Now that the "back to school" chaos has calmed down a bit, I’m looking forward to relaxing on my sofa and enjoying the new fall television season. Running around with the kids and planning meals and activities tires me out. I need some R & R and sometimes, a night in front of the TV gives me exactly what I need.

There are many experts and people who say that watching television is an unhealthy waste of time but I am not one of those people. I think there are some benefits to our unofficial international pastime. 

I have fond childhood memories of watching television with my family. I remember Tuesday nights were reserved for Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley. I looked forward to spending that time with my parents and sister each week. My grandparents lived with us and they loved watching Full House with me on Friday nights. Nickelodeon now runs reruns of Full House so every time my girls watch it, I think about my grandparents.

Sometimes, just hearing the songs from old TV shows brings back wonderful memories of old friends and families. I don't know, maybe it is crazy but is there a 40- or 50-year-old out there who doesn't know all the words to the Brady Bunch theme? I doubt it.

My family and I weren't TV junkies, we just enjoyed special television shows together. My husband and I continued that tradition when we got married. I can’t watch a rerun of Seinfeld, Wings or Friends without remembering our first little house and how we would eat dinner with TV trays while watching our funny “shows,” laughing, talking and unwinding from our busy days. 

I do admit that family television, like I remember as a kid, is hard to come by in 2012. Sadly, times have changed and there are things that show up on television that make me cringe. We are always searching for appropriate shows to watch with our kids.

When they were little, we loved to watch the Crocodile Hunter and we were so sad when Steve Irwin tragically died. It was like we actually knew him. My husband now watches American Pickers and Gator Boys with our girls but those are not my cup of tea. I bond with the girls over Cupcake Wars and HGTV’s Design Star.

We’re big fans of Once Upon a Time and can’t wait for the new season to start. Wipeout cracks us up and occasionally I will let my girls catch the humor on The Middle. I tend to lean away from the network channels and more toward Disney, Nickelodeon and the cooking and home improvement channels. There are some things on regular television that shock me, let alone my 11-year-olds. They do not need to grow up that fast.

I personally can’t wait for some of my favorite shows to start like The Good Wife, Modern Family and Smash which I watch after the kids go to bed. For me, television is like getting lost in a compelling book or movie. I believe a little escape from reality is good for the soul. The soap operas help me appreciate my somewhat normal life and the sitcoms make me laugh. The cooking and home improvement shows actually teach me things.

Television has had a positive influence in my life so far so I look forward to this new fall season.

I'm sure there has been research that watching TV is bad for your eyesight or your brain or causes diseases of some sort but I think if you watch it in moderation, it can't be that bad. Obviously, it's not a good idea to sit a toddler in front of the TV or leave your television on 24/7 but watching a show that makes you laugh, cry, think or cheer has to be good for your heart, your head and/or your soul.

So, if you turn the tube on this week to catch one of your favorite shows, don’t feel guilty. Laugh. Cry. Think. Enjoy it for what it is even if it is one of life's guilty pleasures. You are allowed to indulge every now and then.