A Game of Hide and Seek

I sort of hate technology right now.  Well I love it and I hate it.  We don't have regular TV here but we have Neflix on our Wii and Hulu+ and let me tell you, I use it.  If I need a shower or to clean up the floor, if I need to clean the bathrooms, or a little mom and dad time, or if I get sick of the kids fighting, well I put a show on.  Sometimes I'm good and I force PBS.  Sometimes I'm sick of listening to the whine, and it's usually from a certain three year old who shall remain nameless, and so I cave.  Carebears?  Sure child.  Final Dreamers?  Yes.  The problem is once I turn it on, it's so hard to turn it off, and before you know it I have grouchy kids who have wasted half the day, who haven't done a single imaginative thing or learned anything new, and haven't gotten a lick of physical activity.  But who can blame them?  I'm the same.  I used to be an avid reader but since Cheetah was born I've had zero energy, and the truth is watching a TV program is a heck of a lot easier to do when you're exhausted.  It's easier than reading, than cleaning, it's easier than having a conversation even.  It helps mind the numbness of having to deal with homework and laundry.  So more often then I care to admit I plug into technology.  I watch TV, I check facebook, I check my e-mail, and I'm losing something.  I can feel it.  I'm losing my connection to the rest of the world.  I'm losing the connection to my family.  I'm losing opportunities to have fun with my kids that will actually enrich their lives.  I'm losing my connection to my husband.  I can't remember the last time we actually did something, I mean really did something.  I can't remember the last time we didn't watch a movie or have a conversation that wasn't half  disconnected while each of us were plugged in separately online.  The truth is, it is kind of depressing, the new modern life.  I was raised in a home where there was no dad around, but I was also raised in a home where there was no TV or video games.  I had five other siblings to play with, to argue with, to keep me company.  I don't know what my mom did when we were fighting, maybe she just let us fight.  I don't know what she did when she needed to clean, did she not do it?  Did she have us do it?  What I do remember is that I read all the time, and I do mean ALL the time, all the Babysitters Club in 2nd grade, the Nancy Drew books in third grade, every John Grisham in fifth.  I read Dickens, Jane Austin, Elizabeth George, Amy Tan, Maya Angelo, laughed my way through Carl Hiaasen, pretty much anything I could get my hands on. We played for hours.  We ran the neighborhood.  We rode bikes everywhere.  We swam all summer.  I miss those days.  I want them for my kids.  So today when the kids got home after we did homework, after dinner was eaten and Gigi had helped load the dishwasher, and Captain E had cleaned the table, while dad was at work and I just wanted to drop, I heard the words leave my mouth, "Who is up for a game of Hide and Seek?"  And that is what we did .  We played a good old fashion game of hide and seek.  We did several rounds and Cheetah did a great job of equally uncovering everyone's hiding places.  The best was when Gigi was discovered under the trampoline because Cheetah had tried to climb under with her and her bum and legs were sticking out.  It was a blast, doesn't mean I ready to cut off completely, but I could definitely see the possibilities, and could definitely want them.