So my husband and I decided that we didn't care to have TV in our home, because we don't feel that there is much that is broadcast that we would care to watch or have our children watch. We decided however that movies are OK, and so we have a passle of movies, mostly Disney, that we play on our computer and that is our media center.
Well our current movie collection started maybe about a year and a half ago, when we purchased a Veggie Tales DVD. Our daughter, who was one at the time, loved it and requested it over and over. Unfortunately at least part of this time period was in my first trimester of my second pregnancy. So once I got past the majority of the nausea period, this video would still make me nauseous. In fact it still does. Isn't it amazing how those kinds of connections work? Anyway, I developed a strong desire to build up our movie collection with other films that our daughter would like, so that I wouldn't have to watch that one repeatedly.
We now have at least 18 DVD's that she watches on a regular basis. Now I know that for some people that really isn't that big of a collection. But for us it seems huge. Plus we have some other movies that she isn't as enthralled with.
Anyway, Monday through Friday, there is usually at least one movie shown in our house. And unfortunately the number watched per day has escalated since our son was born, and I find that sometimes the only time I can get anything done is to turn on a movie.
So now I have created a monster. I have a two year old who quotes movies left and right. She can sing many Disney tunes, and can identify a movie just from you humming the tune to one of the songs in it. And she tends to throw quite the tantrum if I tell her no when she asks to watch a movie.
Well yesterday, I realized an even bigger problem. She doesn't know what things aren't the best to repeat. Now we try to not have any movies that have swearing in them. But almost every show has words like; stupid, idiot, bozo, etc. Now I know these aren't the worst words in the world, and that she will eventually learn them anyway. But I don't want my children to learn that calling people names is all right.
I'm sure that this is a battle that most parents have to face at some point in time or another. So I want to know, how do you, or would you handle this situation, if faced with it? How do we teach our children that not all the things they hear in the world around them are worth repeating?
Also what kind of indoor activities can you think of to entertain a 2 1/2 year old?
4 comments:
I know you asked about indoor activities, but I've found that kids really like outdoor activities: is that an option?
My kids do love the outdoors. And love to be out there. We utilize that when ever we can. However there are times that being outside just doesn't work. That is what I need indoor activities other than movies for.
You don't know me, but we have a mutual friend, Thwarthwimple.
Anyhow, one thing we picked up recently is tangrams. They are really entertaining (and addicting) and my three year-old and two year-old love them. But regular tangrams aren't as interesting for them so you need to get a kid version. You can find it at www.tangoes.com.
Another thing my girls love are jigsaw puzzles. But IMHO stay away from the super-generic cartoony kiddy type. We try to entertain them with learning toys (hence the tangrams), so we bought them a giant floor puzzle of the US. So they are learning their state names, the capitals, each's main export (or what they're most known for) and the shapes of all the states.
We try to reserve the movies for really special times, an exception rather than the rule.
Julie, I am Shaylene, Brandi Noble's little sister. She had told me that I should look at your blogspot because I have a two and a half year old that at times thinks she is 13. Anways, a good indoor activity that Layken and I play is the memory game. I had made little square cards and colored on a pair or made shapes on them. Layken has learned her shapes and colors just by knowing that she has to find a pair so that she can get to keep the cards. She loves it. You could also use numbers, or letters to help your two year old learn to count/ recongnize number or letters. Also I have got a scrapbook and let her color or draw on a page each day and put the date on it. She has her own colors and stickers and she gets to decorate her page however she wants.
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