Apr 23-29: TV Turnoff Week

[fgoodwin 23]

Why Turn off the TV?

 

http://www.tvturnoff.org/

 

Television cuts into family time, harms our children's ability to read and succeed in school, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity. Here are just a few of the facts:

 

On average, children in the US will spend more time in front of the television (1,023 hours) than in school this year (900 hours).

 

Forty percent of Americans frequently or always watch television during dinner.

 

As US Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said at the Kick Off of TV-Turnoff Week 2001, "We are raising the most overweight generation of youngsters in American history...This week is about saving lives."

[packsaddle 753]

When our children were still very young we decided to go cold turkey and DID it successfully for several years. Then, as peer pressure took its toll we gradually allowed them to watch a program or two on weekends and that allowed the camel's nose into the tent, so to speak. But for those 4-5 years, it was great. My wife and I held ourselves to the same standard as well and I remember those times fondly.

[local1400 10]

We rarely watch TV and only have one-13 inch screen. I don't even watch the news on account of all the doom and gloom. I must watch Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel though. I am hooked on those crab boat guys from Alaska!

[scottteng 11]

I don't watch TV have not for many years. I get all my news via the internet so I pick what I read and see. My kids watch Tv however we have a dish with no local stations no networks available so they watch disney, nick, cartoon network etc we also have the dvr so they record and playback skipping commercials. My biggest challenge is the junk my son watches on youtube.

[SSScout 1615]

Discuss the computer concept of "G I G O" with your significant youngers.

[packsaddle 753]

As long as one of my New Year's resolutions looks like it's going to actually work, I might as well brag. We decided to cut the cable and turn off the TV this year. And not only do we enjoy cooking, reading, talking, and everything else more, we don't have to listen to all those @#$@#$% political commercials. Moreoever, we don't miss it. So it looks like a done deal. Yeah, if we want to - we put on a DVD...but only once since the New Year. And it's money in the bank!

Now for the really good news, I've already lost 5 pounds since the 1st and started getting back into good shape. Nice. Now to tackle putting on a new roof....maybe wait a while for that one.