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April 07, 2008
WHAT, NO TV?
On Monday the 21st of April, PHS invites you and your family to voluntarily abstain (for seven whole days) from TV watching and other screen time activiites such as computer games, aimless internet searching, and the like.
Personally, I like TV. The Office makes me laugh a lot, and I also learn a great deal from a variety of documentaries. And I love my computer...except when I'm not loving it. However, look at the following:
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TV
- Number of 30-second commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000
- Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5
- Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
- Percentage of children ages 6-17 who have TV's in their bedrooms: 50
- Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70
- Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
- Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500
- Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
For more information and a list of 52 alternatives, go to the TV Turn Off Week site.
So, a week-long break starts to sound like a nice idea, especially as the days are getting longer and warmer. More time with familiy? Leisurely dinners? More time for thoughtful attention to homework, if needed? Go the the park? Friday night at the de Young Museum? Hmmm, I wonder which other museums have evening hours? And of course, attend PHS's annual Family Night on Thursday the 24th.
Read together or listen to book on CD (get them at the public library or borrow one from our small collection)? Paint a wall?! Clean out the garage? If you'd like even more ideas, come on in and borrow the fabulous book Unplugged Play by Bobbi Conner. It includes 710 games and activities for ages 12 months through 10 years with "no batteries, no plugs, pure fun!" I only have one copy, so don't delay.
Get your own PHS parent library card and check out a stack of books to enjoy. There are even adult titles you might like to borrow. For parents, there is really no limit to the number of items you may check out, so I hope to see you soon.
By the way, April is also National Poetry Month, so there are various poetry related events happening around town these days, and I have a quite a collection of poetry books, both for students and adults!
Posted by Lisa J