My kids like television… a lot. Sometimes I worry (as do many of you) about the amount of TV that they consume. I especially become concerned when their little eyes glaze over as the hypnotic TV trance brainwashes them into encouraging me to purchase Aquaglobes or Debbie Meyer Green Bags, or they reenact entire seasons of Spongebob Squarepants.
About a year ago we instituted “No TV Day” to minimize the amount of TV the kids watch. On Mondays the kids are not allowed to watch television (DVDs were okay sometimes). After a bit of consternation, the kids acquiesced and usually found another way to spend their time. The success of “No TV Day” encouraged me to expand it to Mondays and Fridays which has worked quite well.
But lately, as the kids get a bit older, when the TV goes off, the Nintendo DS and computer (Webkinz, Toon Town, CartoonNetwork.com, etc.) goes on. And that familiar glazed look returns.
At dinner this weekend my wife, the children and I talked about our concerns over the amount of time they spend passively staring at monitors (no, we didn’t use those words). I proposed that “No TV Day” be expanded to limit other forms of entertainment. My seven-year-old daughter suggested “No Technology Day” which sounded like it was headed in the right direction, but I wanted to put a more positive spin on it–a name that would reinforce positive behavior. And “Imagination Day” was born.
“Imagination Day” is pretty much what it sounds like. Watching television (even movies) and playing computer games are not allowed. But the kids may interact with technology (even TV) if they are actively using their minds to create something e.g. composing a song on a keyboard or using my video camera to make a movie. My wife and I must also adhere to the rules of “Imagination Day” (it’s only fair), but we are allowed to work, or write blog posts. What better way to use my imagination?
Today was the our first run at “Imagination Day,” and the kids played very well together. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes; in the near future maybe every day of the week will be “Imagination Day?”
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What a fantastic idea!
It’s great to see parents becoming more involved with their kids’ lives – all too often it’s a case of “Here’s your new Playstation 3 game, now go to your room” approach.
The fact that you’re doing the same as your kids makes it all the more fun and interactive – look forward to hearing how it goes.
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What a fantastic idea!
It’s great to see parents becoming more involved with their kids’ lives – all too often it’s a case of “Here’s your new Playstation 3 game, now go to your room” approach.
The fact that you’re doing the same as your kids makes it all the more fun and interactive – look forward to hearing how it goes.
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That’s a great idea. I really like that they can interact with technology, so long as they’re using their imagination and creating something.
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That’s a great idea. I really like that they can interact with technology, so long as they’re using their imagination and creating something.
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Fantastic plan!
I, too, have struggled with this issue with my kids and they’re only 5 and 3. But between our DVD collection — how did it get to be so huge — and their DS-toting kin, it’s been a battle.
But what a great to make it not a battle. I think recasting it as “Imagination Day” rather than “Mommy’s Griping About TV Again So Turn It Off For A While And Humor Her” Day would work.
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Fantastic plan!
I, too, have struggled with this issue with my kids and they’re only 5 and 3. But between our DVD collection — how did it get to be so huge — and their DS-toting kin, it’s been a battle.
But what a great to make it not a battle. I think recasting it as “Imagination Day” rather than “Mommy’s Griping About TV Again So Turn It Off For A While And Humor Her” Day would work.
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That is just great! I will go home today thinking about how to propose the idea at home 😉
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That is just great! I will go home today thinking about how to propose the idea at home 😉
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Just remember folks, TV is NOT recommended for children under the age of 2 by the AMA. Remember, these are the same people who are recommending things like vaccines to keep your kids healthy. Those little brains are not made to handle TV watching (maybe ours aren’t either). As soon as our baby was born the TV was gone. You really don’t miss it. Seriously.
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Just remember folks, TV is NOT recommended for children under the age of 2 by the AMA. Remember, these are the same people who are recommending things like vaccines to keep your kids healthy. Those little brains are not made to handle TV watching (maybe ours aren’t either). As soon as our baby was born the TV was gone. You really don’t miss it. Seriously.
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Great idea. I’m a great believer that banning something rarely works. Much more effective is to find an alternative that’s even more fun and healthy, then there’s no sense of ‘sacrifice’. Seems your Imagination Day is a wonderful example of this in action. Good luck with it.
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Great idea. I’m a great believer that banning something rarely works. Much more effective is to find an alternative that’s even more fun and healthy, then there’s no sense of ‘sacrifice’. Seems your Imagination Day is a wonderful example of this in action. Good luck with it.
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I love imaginationday!
First a word on TV. As my kids grew up there was only one TV program that was unofficially banned from our house. “Married With Children”. It’s depiction of women and female teens was simply horrible. I will note here, that there is always hope because the teen girl in the program, Christine Applegate is now a role model for breast cancer survivors. TV we did watch …. alot, “Little House On The Prairie” and more recent Disney Movies and movies like Tree House Gang. I’ve head some people snicker at Little House On The Prairie, but I share with them that Michael Landon made sure their was a major value principle shared in each episode. Many have more than one. Topics covered included the Value of Seniors, making it as a family in spite of poverty, honesty, the value of work, the value of gratitude, the value of friendship and the list could go on an on.
