Mom Guilt

I'm suffering from major "Mom Guilt" as I listen to my toddler laugh at yet another showing of the same inane Teletubbies episode as I try to get some work done. The stupid yellow one is trying to get an orange inflatable ball out of the world's smallest puddle. My daughter is "reading" a book but glances up frequently to laugh at the show.

My kids are watching way too much television lately. As my daughter's upcoming hospitalization looms, I'm finding myself with more to accomplish than there is time left to do it in. Especially work - I'm trying to write week's worth of articles in days... We fly out to a hospital across the country on Tuesday night to begin a "day program" in which they will test her up one side and down the other as they try to figure out her extensive allergies and GI problems.

At least my children are physically fit, very active, and find unique and interesting things to do while the TV is on. We talk about their shows together and we do something outside the house - and away from the TV - every day. Still, when you hear all the anti-TV stuff on, well, the TV... it leaves me with a truckload of Mom Guilt.

Maybe I'll resolve to turn off the TV here, at least sometimes, when we return from our trip. But I doubt things will change much. I'll still be overtired from late night work and even later night health care issues with the girl, my son will still have sensory integration disorder, possibly ADHD, and whatever else it is that causes him to rarely stop moving, making noise, and generally driving me insane, and so on.

Long live the Teletubbies!