An alternative to TV

Next week is Screen-Free Week, so we are going to try to go without TV in our house starting Monday. We have a few outdoor activities planned (San Diego Zoo, for one), but it's not reasonable to spend the entire waking day outside, so I started thinking about the kinds of creative things we could do as a family. Then I saw Lily's paintings hanging on the wall.

We framed three of Lily's paintings that she did when she was about 8 or 9 months old. We did that so we would remember the fun she had smearing paint around and mixing up all the colors, and I started thinking that painting and art and creativity could end up becoming a lifestyle if we wanted it to.

Just like any other lifestyle choice, it takes consistent effort to make it a habit, but it also gets easier the more you do it.

So next week, I'm going to try not just to go without TV, but to spend more time painting with Lily. It isn't goinh to be a week focused on what we are giving up, but a week focused on how much we can create and accomplish if we choose to. I'm not good at painting, but my goal is to recapture the fun and creative energy that kids seem to have and adults seem to lose.

Have fun with your kids. Cheers!