Tube Time

Nielson (you know, the company that studies our TV watching habits) says as Americans, we're watching more TV than ever before. Hmm..., so how many hours do you think the average family spends in front of the tube?

My guess was three hours, maybe four. Let's think about it: the kids get home from school, watch some TV before dinner, maybe sneak in a little Disney channel before bath time. Maybe you grab the remote after the kiddos hit the sack, catch Dancing with the Stars and The Daily Show. That couldn't add up to much, could it?

Let's just say, I was wrong. Way wrong.

But, what's the big deal? (Aside from it from it being slightly embarrassing that we waste so much time glued to the "idiot box.") Well, according to ScreenTime.org, the organization responsible for this week's Turnoff Week, the more time we spend in front of the TV, the less time we spend actually hanging out and playing with our families.

The theory is good, and the LEAN Families program at Children's agrees. They recommend no more than two hours a day of screen time for most kids, only one hour for those of us who are being mindful of our weight. And gasp!, one to two hours of screen time includes everything from surfing the web, to playing video games and TV time.

So, what do you think? Could your family cut back on screen time? You may get some gruff inititally, but my guess is everyone will enjoy the benefits. Kinda' like this 2nd grader from Donora, PA.:

"I really didn't like TV-Turnoff Week except that I did notice that my grades went up and I was in a good mood all week." - Drew Henderson