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Becky J
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 5:08pm | IP Logged
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It's always been important to me to read a daily newspaper first thing in the morning, but I have been feeling for awhile like this habit is interfering with me mothering my children properly. (In fact, it is a habit I tried to give up this past Lent.)
It interferes with my mothering insofar as the kids and I have fallen into the following habit: we get up together (this is partly because I co-sleep with the younger child). We say morning prayers as we come downstairs. They go sit in front of the TV to watch a video; I go sit at the kitchen table with coffee and the newspaper. They ask me for something to eat, so I hand them something quick that won't be too messy for them to eat in front of the TV.
I feel like this is a bad set-up because I'm not necessarily feeding them the healthiest breakfast this way, they are probably too addicted to that morning TV time (though I have started limiting it and my newspaper reading to a half hour), and our time first thing in the morning would probably be better spent sitting and eating together as a family, having devotions and prayer time, etc. Also, it would probably set a better example for the kids for them to see me reading a Bible first thing when I get up rather than a newspaper.
I am curious what other moms do. Do you take time in the mornings to read a newspaper? If not, do you stay in touch with current events some other way? I generally do not listen to news on the TV or radio when my kids are around because of what they'd be exposed to.
Or, do you think that it's not necessary, in our state in life, to keep in touch with the news, at least not on a daily basis?
My mom read the newspaper before she went to bed -- now I understand why! But I think I'd have nightmares if I did that!
Just curious what other moms are doing, because my conscience has been bothering me about this issue, and I'm not sure if it's being scrupulous or convicting me justly.
Thanks!
Becky J
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folklaur
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 5:41pm | IP Logged
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I read the news online.
I actually need a bit in the morning to be "with it." The idea of making a hot healthy breakfast and eating together while I read a daily devotions is one of those things that I really would like, and felt guilty for not doing....but I have come to realize that it is just not going to happen. I am just so barely coherent when I get up - mornings just are not my good time. (And honestly, the idea of actually eating first thing in the AM makes me quite ill....)
I think limiting it to a half-hour was a good idea.
However - you need to go with your instincts. If you feel a tug on your heart that you should be doing something different, that it is effecting your mothering, etc, then you should probably listen to it. However, if it is just "chasing the ideal" because you have been comparing yourself to others and are now feeling guilty (this is what I do, I am not saying you are doing it!!)...
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mellyrose
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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cactus mouse wrote:
However - you need to go with your instincts. If you feel a tug on your heart that you should be doing something different, that it is effecting your mothering, etc, then you should probably listen to it. However, if it is just "chasing the ideal" because you have been comparing yourself to others and are now feeling guilty (this is what I do, I am not saying you are doing it!!)... |
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I think Laura hit it on the head! You need to go with your instincts regarding this.
But, since you asked . . .
I do read a daily newspaper. I usually read it after lunch, when I try to have a quiet hour for the family. If I don't get to it, I don't fret. I probably read the paper 4 out of 7 days.
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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I get the weekly edition of the Washington Times. It takes me a week to get through the lead articles and the commentaries! I am lucky to read a paragraph of an article at breakfast.
My dh gets the Wall Street Journal. They have a really nice summary section down the side of the front page that helps me know the most important things.
Other than that I don't do a good job keeping up, even though I wish I could. I have paid a little more attention to political blogs lately and gets emails from Rush and Newt.
For me, I don't feel like I can bury my nose in a paper first thing, everyone wants my attention. And it goes downhill from there! 
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Molly
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 7:44pm | IP Logged
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My dh has the Wall Street Journal(paid for by work) delivered to the house--he reads the online journal but has to subscribe to the paper(what a waste!). Anyhow, I try to read the summary on the front page a few times a week and if anything catches my eye I will go to the referenced page for more info. I also check my Yahoo e-mail a few times a day and get some updates that way. Occasionally, a news item will come up here too! So, all this amounts to 10-15 minutes a day and it is all I can spare but I can hold a somewhat intelligent conversation if we run into people from dh's work. My youngest is 5 though and I could not have done this a few years ago--and I didn't miss much...enjoy this time in your life.
