TV Turnoff Week: Day Two
I survived the first full day without television – hope you did too. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. Perhaps because the kids had soccer and I had tennis, we didn’t have too much time to miss our TV.
One thing I have been reflecting on is how much more interactive, conversational and engaged time I might be able to have with my family if we were to cut down on the number of hours we spend in front of the tube. According to RealVision, television plays a crucial, but often overlooked role in undermining family time.
Some facts about television viewing in our country
- In the average American household, the TV is on for 7 hours, 40 minutes per day.
- 40% of Americans report always or often watching television while eating dinner. Further, many families report watching different TV programs in different rooms at mealtime.
- According to a Newsweek pool, 73% of teens would like to spend MORE time with their parents.
A challenge for today
Notice the television programs you really, truly miss this week. Many of us spend endless hours watching mindless shows we aren’t really even paying attention to. But there may be some that we really look forward to watching, reading about, talking about and watching again. Keep note of those through the week – it may help you enjoy your television viewing more fully in the weeks to come.
My reflection for the day
My challenge for the day is related to what I said about noting the shows you really love. I love “Glee.” And it is on tonight. And it is the much-anticipated All-Madonna episode. I have literally been looking forward to this night for six months. I thought about cheating and watching it, but I am committed to my pledge to remain TV-free. It’s going to be hard to miss– especially when I hear my friends recapping and reliving the show tomorrow.
So I’m left wondering: Is it really so bad to have a few shows we enjoy? Ones we look forward to for months (admittedly I may be taking it to the extreme). What about “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars”? Surely there is no harm in watching those shows as a family, discussing the contestants, and then casting votes together. What do you think?
Photo by Jerine.
Filed under: Children, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Parenting
I agree. A little TV isn’t bad, especially if you make it an interactive family experience. For families with younger children, we have some resources on our website that provide alternative activities to TV. http://www.bubblegumbooks.com As a children’s book publisher dedicated to growing young imaginations, we’ve been promoting TV Turnoff Week for several years.
Thanks for your comments, Brad. I think you are right on about the “interactive family experience” part. Not so hard to do these days with the number of shows that are appropriate and fun for all ages. And thanks for sharing your resources – they look fantastic!