There was a time when Ian & I didn’t have a TV. And a time where we didn’t have cable. Now we have it all, but we mostly just watch HD sports or maybe a movie now and again. We don’t really have a favourite show (although I have to admit I do enjoy Ugly Betty — I feel that it has replaced Gilmore Girls, in a sense). Ever since Alias was taken off the air, there just doesn’t seem to be anything interesting on to watch.

The first few weeks with Amelia at home I found myself idly watching some daytime television either while I was breastfeeding or in the few minutes I had between when she fell asleep and when she would awaken and want more food. There is nothing interesting on during the day, except, perhaps, the Food Network. It is pretty easy to get sucked in to watching some chef prepare a delicious meal. Then again, maybe I’m particularly drawn to the Food Network right now because I’m starving all the time.

Anyway, we obviously don’t want Amelia to grow up watching a ton of television. Neither Ian nor I spent any length of time watching TV when we were kids. We would read books or play outside (or inside, if we had to, when the weather was terrible) but we didn’t spend a lot of time in front of a television. Can we still raise a kid that doesn’t watch TV all the time nowadays, when kids don’t really seem to play outside?

I can only hope that we can encourage good habits and provide enough alternate entertainment so that Amelia doesn’t become unhappy (which is what happens to you if you watch too much TV, according to this study).