Rant

I grew up going to classes at my local recreation center. I loved them and they enriched my childhood. I took cooking classes, nature classes, art classes and did all sorts of cool stuff with my family through the rec center. I even made friends at these classes that I still have to this day.Never once, at any of my classes, did I watch television. Not one time. This is why I am so baffled by the fact that when my children attend these classes, there is a TV used as an "activity".

On Fridays there is a program called Parents Day Out. It is an awesome program where for $7 you can drop your kid off for three hours. I loved it when it first started. Until recently, I took my kids every week. Now I am torn. I love that I get three hours to myself and I love that the kids have somewhere to go besides home. I think, for the most part, they enjoy going. However, for me, I would think that the three hours that my kids are there they would be doing something other than watching TV. Am I crazy to think that it's not possible to fill a three hour block of time with activities? I could come up with an entire list of activities to do with kids that would require very little planning, very few (if any) supplies and the kids would be having great fun. Sadly, it's not the case at PDO. Watching a movie is on the schedule every week. I have a huge problem with this. I know the program is affordable and I know that taking them there could be better than spending every minute with my kid. However, if I'm dropping my kid off for an organized program through my local rec center, unless the class is called "Movie Time", I would expect them to be entertained in other ways.

Today Lily had a princess party to attend at the rec center. She was extremely excited to go. She got all dressed up, wore fancy shoes and even dug up a tiara to wear. The class was scheduled to last 90 minutes. Home free on movie watching, right? Wrong. Apparently they watched a dancing movie so that they could dance like princesses. Seriously? Can't we just play music and let the girls dance how they would imagine a princess to dance? Really? I am shaking my head at this.

Today I made my second call to the woman in charge of the classes at the rec center. The first time I called only about PDO and I politely expressed my concern. Today, I had much less patience. I told her that the recreation commission would be losing my business if they continued to have TV considered an activity. I told her that there are plenty of things to do besides watch TV. My kids and I can go days without turning the TV on once. I am paying for my kids to do a community activity. I have spent my whole life going to these classes and my teachers always managed to run a class without using the TV. What is so different now? I was told that they only watch for a short time, that they use it as a resource while getting the next activity ready and it's meant to be fun for the kids. For me, those are poor excuses. They only watch TV for a short time? Well, I am only dropping them off for a short time!! 90 minutes is hardly a long time that requires a break! A resource to move to the next activity? Lily and Drew attended preschool for a three hour block everyday and their teachers managed to move from one activity to the next without putting the students in front of the television. And it's meant to be fun? Well, yes TV is fun! Duh! However, if I wanted them to watch TV I would keep them home and sit them in front of our own TV. I dropped my kids off to spend time learning, socializing and getting to do something they can't do at home.

I don't really know how to wrap up this post except to wonder what is our society becoming when you can't take your kids to learn, play and socialize without turning on a TV to do so?