good bye T.V., hello craft cupboard

As said in most previous post I recently got rid of our T.V. and DVD player and filled it's vacant spot with L's craft items.

  Both Joe and I grew up in families that didn't watch a lot of T.V. I always remember my mom saying, "Do you notice people in the T.V. shows don't just sit around and watch T.V.? If they did you wouldn't find them interesting to watch." T.V. was never a direct taboo in my house, and we were always allowed to watch a couple of episodes of our favorite show a day. But it never was just on- it was a treat not a given. 

By neither of us ever really having a strong T.V. presence in our homes we both grew into adults who more or less didn't think about television. We have a couple of shows that we like and when we have time we will hulu them. But honestly we just never really think about turning it on, and when L does watch it is generally on my phone or the computer too.

I care a lot about my kids having the ability to entertain themselves through creating-be it arts, crafts, music, building-whatever. I think it is a wonderful gift that a parent can give a child and therefore we have tried making arts & crafts part of our home life. Happily, L loves doing crafts, however, due to our lack of space I was constantly frustrated at the amount of work and mess it was to get everything out. Therefore, ousting the T.V. to use it's previous space as an easily accessible craft cupboard was a no brainer-well, a no brainer once I actually thought of it.

L was SO ecstatic the first morning that she saw, she kept say, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I can't believe you gave this to me!" And after a month of it being in our house I must say it was truly a brilliant idea as it will keep her solo occupied for hours. (The rule being if she doesn't pick up after her self she is too young to have it)

We are currently going through a [year] long phase where she doesn't want me to "create" a craft for her to emulate she wants to come up with her own. Doesn't get much better than that so I just let her go at it. Like the other day she informed me she was going to make puppets. When I told her we didn't really have the supplies to do so she responded with, "Don't worry, I will come up with a plan."

Soon she brought me a stick with a sticker head, two eye balls, and a drawn on mouth, and implored for help with arms and clothes. Once I got over my shock of how well she solved her puppet making project I got out some pipe cleaner and paper to oblige her request.

As soon as L saw how I did it she decided to make a baby puppet to go with the declared mommy puppet.

After the eyes were glued, and smile drawn I heard her say, "Why aren't you a cutie." And when I saw her creation I most definitely agreed.

She insisted that I make a friend for her mommy, and once again I happily obliged. While I made "Sally" L made a baby for Sally so that our puppets could have playdates together.

 A little surprising for me- L's self made toys quickly became one of her knew favorite things to play with.

I moved the coffee table to make a work station by the cupboard.

Still playing even days after their creation into puppet world.

Poor little Hannah so wants to play with them too, but alas they have chocker pieces.

" DARN IT!"