National TV Turn-Off Week

Today marks the start of National TV Turn-Off Week.  According to the Center for Screen-Time Awareness, turning off the TV allows your family to spend quality time together reading, thinking, creating and doing.

Personally, I think that denying my children television will actually make them want it more.  In fact, I actually use television as a development tool for my twin two-year-olds.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating setting your kids in front of the television for hours at a time.  In our house, television is just a small piece of our children’s week.  We partner television with art time, gym class, and music class.  Their books are their favorite toys.  Whenever it’s warm enough you’ll find us outside.  You’ll also find us at museums, nature centers and the park.

I’d rather teach our children about limits, moderation and compromise than the “all or none” approach.  Sure my method requires more work on the parents’ part, but I think it’s worth the effort.

So if turning of the TV this week is what jumps starts more balance in your life, then by all means do it.  For the rest of us, let’s use this week to continue, or if necessary begin, using television, particularly where are children are concerned, with moderation.