Anyone doing TV Turn Off week?

[TikiGoddess]

Hi all,

My 5 yr old came home from preschool and asked us if we were doing TV Turn Off week. Hmmm, guess we are! I admit to cheating... we are starting tomorrow and ending on Saturday morning, but it will be no TV or computers for the entire 5 days.

We don't watch much tv anyways but my DH and I will be itching to go on our computers in the evening....

So is anyone else going to give it a try? I'll check for replies on Saturday...!

Kathy

[SBETigg]

I had no idea that it was TV Turn Off week. I won't be participating. I'll look forward to reports on how it went for those of you who took part. :cool:

[princessjojo]

I knew nothing of it. I won't be taking part, but much to the surprise of my kids, they will be. Starting tomorrow morning...They will use the computer, but for schoolwork only.

Hey, I kinda like this...:blush:

[JPL]

Impossible to do during the Hockey Playoffs ;)

[one2goofy]

Our school just completed "get unplugged" week.

If my DD's (ages 5 and 7) were completely turned off to the TV, video games, computers, etc. Monday-Friday, they would earn an extra recess next week (I know only 15 minutes extra, but if they wanted to do it, GREAT!!).

They did great! We only had 1 afternoon that was tough...it was raining, soccer was canceled, etc...so we went out for dinner and then to buy a new book to celebrate!

We only turned on the TV for ourselves AFTER they were asleep....Grey's Anatomy and news for me.... :-)

I've never played so many games of go fish in my life!!:nemo:

[Melanie]

Personally, I just couldn't do it. Wish I could, but it would be as bad as if you took away my Diet Coke. :nono:

My boys on the other hand could probably do it, since they don't watch a lot of TV anyway. I'll mention it and see what response I get.

[NotaGeek]

I haved lived the past 5 weeks without TV since I moved to Spokane ... I have watched a couple of hours of web episdoes of my favorite shows, but not nearly the amount of TV I was watching before. It's been really nice getting back to listening to music when I cook or just hang out.

Who knows, maybe I don't even miss the tv? Nah, I am buying one next weekend. :thumbsup:

[ChipnDaleGal]

Not something I would want to do personally, but I am a self confessed TV addict. Best of luck to anyone trying to do this. :thumbsup:

[bicker]

The whole idea sounded pretty silly to me. I have to wonder about the motivations of the people who came up with the idea. Being anti-television isn't something I'd consider admirable, and the campaign seems more anti-television than pro- anything else.

[RenDuran]

Before we started having kids, my husband and I turned off the cable for several years. I never missed it during that time. Once we had a child and she turned two, I decided we needed cartoons! So the television came back into our lives.

I think it's great when people can find things other than television to occupy their time. Good luck!

[alphamommy]

Impossible to do during the Hockey Playoffs ;)

I agree!

[MNNHFLTX]

If they had designated TV Turn Off week during the writer's strike, I would have participated. But now? No way! I've waited too long to watch some of these shows as it is. :D

[NotaGeek]

The whole idea sounded pretty silly to me. I have to wonder about the motivations of the people who came up with the idea. Being anti-television isn't something I'd consider admirable, and the campaign seems more anti-television than pro- anything else.

The idea probably came from the fact that American kids watch too much television and the obesity rate among kids is sky rocketing. I don't think it has anything to do with TV per se, mostly an initiative to get kids moving, and families involved with each other ... talking, board games ... that Leave it to Beaver thing.

[tinkwest]

The idea probably came from the fact that American kids watch too much television and the obesity rate among kids is sky rocketing. I don't think it has anything to do with TV per se, mostly an initiative to get kids moving, and families involved with each other ... talking, board games ... that Leave it to Beaver thing.

Aah . . Leave it to Beaver . . one of my favorite things to watch on TV! :)

I don't sit through too many shows, but a lot of times have the TV going kind of as background noise. I do like to watch the news when I get in bed each night.

Good luck to those of you who have/are/intend to give it up for a week. :tv:

[Gooftroop5]

Not going to happen in this house especially since dd just was able to get her video & computer games back. Its been a month without them. She was being punished for bad grades. If I knew it was this week I probably would (well the kids would). She would revolt now.

Once summer starts we are turning the tv off for all but 2 hours. The kids are trying to get it all in while they can. :tv:

[NotaGeek]

Once summer starts we are turning the tv off for all but 2 hours. The kids are trying to get it all in while they can. :tv:
Maybe having the TV off during the school year as opposed to summer when there's no school work to worry about might have helped on the failing grades? I think that this is part of the point of the TV Off Week.

[2Epcot]

Not something I would want to do personally, but I am a self confessed TV addict. Best of luck to anyone trying to do this. :thumbsup:

I'm the same Donna, some nights I'm recording things on 3 DVRs I don't think I could do it.

[Gooftroop5]

Maybe having the TV off during the school year as opposed to summer when there's no school work to worry about might have helped on the failing grades? I think that this is part of the point of the TV Off Week.