The second important issue is that “WE WATCHED THE PROGRAMS WITH THE CHILDREN” I can’t stress that enough. You can’t sit there and say this is good for you and take no interest in it, and what’s more not be able to discuss how it applies to your family or answer your kids programs if you’re off in the den or kitchen.
I take time to educate my friends and the public at large that Music and TV is no different falls into the category of Positive, Neutral and Negative. People will find it easy to agree on negative TV like Married With Children, it will be harder to discern Neutral TV, but you can start with TV your kids are watching because you are using it to baby sit them and keep them out of trouble and therefor not even keep track of what they watch. I am sympathetic to single parents etc. that are desperate for 30 minutes of solitude or to get the dinner done etc. but there are programs for certain age groups like “Treehouse” in Canada that you can pretty much walk away from and know they’re getting good value lessons. Can’t find one, put on a DVD like Anne Of Green Gables or other positive movie that kids like. Heck I even went to the public library and borrowed activity videos like learning to draw for them. But the key here is make it Positive.
That’s why I love Imagination Day so much. With the Positive Imperative our conversation is focussed on Accentuate the Positive. When you do that the law of displacement kicks in and you don’t have to worry about what’s neutral or negative. Also in this case you take away the battle ensued by “taking tv away” from your kids, thus making them feel policed and hard done by and thus resenting what ever else you put on the table for them to do. Imagination Day says if Positive TV fits (which is will be based on it’s theme) then great but more importantly let’s get the kids inspired and using their imagination in an andragogical fashion as opposed to leaving them in front of what Bruce Springsteen said… 57 Channels and Nothing On, or worse 57 Channels coving everything from War and Ultimate Wrestling. Now that you’ve thought about TV watching for kids being Positive Neutral and Negative, think about the music they listen to …. or for that matter the music you listen to, and the music you listen to together in the car or at home!
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I love imaginationday!
First a word on TV. As my kids grew up there was only one TV program that was unofficially banned from our house. “Married With Children”. It’s depiction of women and female teens was simply horrible. I will note here, that there is always hope because the teen girl in the program, Christine Applegate is now a role model for breast cancer survivors. TV we did watch …. alot, “Little House On The Prairie” and more recent Disney Movies and movies like Tree House Gang. I’ve head some people snicker at Little House On The Prairie, but I share with them that Michael Landon made sure their was a major value principle shared in each episode. Many have more than one. Topics covered included the Value of Seniors, making it as a family in spite of poverty, honesty, the value of work, the value of gratitude, the value of friendship and the list could go on an on.
The second important issue is that “WE WATCHED THE PROGRAMS WITH THE CHILDREN” I can’t stress that enough. You can’t sit there and say this is good for you and take no interest in it, and what’s more not be able to discuss how it applies to your family or answer your kids programs if you’re off in the den or kitchen.
I take time to educate my friends and the public at large that Music and TV is no different falls into the category of Positive, Neutral and Negative. People will find it easy to agree on negative TV like Married With Children, it will be harder to discern Neutral TV, but you can start with TV your kids are watching because you are using it to baby sit them and keep them out of trouble and therefor not even keep track of what they watch. I am sympathetic to single parents etc. that are desperate for 30 minutes of solitude or to get the dinner done etc. but there are programs for certain age groups like “Treehouse” in Canada that you can pretty much walk away from and know they’re getting good value lessons. Can’t find one, put on a DVD like Anne Of Green Gables or other positive movie that kids like. Heck I even went to the public library and borrowed activity videos like learning to draw for them. But the key here is make it Positive.
That’s why I love Imagination Day so much. With the Positive Imperative our conversation is focussed on Accentuate the Positive. When you do that the law of displacement kicks in and you don’t have to worry about what’s neutral or negative. Also in this case you take away the battle ensued by “taking tv away” from your kids, thus making them feel policed and hard done by and thus resenting what ever else you put on the table for them to do. Imagination Day says if Positive TV fits (which is will be based on it’s theme) then great but more importantly let’s get the kids inspired and using their imagination in an andragogical fashion as opposed to leaving them in front of what Bruce Springsteen said… 57 Channels and Nothing On, or worse 57 Channels coving everything from War and Ultimate Wrestling. Now that you’ve thought about TV watching for kids being Positive Neutral and Negative, think about the music they listen to …. or for that matter the music you listen to, and the music you listen to together in the car or at home!
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Christmas around the corner, add a set of Christmas for their own equipment, in the Christmas Eve night out carnival, in 2009, the last few days of the time, crazy look, ed hardy is Christmas promotions, so many beautiful clothes, you can certainly To find a suitable for you, quick action bar!