Monday I told my wife that we would not turn the television on for at least 24 hours. I couldn’t believe how much I did that night, and I noticed that I didn’t snack as much too. We don’t even have cable, but somehow we rack up the hours watching stupid shows. I think it is because by the end of the day we are both exhausted and the couch is our temporary vacation.
Don’t get a wrong picture, my wife is not a couch potato. Even at five months pregnant, her height/weight ratio is still considered average. When she is not pregnant, she usually weighs in at most, 115 lbs. I on the other hand, could stand to lose about 40 lbs.
TV is a distraction. While not all of it is terrible, I think Americans have come to accept it as a normal part of everyday life. We have stacks of board games and puzzles that rarely get usage, and we have the great outdoors right outside our house. I wonder how much time I have wasted this year sitting in front of the tube watching some stupid sitcom or reality show. I would be ashamed to find out.
I am most to blame for this. My wife had wise parents who chose not to join in and never bought a TV. The only negative to that, is that she doesn’t understand much of the 80s and 90s pop culture gained from being a couch potato. When out with friends, and we mention a certain cartoon or character, she is left completely clueless. Of course, when she wants, she can turn the table, and mention some obscure author or artist leaving the rest of us reaching for our dictionaries (well, we don’t have any in reality).
I have been contemplating throwing out the damned thing. My daughter is starting to recognize commercials, and she is not even two years old!
So on Monday we had a night without TV. It was a great experience that I hope soon to repeat.
Arrogant New Englander 
March 12, 2008 at 1:42 pm |
This is a good thing. the less TV you (and your kids) watch the better….our kids get maybe a 1/2 before school, and the occasional Padre/Charger game. The results are that our kids read more than I did.
The other thing that we filter are the commercials. if an ad comes on, we have a second program that we can flip to to avoid the ad. it sounds extreme, but these days you never know what an impressionable mind is going to snatch up.
The one side effect I have found with minimal TV is that once they get watching a program, you have to turn the thing off to get their attention.
Now if I could only get off of this damn computer maybe I’d get something done myself.
March 12, 2008 at 2:55 pm |
That is the ironic thing, we are lambasting TV, but yet a lot of spend way too much time on the internet.
We don’t have the internet right now (I do all my surfing at work), but this is not because we have a problem with it, we just can’t afford the bill right now.
I miss San Diego, bro. You are very lucky to live out there. We lived in Orange County for a few months, but came back to Jersey. I think I might give SD County a try next time around.
March 17, 2008 at 5:31 pm |
We’re doing it again tonight, right? Just so you don’t take away Supernanny on Wednesdays =) lol… seriously, once the weather gets warm enough for our evening walks again, we won’t miss it at all.
I know what Eric means about the minimal TV/getting someone’s attention bit… my whole family has a hard time focusing on anything OTHER than the TV when it IS on. After growing up without it, it’s hard to put it in the background.
March 17, 2008 at 6:31 pm |
Yeah, no TV again for tonight. Too busy anyway, what with the MCSE exams, guitar practice, and more importantly, our daughter.