Anne
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MacBeth
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 9:33pm | IP Logged
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I read the WSJ when I have time, and the NYTimes Arts section online to keep my finger on the pulse of the classical music scene. 
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Maddie
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 9:37pm | IP Logged
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My news usually consists of scanning the headlines of FOX News or Yahoo. I used to have a terrible addiction to the Washington Times, no day seemed complete without it. Somewhere between baby number 6 and number 7 I gave up trying to follow the news. Regardless of what is going on in the world, I still have to change diapers and get three decent meals on the table. My children need me so the world will have to go on without me. 
ETA: Now to break the computer addiction.... 
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juststartn
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 9:43pm | IP Logged
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No newspaper here. We can't get daily delivery--actually home delivery of anything. So that's not an option. I get my news from the tv (rarely) or the internet (99.9% of the time). We have XM satellite radio, so I'm listening to music there, and I'm not even in the car that much.
Rachel
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SusanJ
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| Posted: July 12 2008 at 9:57pm | IP Logged
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We have a free subscription to the WSJ right now and I do sometimes read it. I definitely think its a good idea to keep up with the news. I don't read news online but dh is a current events/news junkie and now a professional blogger so I get the big stuff from him. But we just moved to the Midwest and we were so busy with packing and life that we both missed the fact that there was flooding out here. That's not so good. The first I heard about it was when my grandmother called to ask if we had to reroute our trip for closed roads. That was a big wake-up call.
As far as taking time in the morning--I really need some time to get myself together in the morning so I do tend to have downtime over coffee. Maybe the unhealthy TV breakfast can be changed but you can find time to work in the quiet for you some other way. I definitely sympathize with the co-sleeping baby, though. My dd will not let me get up without her and this morning person has only had a handful of quiet mornings in the last couple years.
Susan
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stefoodie
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| Posted: July 13 2008 at 10:30pm | IP Logged
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No, I don't. I usually depend on my reader (99% Catholic blogs) and this board to alert me to anything that would really warrant my attention. I'm just too sensitive for regular news -- I get so depressed. So I'm usually out of the loop, but I really don't mind not knowing about the latest pregnant celebrity teen or celebrity divorce.
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LucyP
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 4:14am | IP Logged
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I don't read a daily paper. Dh reads the Financial Times, and so sometimes I read a bit if it is remotely interesting - so one day out of every month or so I occassionally hear the news on radio, but since I never listen when the children are awake that is also rare. I like not knowing all the nonsense stuff and I always seem to know the big stuff from dh or online anyway.
Becky, maybe your situation with the paper is like mine with the radio. Radio isn't bad per se, but it had a bad result on my mothering.
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8kids4me
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 8:34am | IP Logged
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I won't be reading the paper again till my son gets back from Iraq(in 2 weeks!!!!!!!!) I go on a news black out when he is deployed. It's just better for me. When he is home, I tend to get up earlier than the girls, which gives me time to catch up on forums and blogs, and whatever news I read. Do the children have a play time later in the morning? That would be a good time to skim over the headlines at least.
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 9:11am | IP Logged
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We get the WSJ and Washington Post daily. Dh usually takes the day's paper to work, and I read yesterday's news. I skim the paper over breakfast. I love the written word, and I think having that tangible paper is important on many levels (and I won't go into all my personal reasons). Dh and I showing our daily reading is imbedding the importance of reading to our children. I don't like that newspapers are on their way out. There is more than just news there.
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Anne McD
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 10:06am | IP Logged
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I just get the weekend edition and listen to taljk radio thru the day (1 hand
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: July 14 2008 at 10:17am | IP Logged
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I depend on my husband to tell me the news--he reads a lot of current events and fills me in on the important stuff. I also stay caught up through the blogs I read--the major stories of the day usually find their way into my daily blog reading.
We do not get a newspaper and haven't for our whole married life. I cannot justify the added expense when so much news is available online (nevermind the fact that our local newspapers are extremely liberal and not something that I want to support!). I would rather spend my money on books.
I do have a quiet time in the morning though, and I understand your desire for that. Once the children and I have breakfast and I finish my morning chores, I leave them to play on their own for fifteen minutes or so while I catch up on here or read through my email. The morning downtime really energizes me for the rest of the day.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Do you read a newspaper?