My point in the summer is that she will be forced to be outside exercising/playing or reading/writing instead of allowed to veg infront of the tv all summer long. I also have 2 ds that aren't in school which this pertains to more.

DD has to do her homework before she is allowed to watch tv. She also only watches about 3 hours a day during the school week. An hour before school & 2 hours after school. Unless its nice outside then she has about 1/2-1 hour between school & bed. She had failing grades because she was not doing her work at school. She has As & Bs normally. Some would probably say I'm being unreasonable when she brings home one failing grade when she is that good of a student. No matter what she was doing at home if she refused to do the work at school she isn't gong to get a passing grade. She has inconsistancy issues she can do the work she just refuses to. Not that I need to defend myself or explain why my dd had those grades. This is also why she lost her nitendo ds & computer games.(which she usually only allowed to play on Friday nights & weekends)

What I thought the point of TV off week was to get back to family time & show that there are other things to do than watch tv, playing video games & be on the computer. Not to be so dependent on technology.

[KineGirl]

you mean there is an off button?!? LOL jj But tv has kind of turned into a kind of radio here. No one really sits down to watch tv much except at night but its always on and in the background to be listened to.

[bicker]

The idea probably came from the fact that American kids watch too much television and the obesity rate among kids is sky rocketing. That is NOT the scope of the TV Turn Off Week push. So basically what you're pointing out is that the push was totally out of proportion to the problem it was allegedly trying to address.

It should be noted that watching television doesn't cause obesity or anything really -- rather it is a LACK of doing other things that causes the problems you noted. If they wanted to pass the "Is this logical?" sniff test, then they should have had a "Play Baseball Week" and/or a "Open a Book Week" and/or "Family Fun Night". It is pretty stupid to try to trick a whole country of people into doing what you think they should do by suggesting that they deprive themselves of what they normally would want to do, instead of advocating what they should WANT to do instead.

[bicker]

Maybe having the TV off during the school year as opposed to summer when there's no school work to worry about might have helped on the failing grades? I think that this is part of the point of the TV Off Week.Wouldn't it make more sense to turn the television off while school is in session rather than during what is Spring Break for many? :confused:

[princessjojo]

Honestly, when I read the original post I thought it was intended for both parents and kids. For parents to actually get re-involved in the lives of their kids and not to use the tv as a babysitter. For kids, I thought the intention was to encourage kids to use their imaginations, and creative skills, become more active and not couch tater tots.

Like I said before, I couldn't do it, but my kids will, as much as I can get them to with this rain lately.

[ASweetLov]

Now that I am 24 I wouldnt be able to do this. I need my tv, especially after a long day at work to relax. Maybe when I was 5,6,7or 8 I would of done this since I watched some tv but mostly just sat next to my grandmother on the kitchen table and colored for hours

[TikiGoddess]

OP here.

This is the first time I've checked this thread since I wrote my original post... I haven't been able to get on my computer to check since Monday! So here's the update...

In our house the kids (and parents) have kept from watching tv and using computers (we don't really have videogames). The kids have been great about it (they're 3 and 5) and don't really miss it at all. My 5 yr old played computer games at Grandma's house on Weds but Grandma has her own rules. In an effort to set a good example for the kids, my husband and I have stayed off our computers (a BIG deal) and not watched any tv, with the exception of about 1/2 hr of the Red Sox ballgame last night. We've been listening to the ballgames on the radio but last night I was by myself and wanted something to watch while I was cleaning.

It's been a very interesting experiment. As I said, the kids don't really miss it. They used to watch 1/2 hr in the morning, and maybe a 1/2 hr at night if there was time after bath (usually not). We would let them watch a movie and have some computer time during the weekend. I think we're going to do away with tv for them during the week and just do the weekend 'movie night' and computer time. (gotta see those Disney movies!!)

This week has been an eye opener for me. I used to watch tv at night after the kids went to bed but I didn't feel like I was missing anything this week. In fact, I rather enjoyed the silence!! It was very relaxing after a long day to come home and read a book, do crossword puzzles, talk to my husband, get some chores done (instead of waiting for the weekend), and get to bed early. We were both in bed by 9pm most nights, sitting and reading or talking while we half listened to the ballgame on the radio. I think that I will be watching much less tv and spending less time on my computer as well (which is the real challenge for me). I'll be selective with the time I spend at my computer.

I think this week, for us adults, was a great way to step out of our routines and explore a different way of living. I'm all for trying new things -- you never know what will work for you until you try it! And the way I figure it, I can do anything for a week... and then decide what worked and what didn't at the end of that week.

Thanks for all the replies, keep em comin'!

TikiG

[princessjojo]

Well, we tried it, and the boys did well for all of about 2-3 days. But the amount did cut down so I guess something good did come from it. Me on the other hand... In bed Monday evening watching CSI-Miami...I'm a bad example, but have to have it.