Rainy Days

We've had quite a bit of rain this past week, so we've been stuck indoors. There are a few indoor malls near us, but neither Mr. Mustard nor I want to brave them during Christmas holiday shopping time. So, we've been inside getting cozy and staying warm.

Paprika starts to go a little stir-crazy inside, but we've been keeping her busy with her blocks and playing with her dollhouse. Reading books, and playing dress-up are also at the top of the list.

We are back to our no-media (no tv, no dvds) policy with her, and that is working out really well. We had back-slided a lot on that when I was so sick with the flu. She had been watching a lot of Dora The Explorer dvds, and I started to notice big changes in her behavior. She would start repeating whole episodes (she has an incredible memory and can memorize whole movies on only the second or third vieiwing).

I would try to talk to her when we were out at the park or the playground, and she would answer me back with lines from Dora. It was really starting to frighten me. Even just an episode or two was having a big effect on her behavior. So, we are back to no-television, no-dvds, period. She's actually never watched TV except for Dancing With The Stars once or twice. She's never seen a television commercial, and I'd like to keep it that way. But, we were letting her watch kids' dvds, and it was starting to consume her. She wanted to watch the same thing over and over again, and didn't want to go outside, or play, or do anything else.

We may break that rule for special "family movie nights" - where we can all watch one special movie together. And, of course, I will still take her to see movies at the theater occasionally because that is something I remember with great fondness from my childhood, and it is more of a "special experience" as opposed to mindless TV.



I think Mr. Mustard and I are even more aware of the effects of television because he works in the industry, and I used to work in it, too. It is pretty astounding the effects that television can have on a person, especially a young child. Mr. Mustard and I watch almost no television, except for a few special "appointment television" shows after Paprika and Ginger are asleep. And we never watch commercials (that is what the mute button is for). Most of our television we watch online from the network websites or hulu.com because there are so many fewer commercials and we can watch what we want when we want to watch it.



So, that's one of the reasons why we go out so much with Paprika. Our house is teeny tiny, and so now with us all being inside we are all having a bit of cabin fever, and we are running out of things to do! Maybe it's time to get out the Play Doh. That's always good for a few hours.

Ginger is having fun with all her new toys and is most cozy indoors. She is entertained by Paprika, and by me and Mr. Mustard, and is happy just as long as we're around. She's a happy little baby!