September 03, 2005

For Academic Achievement and Health: Take A Bold Step and Turn Off The Television

Now, at the onset of the school year and as our minds turn to thoughts of achievement and academic excellence, I feel it my duty to broach the unpopular, but important subject of our children's television viewing habits.
Those who know me are sick of my (what some view as extreme) opinion about television viewing by children. I am a long time Turn-Off-The-TV advocate, based on my distrust and discomfort with the omni-presence of the television in general, and the omni-power of the TV to manipulate and influence young minds, in particular.

I am keenly aware of the unpopularity of my stance with regard to turning the TV off and my all out ban on video games. No one really wants to talk about this, and even parents who know (or have an inkling) of the detrimental impact of TV often feel powerless to control its use in their households. The other media mediums (i.e. magazines, radio, the Internet) really don't want to discuss TV either. I once wrote (what I felt was) an excellent article about responsible TV viewing. The article was based on my family's experience with Turn-Off-The-TV Week. The Turn-Off-The-TV Campaign is a national effort that encourages families to turn off the TV for one week and, as their slogan goes, "turn on life!" My family takes part in this effort every year in April.

Posted by Gina Carroll at 06:57:05 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |