Oh boy. It’s started. Only two days into our tv-without-a-week experiment and the signs of withdrawl had already begun. Yesterday Cliff and I both started questioning each other at different times of the day…
“Have you watched tv?”
“No – have YOU?”
“No.”
Silence.
“You haven’t tried watching on the computer, have you?”
“No! Have YOU?”
“No.”
I’m pretty sure this is one of the first signs of withdrawal for addicts – accusing other people of doing what you wish you were doing. Then this morning, as we were sitting at breakfast, Caleb started telling me about a scene from one of his favorite shows.
“Hey, mom, remember on Wizards of Waverly Place when Max made the big pumpkin…?”
“Caleb, have you been replaying television shows in your head?”
“Well, yeah, kinda, but it’s a really good episode!”
Ah, yes, the shakes and the nausea have already started. Last night I came downstairs from a full day of computer work and I admit, normally I would have turned on NCIS reruns and crashed in front of the television for the rest of the night. Instead, we sat and ate dinner. Though Cliff did pick up Zaxby’s instead of us cooking. I do have to say I didn’t eat much of it. Maybe that’s a good sign that the healthy stuff is starting to rub off on me.
Since it was raining yesterday afternoon, we didn’t make it outside as a family but Cliff and I did get to the gym yesterday. And the night before, Caleb sat beside me at dinner (usually he sits by Cliff where he can face the television – I told you, we like NCIS reruns).
Because we don’t have the tv on at night, it’s been easier to point Caleb to bed earlier and because he’s going to bed earlier, we’ve had more time to read before he goes to sleep. We’re reading a book together that my brother sent him called The Mysterious Benedict Society which has turned out to be really good!
The no television week has also created more talking and even a spontaneous dancing moment when we turned on the radio as we were cooking dinner the other night (Caleb and I danced – Cliff just laughed at us).
Caleb’s taken his lunch since school started back and we’re packing it with healthy choices like a banana today and grapes yesterday, along with a sandwich and baked Cheetos. Hey, gotta bend somewhere right?
This morning I made scrambled eggs for breakfast and offered Caleb a little bowl of vanilla yogurt with fresh strawberries. “Go ahead, try it, it tastes like strawberries and whip cream.”
Cautiously, Caleb took his spoon and lifted out a yogurt-covered strawberry. Putting the spoon in his mouth like he was tasting something formed from plutonium, something he was sure he wasn’t supposed to be eating, he started chewing.
“Well? Whatcha think?”
His face was serious and the corners of his mouth were slowly turning down.
“It definitely doesn’t taste like whip cream.”
Three days down, four days to go!
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