Have you ever thought of getting rid of the t.v.? For many this sounds like a scary and even radical decision. In fact, if you were to ditch the television, there’s a good chance some of your friends and family would think it was downright child neglect. But what if you did it anyway and discovered your family had added extra hours to their day to enjoy each other, take up new hobbies, and just plain relax? This is the purpose of Barbara Brock’s book Living Outside the Box – TV-Free Families Share Their Secrets.
Barbara Brock has spent years researching the effects of television on families, and her information is thorough and fascinating. In 1999, Barbara set out to survey t.v.-free families to see how living without the television had affected their lives. She put out some small ads in national magazines and was flooded with responses. Over 500 families wished to fill out her extensive survey, happy to share their personal stories. Later, hundreds more families agreed to turn off their t.v.’s and relay their experiences. The result is this powerful book
What Barbara discovered were hundreds of families enjoying themselves, relaxing, taking up worthwhile pursuits. Their children had higher grades and weren’t pressured into wanting all the latest toys and video games. They spent more time outside, were healthier, talked to each other more than ever. And what’s more, the children simply were not interested in television and even complained after visiting their friends who wanted to sit in front of the box for hours.
We have a television, but funny thing is, no one really watches it. I can tell you from personal experience that not watching television has been one of our best decisions ever. When I was pregnant and about ready to have my son, I suddenly was repulsed by things I was seeing on television and didn’t want to watch. Call it nesting, hormones, whatever. But when we made our beautiful new bookshelves the focus of the living room and moved the television to the basement, no one was sorry to see it banished. We do watch occasional DVDs and plan on having a select collection for viewing every now and then with our son, but television no longer plays a role in our daily lives. Because of this, we do spend a lot of time talking, reading and blogging about it, taking walks, and just plain living. I could only nod my head in agreement throughout my reading of Living Outside the Box. Barbara Brock certainly has a noble cause in helping families go t.v. free, and I can do nothing but applaud her.
Each April, National TV-Turnoff Week comes around, and this year it’s April 21 – 27. Want to give it a go?
To help you prepare, I have one free copy of Living Outside the Box to give away. There are three ways you can enter. 1.) Subscribe to this blog to be automatically entered into this and all future giveaways here at dkMommy Spot. 2.) Leave a comment telling me about your family’s television watching habits and what you’d like to change. 3.) Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back. OR you can do all three and have three entries! I’ll draw a winner at random on April 2, 2008, 12noon EST.
An interesting blog: While doing research for this post, I came across a great blog called Unplug Your Kids. Hop on over and take a look to see how this mom keeps her kids busy without the t.v.!
[...] admin wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThis is the purpose of Barbara Brock’s book Living Outside the Box – TV-Free Families Share Their Secrets. Barbara Brock has spent years researching the effects of television on families, and her information is thorough and fascinating. … [...]
I would like to read this and then pass it along for my 5-year-old grandson and his mother. He is permitted to spend way to much time zoned out in front of the TV. I would like to see him spend more time playing outside, doing art work (for which he has a talent) and reading.
we have 4 tvs everybody goes to their own to watch what they want.i would like to spend more time together as a family
oh how i would love to live out side the box thanks jenny9675309*Y@H**d$T(om
Nice prize.
we do not have a tv and it is great! we have so much more time to spend together and get things done around our home.
TV in our house is pretty reasonable, but it’s hard to find things keep everyone amused when they’re not watching it.
I stopped watching TV over two years ago and just started watching DVD movies once a month. My husband just keeps the TV on in the background.
Hi Diane, Great post! I would LOVE to be an unplugged family – at least mostly unplugged. We only have one TV, but it varies day to day how much the kids watch – some days it’s all they want to do, and some days they just aren’t interested. I am looking forward to the turn your tv off week so we can try experimenting with just videos, or something. I really dislike all the marketing aimed at kids during the kids shows, and I also worry about the amount of tv my two younger children are going to be exposed to – my oldest didn’t really watch until he was at least 3 or so!
We watch way too much tv here and I would like to change that.
The thing that bothers me the most is rather selfish! It bugs me when my husband falls asleep on the couch and a used car infomercial comes on full blast. I figure he is getting brainwashed in his sleep!
When my kids were little they were not allowed to watch TV Monday-Thursday so now I only watch TV maybe once a week (TIVO)
We mostly watch sports and quiz shows on tv
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We limit tv to 4 hours a day, but I would really like to cut it out completely.
We try to limit the television as much as we can, especially since our girls are still quite young (ages 2 &3). They watch about an 40 minutes to an hour in the morning (two shows) and sometimes another 30 minutes in the afternoon. That’s it for them! My husband and I do not watch television that much anymore, but will turn it on once the girls are asleep.
