Admit it, you do it too! When the kidlets get restless and you’re trying to accomplish something important like getting dinner ready, or shaving your legs for the first time in months, or reading my blog… just turn on the tv, or iPad, or video game and suddenly all is well.

Sick days, or sitting in waiting rooms for a doctor or dental appointment, waiting for an order to arrive at one of those less fast food restaurants, a long drive to visit grandparents – all prime situations that you may feel requires some mediacation to get through.

The problem comes when you overdose on your mediacation or become too dependent on it. For some odd reason it just makes the kids extra-whiny and annoying, which is what we all want to avoid.

It makes me wonder how my parents and grandparents got through all of those same situations. Were they more patient that parents today? Were we as children more obedient and better behaved – or just plain scared of punishment? Are children today incapable of waiting patiently, amusing themselves, or staying out of trouble? Is it just too easy to mediacate?

What do you do in your home? Do you plan screen-free weeks or weekends? Do you just let the kids get bored and tough it out? Have you cut back or increased your media time? Will you be cutting back when school starts and there are fewer hours to keep the children entertained or will the winter weather get you back in front of the warm rays of the TV waves?