No TV for a Week
Constructive Things to do With Your Kids Without Television
As parents, we often get stuck in the rut of letting our children watch too much TV. Here are some activities that you can do, so you can turn off the TV for a week.
How much television do you think you and your children watch in a day? How about a week? Or a month? Think about all the hours that someone in your household is sitting in front of the television and you may start to wonder how you can turn TV time in to productive time.
Have you ever thought about going TV-less? Most people haven’t. After all, it’s a hard habit to break. However, choosing just one week where you can unplug the television can result in some real family time. Here are some great things you can do instead of watching television.
Take Up a Hobby
Chances are you probably have some type of hobby that you enjoy, but how about finding a hobby that everyone in your family can take part of during your week of no television? Perhaps you can put together some large jigsaw puzzles or put together a model. How about trying one of the newest and hottest family hobbies out there...geo-tracking? What about making a family scrapbook of the last vacation you took?
Get everyone involved with the fun. There are many hobbies that you and your children can pursue together, and you never know when your children will look forward to that more than watching TV!
Get Out and Exercise
Everyone knows that being a couch potato in front of the television means that you get less exercise. How about using this week to get back in shape? If the weather is nice, use those hours to walk the dog, ride bikes, or just kick the soccer ball around with the kids in the yard. In addition, if you go outside you will probably get to visit with your neighbors, which is an added plus. Adding just a few minutes of exercise each day can lead to big health benefits that will extend way beyond the "no television" for a week goal.
Volunteer Your Time
There are many great organizations out there that could use a helping hand. Volunteer work is not only beneficial to the recipient, but it teaches your children a good lesson, too. You don’t have to choose an organization either. Look around you and see what needs to be accomplished. Perhaps there is an elderly person in your neighborhood that needs help with yard work. How about baking cookies for the local fire department? When it comes to volunteering your time, the possibilities are endless.
Fix Up the House
You probably have a whole list of things that need to be done around the house. Use your no-TV time to tackle those projects both large and small. Get outside and get those flowerbeds in shape. Finish that painting project you have wanted to do for months. Clean out the junk drawers and the closets. Your kids can help with these projects, and it is a great way to get organized while spending time with the family.
Whatever you decided to do during your week of no television, you may find that you love the idea. You may even decided that it is worth repeating more often!
