Breaking the Habit: Alternatives to Watching Television
Television has become such a part of our daily routine that we may not even realize how much time we spend watching it. We sit down for a “minute” to watch just one television show. And before you know it, 30 minutes has passed. Then, an hour has passed. And if it’s a good night for TV shows, those 30-minute chunks just keep flowing, and we just keep watching. While this scenario happens with adults as well as children, watching mountains of TV shows on a daily basis seems to have affected children the most. According to a study by Nielsen Media, on average, children in the U.S. will spend more time watching TV (1,023 hours) than attending school in 2008 (900 hours). Now, there’s a reason to turn off the tube.
This alarming statistic sounds the wake up call for parents who are watching their kids vegetate in front of the television. It’s easy entertainment that can be habit-forming. So, how do you break the habit? There are plenty of ways to get your little couch potato away from the television and in front some “a-peel-ing” activities. Here are a few things to try:
Game On!
Dust off the board games and play a few rounds with the kids. Games are a great way to sharpen creativity, strategizing, and problem-solving skills while having fun at the same time. Plan a tournament at the end of the week and crown the family champion!
Curl up with a good book
For those with a nose for books, create your own family book club. Read a book and then plan a discussion at the end. For younger children, puppet books are a fun way for toddlers and parents to get involved in the story.
Bake a smile on their faces
Choose an easy recipe, and prepare it together as a family. There will be lots of fun in the kitchen as you cook, and the kids will be rushing to the table with their plates to taste what they created.
Get out there and do something
No matter what you do, the great outdoors is a beautiful backdrop for nature walks, bike rides, hide-and-seek, sports or just some fun in the park. Grab some bottled water and go!
Plant a garden
Kids love playing in the dirt, and a garden gives them a good reason to. Planting a garden doesn’t have to take a lot of space. It can be done in a windowsill or a few pots on the deck. Check out a few gardening books to help you get started.
Whether you decide on a total-TV ban or just to spend a little less time with your “family friend,” gravitating away from the television may cause you to have to re-learn what to do with your time. But it’s an opportunity for you to live, love and laugh more—together!
About the Author:
Article written by Karen Sullen
This article was brought to you by CornerStorkBabyGifts.com, an online retail company specializing in boutique-quality baby gifts and baby shower favors. We are also dedicated to providing informative articles on pregnancy and prenatal health, infant and baby health, infant and baby safety, parenting skills and strategies, child abuse and other topics of interest to mothers- and fathers-to-be, parents and the public.