See No Evil

We live in such a visually-oriented society, it's a wonder people ever buy books without pictures anymore.  My girls can't understand when someone takes a picture of them and they can't see it right away on the back of the camera.  Luckily, this doesn't happen very often since most everyone has gone digital - sorry if you're one the 12 people left who hasn't :)

But I have to really be strict with them, or they would easily watch TV all the time, and they're 3 and 5!!  The other day was a perfect example:  I try to exercise with a DVD before the girls get up, but Linsey woke up early and flopped on the couch.  Her first words, "I can't hear the TV."
"I know, that's because I have it on mute - this is mommy's quiet time."
"Oh, so you can think?"
"Yep.  And I pray for you guys."
"You probly don't get to think much when we're around, do ya?"
"Nope.  You can go get dressed if you want."
"No thanks, I think I'll just lay here and watch you exercise, with the TV quiet so you can think."

Then, I decided to put a CD with music in the DVD player before breakfast, so we could listen to something while we were getting ready.  Both my girls sat down at WATCHED the blank TV screen!  There was some kind of screen saver, but it really wasn't interesting.  Finally, Hannah got a puzzled look and said, "There's no friends - they're all gone off the TV!"

I patiently (of course!) tried to explain that you can listen to the CD (which we do all the time, just not in the DVD player) and still play.  But instead, for a good 10 minutes or more both girls just sat and watched the silly TV!

Finally, Hannah got bored watching the music, so she asked if she could help me make breakfast.  She helped me crack eggs, and I had her make toast.  Then I told her she could get down from the stool.  You know what she did instead?  She leaned over and WATCHED the bread toast!  Talk about a fun morning, and all this is before 9 o'clock! Never a dull moment at our house... :)

But I got to thinking - since these girls are always watching something, then a lot of the time they're watching me.  I wonder what they see?  Am I patient?  Consistent?  Joyful?  Diligent?  I sure hope so, but I'm afraid sometimes my girls see something different.  This little reminder of them watching everything around them was a big reminder to me, to watch the kind of example I'm setting.  I wonder,  who is watching you today, and what do they see?