Philip and I have been discussing words that we don’t want to say around Callie and Justus. This is especially important now that Callie is repeating so much of what we say. So far we’ve ruled out saying stupid, hate, sucks, and of course any curse words, not that curse words are a normal part of our vocabularies!
So basically we love everything and everybody. Hmmm….
This makes TV watching around the babies rather tricky, since even commercials have many words I don’t want them to say. I always thought I’d be more discerning from day one about what I’d watch on TV around the babies, but then when Callie didn’t sleep for the first 3 months of her life, I logged in a lot of hours on the couch in front of the TV in the middle of the night (thank goodness for the invention of the DVR, or I would be the owner of multiple vacuum cleaners I bought on the Home Shopping Network!). This is really an excuse, and not even a good one, for not being more careful. I was thinking about this as Callie came running into the living room when Law and Order came on – she loves the opening music for it! It’s just so easy as parents, or maybe just as humans, to make the easy choice that requires no sacrifice or change on our parts. Maybe it’s just that now as a parent I’m more aware of my propensity to make the easy choice, because it’s not just my life that my choices have a significant impact on.
At times I wish that the Lord had called me to the mission field overseas, somewhere where having TV and worldly influences on my children wouldn’t be such an issue, but instead I have to make a conscious decision on a regular basis regarding my words, actions, and choices. Not that people in the mission field don’t have these issues as well, I think they must just come in a different form.
At least the form my issues have come in doesn’t include living without electricity, plumbing, Facebook, and Starbucks! However, I am having to learn to accept the fact that I am in a mission field that includes mountain lions, snow, bears, coyotes, snow, elk, and of course, snow. That’s wild enough for me.
Thanks for this, Andi! I sure needed a gentle reminder of the choices we’re making as parents. We miss you guys!
Agreed! Louis and I made the difficult choice not to have the TV on when Asher is awake. (Unless it is one of his special shows on DVD). It has not been easy and we are not always successful. He has watched the occasional football game at Grandpa’s or whatever. But for the most part it doesn’t come on. Yet in those first few weeks, I too spent time recouping in front of the tube. (My situation not being nearly as dire as yours…) 🙂 It is incredibly clear how spongy they are… Asher repeats new words to me every day – just out of the blue. You know the other thing I’m trying to avoid? The sarcastic remarks we make when we are interpreting what we think is going on in Asher’s brain. i.e. Asher is trying to pick up something heavy. Louis might say, “You can do it, Buddy.” Asher makes a face as if to say (except I would say) “Yeah, right. YOU pick it up.” If I don’t think it is a good idea for him to ever actually say that me or Louis, why would I say it as if it were his response? Is that making sense? Anyway, I’m right there with you. We are so the example. If only we tried to replicate Jesus’ example the way our precious ones replicate ours…. Love you – aren’t you impressed I’m actually on your blog?