From the article: What is Screen-Free Week? What does it have to do with children's books?
Do you think Screen-Free Week (Turnoff Week) is a good way to remind adults that family members (both children and adults) shouldn't spend too much time with electronic media (TVs, computers, electronic games, mp3 players, etc.) or do you think how much time your family spends using electronic media is nobody's business but yours? Share Your Opinion
I think we can do turn off week.
- I think it's a perfect idea. I'm 10 years old and I think we need a break from the computer to go to the park or play sports.
- —Guest good girl
Come On
- Just do it. Who cares if you miss a show or something. Have you ever heard of reruns? Well, I have.
- —Guest Girl b joe
My Business
- I wish the control freaks would stop telling the rest of us what to do all the time. My children and grandchildren live full and well-balanced lives. They read, play sport, do crafts, play music AND watch TV. GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.
- —Guest grannyula
TV - A Waste of Time
- I do not watch TV; it is a waste of time. Reading and writing are more beneficial for me.
- —Guest Kenneth Anderson
I don't have a TV and don't miss it...
- Dear About.com, I don't have a TV, and don't miss it... having said that, I'll watch the news and a favourite soap at Mum's. But I don't feel the need to be constantly watching TV. I love to read, crochet or knit. When I was growing up, there were no computers, iPods, etc. I love the radio, or to watch the odd DVD. Also, for one while when I was growing up our TV people went on strike, and we just had to find alternative amusement! (Can't remember what, though! :) Yes, I think Turn Off Week is a good idea; there are loads of other wonderful things to do!
- —Guest Jane
Turnoff turns me off
- I don't need Turnoff Week. I'm an avid reader but Dancing with the Stars and Castle return to TV this week! Variety is the spice of life!
- —Guest lady99book
Bad week for turn off week
- I like the idea, but after waiting for weeks for favorite shows to start again, this isn't the best time. I think one day a week is better.
- —camzmum
A Grandparent's Perspective
- There are many great programs for children on TV. As a grandparent whose family is out of state, I don't have to be concerned about what children are watching on TV. However, I like to record special programs and movies to share with them when they come to visit. We can watch them any time and as many times as they like. I like the idea of limiting the time TV is allowed and for how long.
- —Guest Guest Topaz
Is a Week Too Long?
- I think TV Turnoff Week is an awesome idea, but I'm not sure anyone in my family could survive for a whole week. Why not go for one digital-free night per week? It would also be more helpful in building reading skills than turning off for two widely separated weeks per year. BTW I love the name Digital Detox Week.
- —Guest SusanAdcox
Don't Turn Off the TV
- I am a children's librarian and I think that TV has something to offer children. There are lots of good children's programs. Sometimes children make the leap from a TV show to a book they can read about that show. TV, like computers, is here to stay. Why compete?
- —Guest bonnie
Turnoff Week, Really!
- Turnoff week is not a good idea. Any good parent is already monitoring their childs use of electronic media. Making time for reading is a must and not an option. If you need to be reminded to turn off the tv or computer then you are not doing your job as a parent in the first place.
- —Guest Scott Constable
In moderation but READ!
- I think anything in moderation is good, as long as the content that is being READ is good. I am old school in the sense that I would rather have a physical book in my hand and my children as well. It feels more real than a Kindle. The iPad and its versatility can be a good thing. Being a budding writer myself, I still like my readers to have a page to turn and have their imagination take hold rather than a preconceived set of parameters that are set in a digital device! So, in moderation just READ good content, see and hear good content! Thanks for allowing a forum to voice our opinions.
- —BoyandRedBalloon
Just Do It
- When my daughter was 7 years old, we bought a older home. And as luck would have it, a month after we moved in there was an electrical fire. The old wiring coming into the house was faulty. Although, luckily, the house was not badly damaged, we did not have electricity for nearly 2 weeks. That meant no TV and no computer. We "camped" in our house instead of renting a motel room. The impact it made on our daughter's education was remarkable. And my husband and I benefited from the stress-free time we spent playing board games and taking walks. If you're thinking about participating in Turnoff Week, I say, don't think about it, just do it! The first couple of days may be rough, but after that you'll fall in love with the simplicity of life.
- —Drdorik
T.V. / Electronics - Moderation
- I think "Turnoff Week" is a great idea. It gives families a chance to actually engage in regular conversations instead of having the constant distraction of electronics. It is sad driving through my neighborhood and knowing that the majority of the kids are sitting on a couch watching a new episode of their favorite show or surfing the web instead of playing outside. The amount of time children spend watching TV or wasting time playing that "new" video game could be used to focus on studies or social interaction. I fully support "Turnoff Week" for it will give everyone some time to realize that TV is really not that important in their every day lives.
- —Guest Pandaspanker
Think for yourself: Keep your TV on!
- TV turn off week is just another way that society force feeds its values of what constitutes "well spent" family time, and I just don't buy it. My kids watch far more television than the "experts" recommend and would probably benefit from a week without it. However, the idea of "challenging" myself or my children with some foolish, contrived propaganda that fuels participation with subtle innuendos of "bad parenting" if one does not participate, undermines my own intellect and teaches my children how NOT to think for themselves far more than any amount of television could ever do.
- —Guest SJN
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