Conserve Energy!

As part of newlywed condo living, my very mathematically inclined husband purchased several automatic timers that he had put on a number of our appliances - particularly the TV and the water dispenser - to save on electricity. He had set the timer to turn the appliances off about the time we leave for work, and turn on approximately the time we get home. (He had also computed how long it would take to be earn back via electricity savings - what we had spent on the timers.)

Now that we have a toddler who could keep his eyes peeled to Playhouse Disney for hours on end, we've found a new use for those timers!

We've set the timer to allow the TV to turn on from 6:50-7:30 am - just long enough for his favorite show (Little Einsteins) and some trailers, and while we get dressed for work; and again from 9:00-9:30 pm - when we're home and just before his bedtime at 10pm.

This works out perfectly for us because not only are we able to limit his TV viewing (and choose the shows too!). The big plus is that when the TV automatically turns off without us touching it, he doesn't throw any tantrums! He just gives us a look and asks, " what happened to the TV?". We simply say, "it turned off already - we can watch later/tomorrow". No sweat!

Next we have to figure out how to peel him away from the iPad without a fight.




Meet our friend, the automatic timer.