Television, friend or foe?

 

A few months ago my husband and I decided to cancel our cable. We had realized our lives and the lives of our children were passing us by one sitcom at a time. We do have a digital converter box that gives us the basic channels. The kids enjoy the morning cartoons on PBS. I like them because they are educational and keep them occupied until I have had my coffee (I am a little grumpy until I have had my coffee) and have done my morning workout.  After 9 am the TV stays off. We may play a video game or watch a movie, but our lives no longer revolve around our favorite programs. It has been a huge blessing to our family. We spend more time together and we spend more time being active. We choose to go to the park, or play hide and go seek. We choose to keep the house cleaner and don't wonder why we can't get anything done. One of the few things I use the television for is to do my daily workouts. 30 minutes in my living room verses 90 minutes going back and forth from the gym have had its advantages. An extra hour in my morning helps me get all those little things done. Things like laundry, dishes, emails, and phone calls. Listed below are some statistics about Television and some information about national turn off your TV week. So join me April 30^th thru May 6^th for a TV free week and regain your life.

Have a Happy Healthy day!

National turn off your TV week April 30–May 6 2012

 

• Number of 30-second commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
  
• Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5
• Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
• Percentage of children ages 6-17 who have TV's in their bedrooms: 50
• Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
• Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
• Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66

 SOME ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

1. Volunteer in a school to teach reading, math, computer skills.
2. Learn to play the guitar or other musical instrument.
3. Attend community concerts.
4. Organize a community clean-up.
5. Put together a puzzle.
6. Visit the library. Borrow a book. Attend library activities.
7. Go ice skating or roller skating.
8. Listen to the radio.
9. Visit the zoo.
10. Paint a picture, a mural or a room.
11. Attend a high school sporting event.
12. Find out about your area's community center or park's activities.
13. Go swimming. Join a community swim team.
14. Read a book aloud to your younger sister/brother.
15. Plan a picnic or barbecue.
16. Go bird watching.
17. Volunteer for a community organization or charity.
18. Play with your pet.
19. Go dancing.
20. Write a letter to a friend or relative.
21. Learn to cook.
22. Plant a flower, vegetable or herb garden.
23. Read magazines or newspapers.
24. Plan a slumber party.
25. Start a neighborhood basketball, soccer, or kickball game.
26. Go camping (even if it's just in the backyard!).
27. Join a choir.
28. Go through your closets and clothes. Donate surplus items to Goodwill, the Salvation Army or a local rummage sale.
29. Start a diary/journal.
30. Go to a museum.
31. Take a nature hike. Collect seeds and leaves. Make a collage with the materials you collected and post it on the refrigerator.
32. Play cards.
33. Start a community exercise group that power walks, runs, or bikes.
34. Read a story to your younger brother or sister.
35. Get out the family photo album. Research your family history.
36. Go listen to a local band.
37. Make crafts to give as gifts.
38. Make up a story and write it down.
39. Learn to say simple phrases in a few different languages.
40. Ask an older family member to tell you a story about his or her childhood. Write about it.
41. Learn some new riddles or jokes.
42. Bake two batches of cookies; one for your family and one for a neighbor.
43. Watch the night sky through binoculars; identify the different constellations. Observe the moon.
44. Visit a local bookstore.
45. Go to a movie with your family or friends.
46. Walk to work or school.
47. Start a kids bowling league.
48. Train for a 5K race.
49. Teach a neighbor about a computer program.
50. Go fishing.
51. Begin a family project.
52. HAVE A PARTY TO CELEBRATE A TV-FREE WEEK.

 Source: http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/turnoffweek/TV.turnoff.week.html

Interesting paper written about the effects of television on the American culture.

http://tvseffect.blogspot.com/