On the theory that KEEPING electronics off is easier than setting an arbitrary time after which there is to be no tv/radio/internet/non-work-related phone use, we began yesterday's Tech-Free Tuesday in a blessedly quiet house.
Somehow I don't mind working without background music/talk radio/Weather Channel, until I'm not SUPPOSED to.
And you know what? How would you know - I could post that we had the Grand Silence all day, sunup to bedtime, and you'd believe it.
But I won't cheat, I promise!
The kids, on the other hand.......if I came downstairs to fetch another project/do an invoice/bring a completed project down to the 'done and ready for pickup' rack, WHOOSH they were upstairs piled like newborn puppies in front of the tv in my room. When I trudged back upstairs to the workroom, I could feel something like a draft as they WHOOSHED downstairs to the living room, to either (I caught them doing both) clump up around the stereo with the volume down to about 2, or watch tv with the closed captioning on/play video games with the volume on mute.
And it didn't help that I had to work until nearly 8:30 pm. See, when you're self-employed you don't have set hours (especially if you work from home like I do). I have a certain amount of work I must finish each day, and I have to work until I get it done. Yesterday it took until about 8:20 pm.
So........change for next week: Electronics allowed after chores are done until the EARLIER of 5 pm or the end of my work day. Then we'll shut down. We'll try that for a couple of weeks and see if things go any more smoothly.
I'm not so sure that a domestic version of "Into Great Silence" is ever possible with children in the house... ;o) My worry is that our children's early morning outside noisy-ness will wake late sleeping neighbors!
ReplyDeleteI fought that battle way too many times, and finally had to impose a "no outdoor play until after 10 am" rule. Also means one less thing they can get caught up in INSTEAD of their chores.
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