Changing it up

Lately this is what our house looks like between dinner and bed time.
Lots of books being read and listened to and lots of cars driven around.
No TV.
Parenting is a strange business, you get used to something then they grow and change and the old ways and rules don't apply any longer. Picture this: one small girl cranky because she's tired and wants to be fed constantly, four small boys all talking at the same time at me, the TV blaring with either Michael or I trying to watch  something on the news or the kids watching Simpson's re runs, me trying to convince everyone to stop staring at the TV and eat their dinner. It's  a pretty picture right?
So this week we've turned off the TV before dinner and it stays off until after everyone is in bed. It's been ridiculously lovely and calm. Tonight once my hungry girl finally had enough milk for a small calf she went in the swing and the boys all hung out in the playroom while I tided up the kitchen and started on lunches for tomorrow. We ended up having a bit of a sing along and requests to play that song one more time. By the time everyone was done with teeth it was only just bedtime and everyone is quite happy to go to bed.

Why didn't I do this years ago? Who knows if it would have even worked a few years ago.
Parenting, it's a strange business.

What have you done that you didn't think would work?