So, today is almost over. I think most of us can relate to this feeling we have at the end of a normally hectic day when the kids are in bed and the night's quiet begins to creep into our surroundings. I got home after work only to talk the babysitter down from the ledge while convincing her that my children are not really the spawns of Satan and that she really should come back tomorrow. Apparently, the two older ones decided to see what happened if you tried to melt a Lego in the microwave - repeatedly. The youngest, currently doing the whole naked baby thing for potty training purposes, has now decided that our entire home should be his own personal litter box. In the past few days, he has "sprayed" more floor space in my house than Chemlawn has done yards. The speech therapist assures me this is because his schedule is off due to the fact his brothers are at home. Pffffttt... she clearly doesn't know this headstrong mini-me from hell...Cerberus cowers at his name.

Anyway - I finish a particularly grueling statistics class and am working on the never ending task of laundry. I am in my bedroom with a pile of clothing on my bed when I hear the national anthem playing from the TV in the living room where my husband is viewing while folding the other half of the Kilimanjaro-sized laundry pile we've accumulated. I'm suddenly confused. Is the channel going "off the air?" Wait, what year is this? Do channels actually go off air anymore?

Shelby and I started reminiscing about a time when televisions actually stopped showing, well, shows. At the end of the viewing day, they showed the American flag waving in all her glory while playing the national anthem. Those of us that might have woken up and wandered into the living room to look for a comforting parent might remember seeing this through squinted, fist-rubbed eyes. This started the Reminisifest 2010.

Shelby brought up the fact that, for most of us, we crammed a week's worth of cartoons into a few hours on Saturday morning. We didn't have Nickelodeon, Sprout, Disney Channel, or the Cartoon Network. And for heaven's sake, the stores didn't carry merchandise that furthered the obsessions that our children now contain.

My big contribution to the discussion was "Friday Night Videos." I remember trying so hard to stay up late on Friday night to see the latest videos - the NEWEST hot item in the 80's. This also ties into MTV. Just for kicks and grins, does anyone remember the first video shown on MTv? According to Shelby (I haven't actually checked this for factual accuracy because I'm too flippin' tired right now), it was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

Aside from all the emergent technology we experienced during this period, we still played. I mean we went outside, interacted with each other, got sweaty, and PLAYED. Yes, I know any hot, up-and-coming, Oprahesque, self-respecting child psychologist would advise that the optimal period for brain development and, thus, key to future successes, is 0-8. But I think there is a lot to be said for free summer play with friends.

We learned how to get along. We learned independence. We learned that, regardless of what happened, life would go on and things would be alright. Today, it seems that we feel our kids need to be so scheduled for their own "good," that we have neglected to let them have down time and the ability to let them work difficulties out for themselves. When the kids say, "Mom, I'm bored!"; I'm excited! Why? Because my response is find something to do. When they say, "There's nothing to do!" I am elated - they can finally turn off the television and read! When they come to me at the end of the day and share with me what they put together with Legos, wrote as a screenplay, built as a fort out of left over wood from the kitchen remodel; I rejoice! I celebrate their accomplishments because we hail from a long line of average families. Families that, somehow, produce some amazing kids. After all, THIS is what I signed up for!