TV Viewing...

Last week was TV Turn-off week and we had a fun time at the Thursday event at the Dow Center. I had a wonderful time singing with the families that made the rounds of fun things to do. One family proved to me they don't watch all the TV they could by singing one of their favorite songs about numbers and vowels...in Spanish. What a treat for me to watch the Dad playing my guitar and his daughter looking way into his eyes while they sang.

A few of the very young toddlers brought their parents back to my little area two and three times. One mom said "OK, just one more song then we're going."......."OK, just one more...." Then she said "Hi! We're back!" Her precious daughter loved the scarf play and jingling with bells...what fun!

I hope some families will have noticed that it's not so hard to be TV free....it's precious family time.

A few years ago I heard the author, Thomas Lewis, author of "A General Theory of Love".He spoke of his work with troubled teens. The statistics he shared of youth violence really pierced the heart. Then he was asking questions about how we learn empathy and gave some recommendations for working with troubled teens (and what teens don't have a zillion troubling questions all through the day...). His prescription was to mandate the family to have a minimum of 5 meals a week together with absolutely nothing electronic (no TV, radio, games, Ipods, computers, nothing) and that the family just TALK. He said one does not have to talk about anything stressful...just talk. When you talk you naturally look at each other. Something very important happens when you look at someone in the eyes during even the in most insignificant of conversations. And it has something to do with empathy....a very important skill.

Why is something that sounds SO simple SO hard to do?

In our house we often find ourselves still at the table with empty plates 45 minutes later....or more....deep in a great discussion....

You've got to start somewhere. Now is a good time.