Television and Telephone Time Disputes

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

21 Apr 2006 05:27 AM

With a family of six, four of whom are children, the fight for the TV is always on. With two of those children being teenagers, and another cruising toward the teen years quickly, the fight for the telephone rages on as well. What are parents to do? Should we buy another satellite receiver or install another phone line? These don't seem like very cost effective solutions to this mom, especially when you can pick up a kitchen timer for just a few dollars.

This is how it works. Each child gets the same amount of time, and that time limit is designated before the timer is set. Mom and Dad can decide how much time is fair. In our home, it depends on whether or not homework and chores are done before the time period is set. If our kids have all their responsibilities taken care of, they generally get more time. If not, we usually set half hour limits (as soon as a child's time is up, he or she moves on to chores or homework). Kids might argue with each other or even try to persuade Mom and Dad that they need more time, but they cannot argue with the timer. When it rings, time is up!

Now, all you have to do is figure out who goes first, who follows, and so on. You may be able to manage this part of it by flipping a coin or you might have your children roll dice and let the one with the highest total go first, the one with the second highest score go next, etc. You may decide to change the system around to suit your family, allowing the child who has all his work finished to not only go first but to enjoy an extended time period.

It may take some tweaking, but you'll soon figure out a system that works for your family, and then you won't have to referee fights for the TV or the telephone ever again. You might just get a chance to use the TV or the phone yourself once in a while!

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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