Social Science and Motherhood.

This October I started a social experiment. You can do things like this when you're a mom. I hypothesized that I could bring about a positive change in my daughters and consequently my family's home environment if I decided to turn off the cable for my children and get the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE on Netflix. 

It is difficult for me to describe the experience of watching this show as an adult. It would be impossible to overstate how unbelievable these episodes are. Each show has multiple layers of meaning.  First of all, God is everywhere. In some episodes they even quote scripture! 

 Every part of the Little House on the Praire stands in stark contrast to the TV of today. To watch them is bizarrely depressing--you see clearly just how far off the path our nation has gone. 

As I write this post, it's been 4 months since the start of my experiment. Everyday the girls come home from school and BEG for just one episode. I actually haven't even told them that they can't watch Disney channel anymore---they just HAVE NO DESIRE FOR IT. Imagine that--4 months of nothing but Little house on the Prairie and they haven't even asked for anything else.

Sometimes I'll sit down to watch an episode with them--just for a few minutes. I'm not a TV watcher, but  soon, there I am, with tears dripping down my face. 

Observations from my experiment:

1. These shows model real marriage better than anything else I've ever seen. Period. We are so used to only seeing marriages in moral crisis caused by adultery, addiction and other things meant to increase ratings. People don't see good marriages modeled anymore. They don't have a point of reference.

2. Little House on the Prairie teaches things that kids aren't learning these days---social cues, conflict resolution, how to deal with difficult classmates, how to be Christlike, etc. etc. Now more than ever we need shows like this. Unfortunately, all we get is shows where actors are sassy, lying to their parents, and highly materialistic. 

    3. In all honesty, my kids are so much CALMER than when they were watching Disney. I find that even hours or days after they watch a particular episode, they will ask me questions about it. To know that themes in Little House on the Praire are rattling around in their little brains is a lot more comforting than the themes from other shows they could be watching. 

Findings:

I can't quite explain it, but Little House on the Praire brings a serene, peaceful spirit into our home. Less breakdowns. Less fights. More thoughtful discussions about real life situations.

With 4 little girls, those things are just what we need!

S0--how long is this mother lode of moral media going to last?

Let's see--Little House on the Praire ran for 9 seasons. This translates to at least twenty-four 45 min. episodes per season.

That's 225 episodes to have in my arsenal! 

After that, I suppose there's always 

HIGHWAY to HEAVEN........... ;)