Do you think 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
It's Not Necessary at Our House
- Though I think turn off week may be a good thing for some, I don't find it necessary at our house. Both my children are actively involved in sports and clubs. They also read almost every night, and my one son plays the guitar as well. So, they don't spend a ton of time in front of the TV, on the computer or playing video games. When they do take an hour or two a day to spend on these activities, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I think instead of turning the TV/etc. off for a week, parents should in general encourage their children to do other things (sports, reading, music, exercise...) on a regular basis. The problem comes when children/adults spend all their free time in front of the TV/computer. My other complaint with no TV week was that teachers expected the kids not to watch TV at home, but they still played movies at the school during lunch time and had a movie night as one of their fun activities. To me, movies at school are as bad as TV at home.
- —Guest Ann
Need Less TV, More Reading
- The world of books creates a greater desire to know more by fueling the imagination and enforcing the "I can read" demand. Unplug TV, plug in to reading a book. Books cannot go by the way of being just a memory. School tests would be a lot easier if a child learns to read. If youth gangs were to read a book for initiation, there would be a generation of intelligent people. Everybody can escape when reading. I love to read. I learned by raeding the comic books, and my love has continued for over 50 years.
- —Guest jacque
Turnoff Is No One's Business, But...
- First, Turnoff is no one's business.But we have a lot of days or nights that the girls and I are either reading, crocheting, sewing,playing a game or just setting and talking about school, God or anything else. The girls are 13,10 & 9 years old. We have over 300 books and have already started a church library with just what they already read or outgrew. Before starting the library at church, we had given lots away. So TV is not important to us. We have no video games, ipods etc. I believe in reading, and spending quiet time together, even if quiet time is everyone with a book or a crochet needle. Reading is a great passtime and learning experience. I go to garage sales and look for the classic books.
- —Guest gmom
GREAT idea!
- It takes a village...to raise a productive successful member of society. We all want our society to be safe and intelligent and thriving - and each member contributes to that either positively or negatively. What kind of person is 'created' from sitting in front of the TV?
- —productofcanada1973
Memories of Wonderful "Unplugged Time"
- When I was a kid, my family and extended family spent weeks at my uncle's lake cabin - no phone (it was there for emergencies, but left unplugged), no television, no "Hi-Fi's" as they were called back in the good old days, and we kids had more fun in those weeks than you can imagine! Swimming, boating, fishing, hunting down frogs, toads, salamanders, chipmunks - watching with fascination as the tiny hummingbirds fluttered their "invisible wings" at the red feeder, etc. We had a "worm bed" (like a compost pile of dirt in a hole) that yielded nice fat worms for bait every season. We crept stealthily along the lawns with flashlights, (while our Dads cat-fished) at night, looking for gigantic night-crawlers, with MUCH success! We all grew up to be killer card players, as that was the main attraction for the "kids" at the table in the living room by the huge stone fireplace. We were "city kids," but I'm so grateful to my Dad for working so hard to give us "unplugged time!"
- —Guest Tricia
Maplewood/S. Orange, NJ Turnoff All Year
- My wife, Arlean Lambert, a librarian at Marshall School, had a friend Janie Van Oss who instituted TV Turnoff for the school year. Arlean started the program in her school, and it has since spread to the entire district. At the end of the year, the students who participate (about 75% of the enrollment) are given a reward, which has been a trophy, a cap, or other symbol of their success. They can aspire to gold (no TV or computer games from 6pm Sunday to after school on Friday) Silver (30 minutes of TV or screens) or Bronze (1 hour). Parents and children make comments about TV Turnoff, and most of the participants say they will do this again next year. Parents like not having to yell at their kids to turn off the TV. Arlean says she thought her friend Janie was nuts to do TV Turnoff for a year, but it has worked out to be one of the best programs at Marshall, and indeed, in the Maplewood/S. Orange District. Don G. Lambert
- —donglambert
Please Leave Your Television On!
- If you don't want to end up sounding like these people who think you should burn the Internet as a witch if it fails to float, then please give in to technology. It's the natural progression of things. Plus, when we're all robots, you won't even know what the other robots are talking about in robot school and you'll become some kind of terrible robot outcast and have self-esteem mechanism issues until you become outdated.
- —Guest T
Good Idea
- It is an excellent idea...sometimes I get tired of my family members always watching TV after work instead of talking and spending time together. I, myself, will be on the computer 24/7 if I'm given the chance. I don't like these addictions and I think a mandatory week off is a good thing to do.
- —Guest Maria
Responsibility
- Hi I loved your article because it points out the one major flaw in all these types of events: responsibility. We as people need to take responsibility for our lives and not blame something or someone. Turning something off does nothing if we just turn to something else.
- —Guest Travis
Yes
- Where I work, in a public library, we see children addicted to computers. Tens of thousands of books on the shelves and they want computers. The don't play outside; they sit indoors all day, and if they go out of the building, it is to buy junk food. Then they go home and watch TV. I do not watch TV, and I consider TV a waste of time. Just listen to that big sucking sound as TV sucks the creativity out of people and turns them into brainless zombies.
- —Guest nyckitty2011
Absolutely
- My son was inspired to turn off the TV through a school project. If he makes it 7 days, he is rewarded with an ice cream social! Since he has started, I have seen him ride his bike, which is NEVER a usual interest, draw, and show a greater interest in playing board games with the family. Luckily, we don't have cable or satellite TV, so he is less prone to sit and veg out, anyway. However the turn off the tv week has really allowed him to find some better ways of spending his time! If it were me, I would unplug it for good! (but I hardly watch TV!)
- —Guest jennifer
Turnoff Week
- I do not watch TV more than an hour a day, so that is not a problem. However, given the chance, I could be on my computer 4 or more hours a day. You learn so much more on the computer and if you want, you can watch a good movie.
- —Guest Leslie
Less TV
- I think it is urgent to make, in each neighborhood, a center like a YMCA but for free or little cost, with all the activities for old and young people - a place where parents and kids can do something constructive at the same time. I know reading is good, but it is not the only thing people need.
- —Guest Estela Saracino
Never Had A TV - Better Without It
- I am currently a college student who has not had a TV his whole life. I am 20 years old and don't think it's appropriate; it's a waste of my time. Granted, I will watch a few episodes of a show online, maybe twice a month. My point is, if you turn off the TV, you will realizes that all of a sudden there is time for homework, time for a love life, time for a job. All a TV does is suck up all your time and throw it out the window. I'm fully aware that some may think I should mind my own business. But all I'm saying is try to go a week without TV. The first couple of days will be very tough, but once you fill your life with more exciting things (i.e. going to the gym, taking a walk, getting together with friends, taking a night class) you will realize you'd much rather be without a TV because you will feel like you have actually accomplished something in your life. Yes harsh words, but if you disagree with me, its only because you haven't tried it.
- —Guest Rusty
Good Idea - Gets You Thinking...
- Although I do believe there are some valuable programs on TV, too often we forget to use books as a primary resource. Personally, I like the reminder to consider how much time we are watching TV or wasting on the Internet. It's up to us to decide what we want to do about it; nothing is forced upon us. If we feel that it would be devastating to give up, it makes me question our priorities and how much we've invested into brainless media (in many cases). In my opinion, there are too many violent and inappropriate programs and commercials, so I choose to limit what my children are viewing. I think the message of this week is to evaluate your use of media and make wise decisions for yourself and your family.
- —Guest IMHO
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