TV Turnoff Week

Next week (April 21-27) is the annual TV Turnoff Week. I just wanted to encourage you to try it! I will admit that I still sometimes miss the TV, but it has definitely been better without the TV for the past couple of months. Our home is much happier and more peaceful. I was the one who wasted the most time with the TV, and now I am able to get a lot more accomplished, I'm less stressed, and I enjoy time with my kids more.

Here are some interesting statistics:

• The average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.
  
• Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes
  
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
  
• Americans rent 6 million movies each day, and only 3 million items are checked out from libraries each day.
  
• Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 3.5
  
• Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
  
• Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV and spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54

Some of those seem unreal, especially that more than half of kids would rather watch TV than spend time with their Dads! I recently read that with all the hours kids spend at school and then watching TV when they get home, there isn't any time left to bond with their families and the community. I think that is really sad.

So, if you've ever been disgusted with yourself after realizing that you just wasted hours watching TV (believe me, I've been there), why not try turning it off next week and see how it goes?! There is even a blog challenge going on, if you're interested in that kind of stuff, and if it will help to motivate you. So, head on over to Unplug Your Kids, and the join the challenge or get some ideas of things to do with the mass amounts of free time you will suddenly have! I recommend reading lots of books, playing outside, and coloring! :)