Your Mind Your Body

Deserted Television

Well, we made it…sort of.  The week of no-TV is over, but the only one really left standing is my kindergartener.  As it turns out, she has more resolve than the rest of us – at least when it comes to resisting television.

Even though I wasn’t completely abstinent, I did spend a lot less time in front of the television – and spent the ENTIRE weekend TV-free – so I did have lots of extra time to think about television and its place in my family’s life, and in our American culture.

Here are some of the lessons I learned over the past week:

• Childhood obesity is rampant. The Centers for Disease Control  estimates that 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are obese.  Not only are these children at risk for physical and psychological struggles as kids, they are also much more likely to become overweight adults.
•  Physical activity can help. Children spend an outrageous amount of time in front of a screen.  The good news is, we know that turning off the screens and increasing physical activity can help.
•  Boredom breeds creativity.  I have often heard that boredom is good – both for adults and kids.  And it proved to be true last week.  My family and I engaged in all sorts of new things, including frog-hunting. 
•  I like TV.  I’m sorry to admit it, but I do.  I like looking forward to watching shows in the evening after my kids are in  bed. I like laughing out loud to The Office. I like singing along to Glee. And I like cheering on my local sports teams.  And I know the entire fabric of my childhood would be different if it were not for shows like the Brady Bunch, Little House on the Prairie, the Cosby Show, Family Ties, and the show-to-beat-all-shows, Beverly Hills, 90210.  The programs I watch and enjoy have and will continue to be part of who I am.
• Moderation is the key.  Just like with almost everything else in life, moderation in television seems to be the key.  I think TV has a place within a healthy home as long as use is monitored and measured. 

Some tips to make the best use of TV watching time:

• Engage in TV viewing mindfully.  Plan what you are going to watch, watch it, then turn the TV off
• Monitor the programs viewed.  We all know we should monitor what our children are watching, but when was the last time we   thought critically about the programs we watched?  If it makes you feel anxious, unhappy, scared, or otherwise unpleasant, you may want to think about changing the channel – or turning it off altogether.
• Use TV as a last resort.  Is there something else you could be doing instead? Reading a magazine, taking a walk, just sitting and talking?  Open your mind to other leisure-time activities.

Photo by: Autowitch

Filed under: Children, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Parenting