Cutting the Cable Cord... But Not Just Yet

Since five children and four televisions have entered our home over the last eight years we have decided to cut the cord that I may find most difficult. The cord I am referring to is the cable cord that feeds our television the much needed nutrients of content (100s of channels).

Let me indulge myself with a little reminiscing from the good old days of TV time with the family. I grew up watching television with my mom, dad and brother. It was an event each night that we all looked forward to, spending time together, sharing laughs and enjoying my dad’s popcorn. Every night was spent this way with few exceptions such as sports events! Our favorite shows were The Cosby Show and Family Ties (seemingly good wholesome entertainment that could be watched with parents).

Well, needless to say, watching TV at night is habit forming and one I honed from a young age. While my dependency on television was not a problem in college or even in my early twenties it seemed to take hold of me after I began having children! I have spent years unwinding in front of the TV after all the children are tucked in bed.

My program choices vary from reality TV to well... reality TV. I’m not sure why I tend to gravitate to this particular programming but I definitely enjoy watching people compete to make the best dress design for Project Runway, the best meal that includes secret ingredient "coconut" on Iron Chef, or who is crowned the "DAWG" by Randy Jackson on American Idol. And while I’m at it, who doesn’t love HGTVs Divine Design where we can all fantasize that Candice Olsen will come knocking on our door next to redo our house!

So, why are we cutting the cord to our Comcast subscription if a Mom needs a little reality television at night to relax and unwind? The answer is quite simple. We are trying to free ourselves from the habit of channel surfing at night. That is reason number one but equally important is reason number two-- money. We will probably save close to $100 dollars per month when we cut the cord, as painful as it will be to do. Our final reason for taking the cable cutting plunge is our desire to see if we can get most of the content we enjoy online.

So I am feeling brave about our decision but not quite brave enough to end our relationship with cable tonight. In fact, I think my favorite show is on right now so please excuse me while I go unwind before bed with a show or two.

Good Night!