I rarely watch tv. First of all, I find it a total waste of time and brain energy.  And with a Tivo Father’s Day gift a few years ago, I don’t have to waste my time watching bad tv…I can tivo the good programs–Brothers and Sisters (I hope it comes back in the fall), Scrubs (is it really gone forever), Run’s House (a new season!)–and watch it when I want.  Second of all, I rarely sit down long enough to relax like that.  

But, every once in awhile when I am very tired physically and mentally, I want to veg in front of the tv and watch “stupid tv” as my husband and I call it.  It has to be something not at all educational or enlightening.  It doesn’t even have to be entertaining.  I have been known to watch entire Lifetime movies in this mind-numbing state.

But, see I have a dilemma.  My kids are underfoot and happily engaging themselves in worthwhile activities.  My 13 year old son is teaching himself to play his new guitar and my 6 year old daughter is doing money math problems with flash cards on the floor.  I know that if I turn on the tv, they will stop what they are doing and like moths to a flame, be drawn to the light.  What kind of mother would I be if I stopped musical and mathematical pursuits for stupid tv?   Let me just say right here that if my husband was home, he wouldn’t have given this a second thought…if he is at home, the tv is on, the laptop is open and the blackberry and iphone fingers are flying.  He doesn’t care if they are putting on a Shakespearean puppet show worthy of charging admission, he will not be denied his technology.

So, I don’t turn on the tv and instead settle on the sofa with the latest Cookie Magazine.   My daughter follows me to the sofa and pelts me with questions about money that I am too tired to answer (and have been answering all day), so I ask her instead to play one of my favorite games: Spa.  This is where I get to lay on the sofa and she slathers my legs with lotion and toilet paper and it is really quite a mess, but at least I am lying down.  However, she is older and wiser now and playing with lotion is not so fascinating anymore.  Spa lasts all of 5 minutes and instead of a massage with lotion, my legs are bound in construction paper and wrapped with a whole roll of tape.

It is very late in the evening and really, we all need to be in bed. But I can’t move my legs..I think the construction paper is cutting off my circulation.

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