same value system you do. Before watching a movie, check various resources to make sure the content is appropriate. For example, talk to a trusted friend who has seen the show you are considering. Or check www.screenit.com or www.familystyle.com.
Get a filter for you Internet access. Filters block entrance to websites that contain inappropriate content. Many different software programs and internet service providers offer this service.
Talk with your children about the shows and advertisements you see with them, comparing what is portrayed on the screen with real life. Your children will benefit as you communicate with them about the media and its influences.

Read Making Wise Use of the Media at Home.

More Resources for Families using everyday technology:

I'm sure that some of you are wondering what my husband and I watch when the children are sleeping and I do have an answer for that.

RedBox has a lot of promotional codes online. Many times, if I check online before I head out to a RedBox machine, I can rent movies for free.

Blockbuster is our option, when we don't see anything we like, or want to watch things that are not available at RedBox. Blockbuster has movies for rent at $0.99, $2.99, and $4.99.

Hulu has many options to choose from. There is the free version of Hulu and a paid version called Hulu Plus. Both are great. Hulu Plus is affordable and a great alternative to cable TV.

Our movie collection is usually the last option we pick. It is not that we don't have a good selection, it is that we go there when we are pinching pennies, don't feel like going out to rent a movie, or don't like the selection available to us. We pick this last because we usually want to watch something we haven't seen before, but there are definitely times where we pick a movie from the collection because we feel like watching that over any other option.

Maybe to some people this option may be old fashioned, but it is definitely open to more ages than just the old! I am 26 and by no means consider that age old. Making the decision to keep cable TV out of our home has helped us keep our family pure. However, if you feel that this decision is too drastic or not for you, there are tools out there to help you keep your media usage under control. The idea is to use the TV responsibly. The television should not be your only form of entertainment.

I hope that this has shined some light on responsible use of media in the home. It is a decision to be made. Make your decision and do what you need to do to follow through with it responsibly.

Happy Homemaking!

Chores for Children

If your child is old enough to maintain household responsibility, consider assigning her some chores to be done on a regular basis.

HealthyChildren.org recommends guidelines on how to help your child maintain responsibilities.

Carefully spell out the tasks your child must perform.

Honest praise form you can be the most effective way of motivating your child and guaranteeing her success.

Your child may be greatly helped in remembering to do chores if your family life has a structure and routines.

Schedule weekly family meetings to review your child's progress.

When your youngster does not complete her chores and other responsibilities, it may be necessary to discipline her.

View the entire article on Chores and Responsibility.

FamilyEducation.com says that

"The skills learned from having family responsibilities include time management, prioritizing tasks, and general organizational abilities."

Read more about The Importance of Chores.

Here is an image of the chore chart I use for my 6-year-old and 3-year-old.

Everyone has responsibilities, regardless of age.

My kids get allowance for the days they complete all of their responsibilities. I like to make sure to call them responsibilities and not chores so that they understand that everyone has responsibilities, regardless of age. It is a commonly used word that they can start using now.

Only pay for completed work.

I only pay them allowance for the days every responsibility is fulfilled because, just like adults, we only get paid when the job is complete.

The sower reaps rewards.

If I complete a job for them, I put a quarter in my wallet, in front of my kids. That way they know that every job needs to get done, and whoever does the job gets paid for it because they did the work.

At every age, it is hard to save money.

Since my kids are still very young, I only pay them one quarter for each completed day of responsibilities. I feel that this is a good way to show children that it is not an easy task to save money.

A Sense of Community.

I make the responsibilities match what each child is capable of. For example, my 3-year-old son cleans under the bunk beds because he is small. So many toys get lost under the bed and someone needs to get them and put them in their rightful place. That is his responsibility or job and he is very proud of it.

Time is our rarest commodity. Once it's gone, we cannot get it back.

I also put one extra responsibility at the bottom of the list, which is not required. The extra responsibility supports a major God-give gift. For example, my daughter has to draw one thing in her sketchbook every day. It is not required, but if she cares to maintain her talent, she will draw one thing, and she does. My son has to practice catching a ball. This optional responsibility shows them the idea of priority in a general sense. The kids realize that they have tasks to do that pay them and need to get done. If they have time left, they do the ones that do not pay. I am not saying that maintaining your talents is not important. I just want them to realize that some things can wait until tomorrow. If maintaining their talents is a high priority to them, they need to manage their time wisely so that they have enough time to complete every task.

As a thank you for visiting RainStain, I will send anyone that follows this blog a full resolution PDF copy of my responsibility chart, customized with your child's name on it. Just follow this blog and send me an email with your gmail account name and the name you would like on your responsibility chart.

Happy Homemaking!

Ask an expert!

Debating on being a homemaker full-time? Why not ask an expert?

A stay-at-home-mom asks her 5-year-old if she would rather have more toys or a 24/7 mom. Watch the video to see what she decided.

Happy Homemaking!

Patterns for Daily Living

Is your daily routine, well,...not-so-routine? Here is some information that might make you want to make the change to a life filled with routine.

A Place of Our Own's, Debbi Gutierrez says that:

Consistency gives kids security.

Schedules help build trust between kids and child care providers/parents.

Inconsistency creates emotional anxiety.

Allow for flexibility within the day.

Parents should be consistent when children are at home.

Read more about routines at A Place of Our Own.

Liza Asher of Mom MD says that the two of the most basic and important routines for children are regular mealtimes and winding down before bed.

"Routine schedules for kids provide a foundation for future success."

Read more about The Importance of Routines for Children at Mom MD.

Mary Ann Romans of Families.com says that:

"Routines can also cause less conflict and better behavior."

Read about how Mary Ann Romans adds spontaneity to her routine!

Don't have enough time in the day to get your ever-growing to-do list tackled? Is your child's behavior making it hard for you to maintain composure? Is your day-to-day life causing you stress and making you unhappy with your life? Implementing a schedule into your child's daily life will help your child's development as well as the development of your ever-growing to do list! Who knows?! Maybe this control over your day will bring you less stress. Maybe stressing less often will allow more time for happiness! What can you lose from trying out a flexible daily routine? Nothing, duh!

Happy Homemaking!