When I first heard about TV Turnoff Week, I thought it was a great idea...for other people. I totally agree that the American public spends too much time in sedentary activities. According to Nielson Media Research, the average American watches four and a half hours of TV a day. It's no wonder that one of every three adults and one in five children and adolescents are overweight.
But my family isn't overweight and we don't watch too much TV because we have strict rules in our house. Absolutely no TV or video games, until all homework is done.
However, there are days when the kids don't have much homework so they get to watch Fairly Odd Parents and Sponge Bob Square Pants after school . The evenings usually include Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody before bedtime. Then of course, there are Saturday morning cartoons, but that's tradition, right?
Do you see a pattern there? I finally did, even though I was desperately rationalizing to protect the delusion that I was a conscientious parent. When I visited TV Turnoff Week's website, TVTurnoff.org, I was startled by the statistics. By the time they're 18-years-old, American children will have seen an average of 200,000 acts of violence on TV and there are more than 3,000 research studies linking exposure to media violence with acts of real violence. Only 14% of 12th-graders who watch TV six hours a day achieve reading proficiency. Violence, poor scholastic achievement and the growing incidence of childhood obesity fueled my determination to protect my children from this scourge of modern society.
We needed to break some bad habits and establish some better ones and a good way to start was TV Turnoff Week.
The night before our Turnoff week began, we broke the news to our daughters, eight-year-old Abby and six-year-old Josie. We explained that we were not going to watch TV or play computer or video games for a whole week. I emphasized that this was not a punishment but a challenge and we were all going to do it together.
Always quick to get at the heart of the matter, Josie asked, "But what will we do?"
My husband Dan answered cheerfully, "Read books, play games, do puzzles and color."
Josie brightened. She's always loved to play games with us and her excitement at the mention of it made my guilt level go up two notches. Why had we let a Nintendo play with her instead of us?
I expected more argument from Abby because she is the one among us that enjoyed electronic entertainment the most. She could sit for hours, eyes focused, mind whirling but her body completely immobile. Her middle name could be "Inertia."
However, she got a gleam in her eye and said slyly, "Chess?" Abby was just learning the game and was itching to beat me for the first time.
The Week Begins
We went to the library and stocked up on books. We bought tickets to the circus and had friends over for dinner. Outside, we skated, scooted and scattered in a lively game of freeze tag. Abby did finally beat me in Chess and Josie beat us all in Sorry twice. One rainy afternoon, Abby built a Lego house for her stuffed hedgehog while Josie built a 12-foot snake with magnetic blocks.
We read and read and read. In one weekend, Abby read Junie B. Jones , Captain Underpants and one of The Chronicles of Narnia . Josie also went through her stack of borrowed books within a couple of days. Dan started a book that he had gotten for Christmas two years ago while I finished my book club selection a week early.
One of the positive things I noticed was that the girls were much more willing to help with chores and quicker to respond to requests. Usually when I called them for breakfast, I had to go into the living room and turn off the TV before they even noticed me. When they weren't under the hypnotic effect of TV, they came the first time I called.
Another positive aspect I noticed was the depth of conversation Dan and I achieved. Instead of commenting on a kitchen remodel on Flip This House , we talked about our worries, our work struggles and our little victories.
I became aware of how much I had been letting Abby and Josie veg-out in front of the TV so they were out of my way while I tackled household chores. Instead of including them, I was shooing them away into mindless pursuits because it was easier for me. When I realized how much Josie enjoyed helping me in the kitchen, I felt another stab of guilt.
When the week was over, we all agreed that we were glad we did TV Turnoff Week and would like to do it again. When Dan asked Abby if she would like to extend the week, she said, "Not this week but maybe later. I know you'll find it hard to believe, but I'm a little tired of reading."
I was sure that the first time TV was allowed, Abby and Josie would sprint from the dinner table to catch up on Drake and Josh , but they surprised me. They asked if we could play a game of Sorry again and we did.
Even though Turnoff Week started because of some startling statistical evidence, we discovered benefits that were not as quantifiable and yet just as important. The experiences we shared and the memories that we made strengthened our family ties, which made the sacrifice of TV seem trivial. We will definitely do TV Turnoff Week again. After all, I have to regain my title as family Chess Champion.
Getting Off the Couch to Get Fit
What better time than the early weeks of spring to scale back on screen time and wake up refreshed! Pediatricians agree that every child should be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day. Maintaining healthy bodies is not only vital for physical well-being, but for mental, social, emotional and creative development as well.
Stop being a spectator! Turn off the TV and turn on to a healthy, active lifestyle.
To receive a free copy of 101 Tips for Family Fitness Fun or 101, send a stamped, self- addressed legal size envelope to: NASPE/101 Tips, 1900 Association Dr, Reston, VA 20191.
Fast Facts You Should Know
TV Turnoff week: Last week of April
Some statistics from TVTurnoff.org:
- On average, American children will spend 1,023 hours in front of TV in one year while only 900 hours in school.
- 40% of Americans frequently watch TV at dinner
- The average American watches 4.5 hours of TV a day
- The average American home has 2.7 TVs, yet the average household only has 2.5 people.
For more information go to TVTurnoff.org or ScreenTime.org.