National Turnoff Week

I've blogged about the benefits and drawbacks of TV in the past. It can be entertaining, inspiring, and informative. It can also be a convenient excuse to sit on your bottom and do nothing. And when your kids see you doing that, it's all they want to do, too. This week, April 20th - 26th, is Turnoff Week, promoted by the Center for Screen-Time Awareness (CSTA). It is intended to help people "take control of the electronic media in their lives and not allow it to control them." Sounds like something that could benefit all of us. It started as an environmental campaign, but it can certainly provide help to families looking to cut the cords to TVs, music players, gaming devices, computers, cell phones, and other things that encourage inacivity. So this week, families are challenged to find out what it's like to turn these devices off. Instead, plan a family hike or picnic, head to your local roller skating palace, go on a family bike ride to the nearest school and then play on the playground. There are so many things you can do. In the evening, plan a family game night, complete with old fashioned popcorn made on the stove--not the microwave! Do you like to watch sports? Gather up the neighbors for a baseball game. Go fishing. Addicted to home improvement shows? Plant a garden. Clean out the attic. Restain the fence. If cooking shows are more your style, plan an outing to your local farmer's market and buy all the ingredients you need for an organic feast. You will hardly miss those things you gave up.

For more information, click here: http://www.tvturnoff.org/