The Learning Umbrella

I’m going to try and participate in the annual TV Turn-Off week, sponsored by Unplug Your Kids.  This will be quite challenging for us, so I’m going to slowly cut back as we approach the challenge, and I’m going to think about what to have on hand to distract my little TV addict (the 2 year old).  She “needs” her “Boots” (Dora) when she is in a certain cranky mood, and she’ll cry and ask over and over again.  So I’m possibly setting myself up for a really horrid week.  We’ll see.

My attitude toward TV is ambivalent.  I don’t really believe that it is a complete evil for kids.  All the really bad consequences (obesity, violence, etc) seem to come for excessive viewing time and bad content.  I don’t think it is great for kids, either.  And I don’t think that kids who go without TV are going to be social misfits - anymore than any alternative choice makes you different and could be labeled “misfit”.  As a parent, I use the TV to help me get through my day.  I use it to calm the kids down and distract them when I have to do something without them or crazy loud noise (make a phone call, cook them lunch).  With 6 kids, I feel I need a little help at times.  I also use the TV to give myself “sick days” when I have to work sick.  On those days, they watch TV pretty much all day, while I sit there curled up in a blanket wishing I could be asleep in bed.  But honestly, I want to know what I’m supposed to do about those days - just not be sick? still put together arts and crafts and take them to the park, while I’m sick?

So, I don’t know if we’ll ever get rid of the TV (most likely not).  We are a technology friendly, but not obsessed, family.  This TV Turn-Off challenge will be more of an experiment than anything else.  We’ll see what it’s like, and we’ll see what we are like without it.  Please consider joining us if you want, and go to Unplug Your Kids to find more people trying this out.