she’s got the moves like Jaggar

Peter and I are (I think?) pretty unusual because we both come from families where as kids there was simply no TV. I know for me, we didn’t even own a set until my brother was heading into high school. And then we only watched it on the weekends (or when Dad was at the theater for rehearsal; mom was more of a softie:)). Dad has a favorite t-shirt that reads, “Theatre is life. Film is art. Television is furniture.”

[SN: My parents recently put a gorgeous addition on their home. And in the process they purchased a new, quite large, TV. Nicky saw it and said to me, "Bumpa & Grandma TC don't even like TV and they have the biggest one in the family!" Oh, how times change...]

Anyway, I’m sure the lack of TV in my life turned me into such an avid reader. But, at the same time, I have plenty of friends who are avid readers and didn’t have any childhood TV restrictions growing up.

So I guess it goes back to finding balance. Myla LOVES the iPad (did you read today’s NYTimes article about their production in China? ughhh…). And she would watch it nonstop if we let her. To help curb this, she’s allowed to watch a 1/2 hour each night after supper. Once we made this “rule,” we realized it also let her have some helpful boundaries. For example, in the morning she asks, “I watch Dora?” And we simply say, “Myla when do you watch TV?” “After supper!” (which comes out sounding like Aftey Suppey, making it that much cuter.)

And then comes the fun part. Once the iPad is put away, almost every night we have a family dance party. Myla makes us each get a scarf from my dresser (I have no idea how or why that started), and we dance!

 

Once she wears Peter and I out, she usually requests the Nutcracker score (of course) and she takes center stage.

 

The funniest part is how well she’s come to know the score by ear. Here she tells Peter that Drosselmeyer has arrived, and she’s right! That’s exactly where he walks in.

 

If we don’t happen to have music on, she has another fun game in store for us. We have to sit on the couch; she does a dance routine; we cheer and applaud. Then it’s Peter’s turn; then it’s my turn. So. Much. Fun. And maybe a little bit of added exercise for all of us:)

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