While it has been a long and winding road, I believe I finally caught my husband absolutely immersed in a little thing they call fiction.  Oh yes.  The man has read many a books, you know in college.  But honestly, how much of that was retained?  How much of that was actually even read come to think of it.  And the biggest question of all: how much was enjoyed?  Since the dawning of a new age, The age of no TV in our household, a few years ago, that Duke alumni of mine has finished a total of 2 books.  Yes.  2.  Of course, he has read the paper.  That doesn’t count.  Yes yes, he has read online news.  That too means nothing to me.  What really sparks a good conversation is that amazing transformation your brain goes through when losing yourself deep in the pages of a fiction novel.  That is what I have been trying to convince him of at least.  And you know what?  When I found him sitting on the couch with Rowan and the puppy crawling all over him, Miles desperately vying for his attention and my poor husband attempting the one true thing males typically fail at, multi-tasking, I knew it had him for good.  His eyes were glued on the page.  You could tell he was deep in storyland somewhere far far away.  I did what any good woman who has been harassing her husband to “try this book!”  or suggests, “how about this genre!” would do.  I scooped up the babies and led them quietly to the other room and let him finish off his chapter in peace.  Sometimes these things are required you know?  Plus, it gives me some validation when I sneak into the bathroom, lock the door, and devour a few pages myself.

With this satisfactory win on my shoulders I have been so proud.  Smug some might say.  But I prefer proud.  While perhaps some do look at the household of non-tv-ers with some confusion and perhaps disdain (often the question of how do you get your news comes up) I feel that it is things like this that get to happen a little tiny bit more often.  Plus I am a npr addict anyways.  Less gore and celebrity news too.  To be fair, I am guilty as the next of enjoying a little Cake Boss, but when we had that electronic buddy at our whim, I could not stand the tally of hours actually spent watching at the end of the week.  Even listening to.  It makes me cringe when I think of all that time I spent in a non-blinking, non-responsive state.  Because that is exactly how I seem to get when I watch the old boob tube.  (Is that normal?)  I am sure sure sure my children will be begging for TV one of these days.  I am positive they will resent me when I say no.  But in the long run I think and hope this is the right choice.

Plus there isn’t much of a choice but to do more of this…

Disclaimer- we absolutely resort to netflix watch instant.  It is our saving grace on those kinda days.  Or, if I desperatly need to make a phone call/go to the bathroom/sit in a dark corner chanting you know.. normal stuff….  Elmo has come to the rescue many-a times.  Also, many people have more… self control than me.  I am sure its quite possible to have a television and watch it occasionally or put the kibosh on it for your little ones.  I just don’t have the back bone.  For either.  So it is out the door!