TV Turn Off • Back to the Main Page Dear Parents Are you ready to challenge your kids to turn off the TV and computer for an entire week? • Here are some tips for parents to help you break free of the TV! • Download or print the Promise Form or Log Sheet • 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR SOFA ... from Couch Potato to Active Spud The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is issuing an exciting challenge to get families away from the screens and get living healthy. The "TV Turn-Off Week" Challenge can take place during whichever week you choose. The challenge requests that children and their families turn off their television, video games, and Internet for an entire week. During your leisure time, we encourage you and your children to engage in physical activities and educational pursuits instead. In addition we are also encouraging families to make healthier food choices. Food Guide and Physical Activity Guide… The World Health Organization recently reported that changing lifestyles with fewer family meals eaten together and more children watching television or playing on computers rather than being outside is part of the reason why obesity and chronic disease rates have risen sharply around the globe. Please help your child succeed in this effort by providing positive alternatives to the television. Family members can take on the challenge by completing the "TV Turn Off Week" promise form and log sheet. Examples of screen free ideas would include physically active sports, games and activities, board game nights and reading. These fun home activities will help motivate your children. To the top Here are some tips for parents to help you break free of the TV! Move the television set to a less visible, hard to reach location, Cover your TV with a poster. Hide the remote control. Remove the TV set from your child's bedroom. A television in the bedroom draws their attention away from family activities, and distracts them from homework, reading, thinking and sleeping. Keep the TV off during dinner. Meals are a great time for family conversation. Place clear limits on television viewing. Allow 30 minutes each day or 1 hour every other day. Try being positive, instead of saying "you can't watch TV" say, "Let's turn off the TV so we can…" Involve children in household activities and meal preparation. Make it fun! Have a make your own pizza night. Designate certain days of the week as "TV FREE DAYS". Cancel your cable subscription and use this money to pay for fun family activities. Avoid using the TV as a reward or a punishment. This gives the TV more power. Don't worry if your children complain that they are bored. Boredom often leads to creativity and physically active play. Replace your TV watching with something more active. Look for family activities in your community. If you don't feel like going out, put on some music and dance. Be a positive role model by being physically active and cutting down on screen time yourself. A solid one-week recess from television will allow families more time to exercise, play, talk, read, volunteer, create and participate in their community. It's all about having fun. What do you do if you don't watch TV? The REAL answer is EVERYTHING! Be creative and have tons of screen free family fun! To the top