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Turn Off the Television

How Turning the TV Off
Can Help You Tune In

By Mark Stackpole

Though your TV may seem like a member of the family given how much time you spend together, turning it off can open up a whole new world of communication and activity. Not convinced? Pieraccini has some compelling statistics to share about your TV, your kids and you:

• By the time the average child graduates from high school, she has seen 20,000 hours of television. By comparison, she will have only spent 13,000 hours in class and 3,000 hours participating in church activities.
• By the age of 10, the average child has seen 10,000 commercials, mostly for fast food and sweets.
• Ninety percent of the studies looking at TV violence conclude that there is a cause-and-effect relationship.
• The average child watches between four to five hours of television each day.
• Close to 70 percent of children ages 2 to 11 have televisions in their room.
• The average cartoon has 30 acts of aggressive behavior.

It is unrealistic to expect parents and children will turn off the TV for good. Given our love affair with technology and TV, smart viewing is the key. For those parents looking for a happy and reasonably healthy medium, Pieraccini has the following recommendations:

• Educational programssuch asSesame Street and Dora the Explorer are best, with their emphasis on multiculturalism and learning.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests children watch no more than two hours per day and that content be carefully monitored.
• Parents should know about the V-Chip (a parental TV blocking tool) and how to use it.
• Talk about what you watch with your kids.