Great post!
PLEASE enter me in this contest! I was very interested in your post. I’ve thought of this many times and know it would greatly benefit my children. I know it sounds terrible and selfish…but I enjoy TV A LOT! I grew up always having it on — even if we weren’t watching it the tv would be on as background noice. That is essentially the way it has continued into my adult life…on from morning until night. I’ll often have a cable news channel on if the kids aren’t around…but something is almost always on and I can’t imagine it, honestly, not being like that. I think it would be a harder habit for me than anyone…and would love to read this to help me cut it out, and get the tv to not be the same kind of force for my daughters. The shows they watch are all appropriate to their age…but they simply know too many of them and spend too much time with it event though I do limit it. Please count me in…hoping to do everything I can to make a change here. This topic really impacted me and gave me more to think about on this topic once again!
we watch way too much tv
We have 5 rooms with 5 televisions.everyone watches their preferred channel.I will not judge if this is right or wrong.Who knows?For certain.
I would like to see us limit our tv viewing time
I would like to get this book and leave it with my dad…on the TV table.
I would love to read this
We’ve turned the TV off for periods of time and we were all much happier and did more interactive things together. I’m hoping to talk my hubby into it again soon. Maybe this time it can stay off.
Happy Saturday! I have heard of the no tv day. Thanks for letting me know the date this year. Actually, both of my sons are heavily into baseball and don’t watch television. I think the tv has been taken over by Sirius Radio and video games. Once my boys are finished with baseball practices/games, there is homework to do. I belong to your feed and would love to be entered in your book drawing. My niece needs to read it because her two young children are constantly watching tv and dvds. Thanks, Cindi
we watch way too much tv, especially weekday evenings, and would love to find a way to stop
This is a great idea… when my kids aren’t allowed to watch tv they get along better, are less manic, and all over much happier kids… I need to have our tv removed the house to keep it this way. I highly suggest the book Last Child in the Woods (I don’t remember the author’s name) but it is incredible and is a fabulous reminder why we need to unplug the tv and send the kids outside to play in their free time.
Thanks for a great giveaway!!
Marissa
Our problem is simply TOO much TV> It’s on even when no one is really watching.
we’ve turned off the cable – now how do I get them off the computer?
I watch too much TV but when my first husband and I separated, he took our only TV and I never missed it…….
Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks!
Ginnie
I am a self-confessed TV addict. Ever since we got DVR it has gotten worse. I usually look forward to the summer break but since the writer’s strike I fear that my habit will be a year round one.
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to get rid of our TV entirely, or at least downscale it and move it to a less prominent spot in our house. But I don’t know how to handle the fallout from my family; they’re only happy if it constantly drones.
Our watching habits. Well I think my wife and I do Ok. The kids to ok, they really do not watch much TV, if any, at all. And that it not all good. I would like to see them watch the news and informative talk shows by journalist. This way it would help them keep up with current events and what is going on in the world and their own environment.
we watch way to late and way too long
too much but too good
we probably watch to much t.v.
I see from other posts that I’m not the only “guilty mom” here. It’s just my son and I, but I have to admit that the TV is usually on more for MY use than his. I’d love to try and change that a bit. and would be interesting in giving it a read.
Now, if I could find something to get my son away from in front of the computer so much!
We use TV as a time filler…we need to do other more productive things…exercise, help others, read–and for the kids–help mom around the house a bit more
Thanks for great contest
trying to cut back, but it is so addictive
Count me in…and I’ll link to you since my readers probably share your disdain for TV. I am pretty sure my family could survive without all TV EXCEPT sports.
Sounds like a great book. I think that my box is the computer monitor.
sounds great
We have two tv’s and rarely watch either of them.
Just say no to the cathode ray
We watch far too much television for our own good – this book should be helpful!
I think I watch more “traditional” TV than anyone else in my household—but my husband watches movies on his portable DVD player, and my 12-year-old spends much of his time on the computer, playing games over the internet with his friends. So “no TV” in my house wouldn’t get my son away from his flickering lights. Maybe “screen time” is more to the point here…..
I use the TV as a “babysitter” when I have to get dinner cooked and the kids are too crazy. We don’t watch much, but I’d love to be able to find something just as calming that they could all do while I’m busy.
We watch entirely too much tv at our house.
My kids love to watch TV, I would love to get them away from it more and doing other things. During the summer it’s easy because our condo has a pool which they love, but during the winter, it seems to be the only thing they do. I would really love some fun ideas for winter fun!
We don’t get any TV reception, which makes it easy to limit viewing. But we watch quite a few DVD’s on the weekend and sometimes a couple TV shows online.
We watch very little tv. I’d love this book!