We run most of our stuff here 50/50. Alot of things we have the traditional roles though. With both of our familes that wat, its hard to steer totally clear of that.

Funny enough I always "win" our arguements. Thats what I get for being stubborn haha.

 

Hubby and I are both stubborn so it's never a given as to who will "win" an arguement!

 

it depends on what its about!!! it has to be a 50/50 split thats the only way that i can see!!! other than strapping her butt in a stock car and let her go a few laps its fine!!!!

 

Well, well. Tammie is right. She is Queen of my Castle. And she does let me rule the roost (well most of the time - - haha).

When things go wrong, I call a family meeting, set the rule in place and 99% of the time, she does not disagree. Actually she will tweak it to make it 99.99%. Hell, I cannot remember everything.

I put one in effect the other night after being woke up by a TV playing loud enough that it could be heard two counties over. As everybody else sat there grumbling, she sat there smiling. After it was over and I left the room, she added more to it.

We do run our house on a democracy (NOT, the varmits have a say and bring up ideas (but no vote), but she sets the rules), but she passes the final sentence and then if needed, I apply the over-rule when the varmits start debating it. I stop the debate unless there is something brought up that I want to hear. Most of the time, I can just sit back and just use one sentence. "Enough is Enough!" That stops the show because the varmits usually do not like the consequences if I get involved. Like the TV problem. But it has been peaceful the last few nights. You can hear a pin drop now and they wake up in the mornings without the usual morning bitching.

 

he didnt explain to you that the week preceding the television incident, the kids and I spent spring break with my oldest in IL....in MY house, we DO NOT watch 'tv'......we have videos, dvds, game systems, but I shut off all possibilities of 'tv' after getting fed up with the programming.....so, a week with no 'tv' they were fit to be tied......then we surprised him by coming home one day early, no school the next day.......they took advantage of 'no tv at bedtime' rule and it bit them in the backside......we also had a very looooong week in IL, little sleep trying to cram in all the friend and family visits while trying to complete a bathroom renovation, as well as a 7 hour drive out there and a 7 hour drive back.......TRUST ME......we were ALL crabby~~~

Paul and I have a system, the kids know not to argue the system, but they also know they have a voice to express and that we have the ears to listen with.....NOTHING is beyond discussion......but in the end of it all, Paul and I have the final say, and, for the most part, they are ok with it, as long as we listen to their side and they understand that WE rule the roost......

it's funny, the kids will come to me at times and ask about something and I will not answer, yet I send them to Paul to get the answer....kinda puts him in the middle, but I told him "ya wont hear anything out of me, as to what you decide, unless I think you are being unreasonable".....he is King, he should rule.....

it's kind sad......he isnt used to that.....


.

 

Sounds like you guys run a tight ship.

Just outta curiosity, what is it about tv programming you dont like, or approve of?

 

well, when you pay for programming that is supposed to family friendly, and you wake in the middle of the night to see that your child fell asleep watching tv in the livingroom and some **** crap is now on the channel......NOT IN MY HOUSE........

I promptly tore the receiver from it's cables and threw it out the door...AND I called the following morning and had the crap shut off......NO satellite, NO cable, NO antennae.....my family became a much closer unit.....we read books, played games, colored, drew, wrote stories, we even had "primitive night".......no lights were used....only oil lamps, no gas or electric was used......only cooked over open flame on the grill......NO TELEPHONE!!!!!! It was great, we havent had that in a while....I will have to talk to Paul and see if he has objections to it......it really opens ones eyes as to the reality of the world and where technology has taken us and how we have actually lost control over our own lives and the lives of those we love.......

when we first started coming to see Paul in WV....my younger three children had NO idea what tv was......then while spending time here looking for a job and a place to live, they became so engrossed in the unreality of tv that they changed.....Paul was asking "what has gotten into them kids?" I simply replied...."SHUT OFF THE TELEVISION!!" Things started getting back to normal REAL fast, and I think he was amazed.......I dont think he even realized what tv can do to mindset......he has had it his whole life.......

well, I kinda got off on a small tangent, but I hope I answered your question??

And I approve of NOTHING regarding tv.........

 

BTW....do not attempt primitive night during the dead of winter....unless you have a source of indoor heat.......

 

Yeah you sure did, very interesting too.

I dont blame you for getting pissed if there was **** on, on a family type channel. No matter what time of day it is that should not be happening.

Primitive night sounds kinda interesting too. Did you grow up on a farm? Reason why I ask, is my mom and dad both did, and there was alot of times they would have no power, they grew up with no tv's till they were older, they had to carry water for drinking etc. and it kinda sounds similiar to your primitive nights.

 

yes, I grew up on a farm, BUT....it wasnt as long ago as your mom and dad, I am sure....and we had electricity.....LOL

it was an idea I had after ridding our family of the tv programming and realizing just what we were missing out on.......

I popped in a video of little house and thought..."how cool would it be to have lived back then?" at that point I subjected my kids to the torture, but they quickly began to look forward to it......and it became a tradition until we started all the traveling to and from WV......but now that we have settled.....gonna have to see what Paul thinks.....

 

Both of my parents grew up fairly poor too. Always had food, always had to work hard, but did have to miss out on some of the pleasures in life, like electricity.

 

i worked on my uncles farm back in nebraska when i was a kid. bailing hay,collecting chicken eggs,feathering chickens,gutting a cow or a pig... and so on.

 

Primitive Night. Sounds like fun, even better would be a Primitiave Weekend!

Bet Kristopher would not like being away from his cell phone for 72 hours.

 

we did a primitive weekend for one of our 'teen weekend campouts'........

imagine this.......24 teenage boys (14-18) all turning over their cell phones, pda's, personal gaming systems, etc at the door.....placing them all in zip lock bags, labeled, and placed in my safe for 48 hours!!!! we ended up outdoors.....tents, no electricity, coolers for food and drink, cooking over open firepits dug in the ground, scavaging for our wood, no charcoal or lighter fluid.......

we did this in May, after school let out in IL for the summer.....IT RAINED ALL WEEKEND......but it didnt dampen their spirits none, WE HAD A BLAST........

the parents said they took home different kids........it was so cool to hear them say that......

as for Kristopher.....he would have to live with it~~

 

For the right amount of time, most teenaged boys would love that!

Builds character too