Lynda Loveland: No TV in the car!

It’s a phrase our parents could never have uttered. But in our age of technology-assisted parenting, (yes I said it and occasionally have been guilty), it’s possible.

I have a DVD player in my car, BUT, it’s reserved for out-of-town trips. Let’s be honest, it comes in handy, especially on those trips that cross several state lines. As a parent, you deal with enough hassles, where’s the harm in eliminating a few.

As you may have read earlier, my husband and I have instituted a crackdown on crappy kid behavior. We amended the crackdown last weekend.

I’ve been reading lately about how TV and video games may contribute to short attention span, hyperactivity and a few other undesirable behaviors. We already have the rule of no TV until after dinner when chores and homework are completed. That usually limits time to 30 to 45 minutes a night. Not too bad, really. But, the kids also watch TV in the morning when they get up. Not anymore! We pulled the plug! The kids can only get their electronic fix during that small window at night.

We kicked off the ban on the way back from the beach. Normally, we pop in a movie and everyone’s quiet. We call it "savoring the silence."

But not this weekend. I told them no movies, no video games, too much is bad for the brain. And not only were they not going to watch a movie, but Randall and I would choose the music!

I expected an epic battle, but no one put up a fight. Randall and I jammed to our favorite songs, even singing out loud! The kids joined in and it was a completely different dynamic than previous trips.

Randall even commented that it was fun! And you know what? It was.