It’s TV Turnoff Week!
Thursday, April 26th, 2007This week is TV Turnoff Week, my favorite week of the year! Kill your television! Whoo!
Honestly, I, the iron lotus, NEVER watch television. Gasp! “The Devil, you say!”
No, for reals, it’s true. I haven’t turned on a television in four years, with the exception of this one time that I had the flu. And I’ll tell you, when I did turn that thing on, Flavor Flav was having some kind of argument with Regis Philbin, on a set that was supposed to look like a living room, but which I assure you, was not a living room. The whole thing was like a terrible nightmare. I turned that thing back off faster than you can blink.
Now I admit, I do occasionally watch stuff online, or DvD. So the glowing box still has a place in my heart. However, I try to pre-plan these activities, limiting the amount of time I will sit and stare, in favor of interacting with my environment. And if I can do it all the time, You, Dear Reader, can do it for a few days. TV Turnoff ends on the 29th of April, so there are only three days left of the challenge!
This may all sound a little self-righteous, but I’m not suggesting you sign up out of any desire to manipulate. Rather, I can’t believe how much better my life has become since quitting TV. I would compare it to quitting cigarettes, and recommend it to everyone.
Tips for going TV free:
- Ease off gradually. Ban TV, just at the dinner table, in favor of conversation. This is a healthy practice that helps us all learn to communicate and problem-solve, especially in houses with small children.
- Move the TV to where it is not the focal point of the room. Cover it, if you can, when not in use.
- Hide the remote, or set up the TV to only play DvDs.
- Plant a garden, or learn about plants native to your area.
- Remove the TV from any childrens’ rooms, in order to de-pollute their mental environments. Even acts as simple as playing with keys are shown to aid small kids with brain development. Interaction, with darn-near anything, is crucial for healthy growth and learning. TV merely distracts them, and encourages obesity. Simple non-video games are a much, much, much better alternative. Crayons, yo-yo’s, checker sets, Astrojax, etcetera, are all inexpensive.
- Make your own toys, games, and belongings.
- Stay positive. Replace “Can’t watch TV,” in your thoughts and speech, with “Let’s turn off the TV so we can…”
- Do not use the tube as a babysitter. Involve kids in chores, make it a game for them!
- Pick specific TV-free nights of the week.
- Never use TV as a punishment or reward, as this increases it’s nefarious power.
- Write letters and thank-you notes to fill the time.
- Be aware that time is a limited resource, and think of all that you’re discovering.
- Go swimming, bike riding, rollerskating, skateboarding, play hopscotch, freeze tag, hide-n-seek, watch clouds, or what-have-you.
- Listen to the radio or music for background noise, if the quiet is uncomfortable.
- Ditch your cable service. Put the money you save in an account, or use it to buy books or games. Then start phasing out network.
- Do yard or house work.
- In moments of temptation, sit quietly and examine your desires. Ask yourself, “What do I REALLY want to do today?”
- Don’t fear boredom. It’s the last stop before creative inspiration. Most people will get sick of whining after 20 minutes, and find something to do.
- Spend more time outside, or at the library, or cooking local meals with loved ones.
- Keep a handy list of things that you love to do.
- Start focusing on your own experiences, instead of those of (often fictional) others.
- Start a journal or blog. You can write about your withdrawal, if it’s severe.
- Do like we do at bluehouse, and participate in, or start a community project. We are proud to employee participants in The Charm City Roller Girls and The Stolen Heart Cabaret.
- Remember the things that are important to you, and focus on them. Conversation, exercise, play, reading, creating, thinking and doing.
