for the past few weeks our tv has been "broken." before it mysteriously "broke," the kids were allowed to watch about an hour a day, though i tried to postpone that as long as possible until the day was completely over, and every few days they would go tv-free entirely. i always would consider that a great success. but they had both managed to get into the habit of asking for tv the minute they walked in the door from some activity. usually they were hot and tired and hungry and needing some down time, and i understood the request, but it was driving me nuts. because if i said no, then i was THE MEANEST MOMMY IN THE WHOLE WORLD! and if i said yes, then i berated myself for being the worst mommy in the whole world. however, i could manage the guilt a lot better than the whining and begging and general decompensation so i usually let them watch something from pbs on demand. but then i just got fed up with the habit that they were in--it became almost like a reflex -- "can we watch something?" was the automatic response to the first hint of boredom. and that distressed me. so, one day, i tried and tried but just could not get the darn thing to work. (here is where i can honestly say i love the complicated cable box scenario). 'oh well...i guess we'll just have to find something else to do!' -- and after a few seconds of disconsolate crying that is exactly what they did.

for the first week, they periodically asked if it was working, but really they have now completely forgotten about it. it is amazing. they don't ask at all. and their play time has become a lot more involved. and collaborative.

however, this has resulted in an exponential increase in messes throughout the house--which is ok--i just keep reminding myself that school is starting soon, but yesterday i almost caved. the kids were playing very nicely and quietly in their playroom, and had not emerged to raid the kitchen for supplies--food or art, so i was figuring at least any mess would be free of organic material, paint, and glue, so no big deal...until i caught a glimpse of carter two rooms away from me. i paused and looked again. something did not look right. he had on a shirt and shorts--standard uniform for him, but his hair...it had a strange aura about it. i approached and that is when it came into focus. that aura was pink. his hair was pink. "carter? what did you do to your hair?" carter only smiled, and ava answered: "it's chalk! i made him into a pixie! i ground up pink chalk and colored his hair!"

"oh." i said.

i would have "fixed" the tv then and there if i could have figured out how to avoid getting pink chalk on the living room chairs. instead, i just walked away and pretended that somewhere in the playroom there was not a small mountain of ground up pink chalk just waiting to be distributed on every concievable surface.

then we went to go pick raspberries. pink hair and all.