Getting away from the idiot box is hard enough

What happens when the task is to get your child to tear their eyes away from the TV? Tears! Tantrums! Tiring sermons! TV has been linked to obesity and eye strain. Not to mention it distorts a viewer’s sense of reality. Get your child away from TV may sound like a herculean task. But it isn’t. Not if you follow a few simple steps.

Try these simple methods to Get your child away from TV

• Family Game Night

Family game night does not mean vegging out in front of the TV watching highlights of an old cricket game. It means time to pull out the old Scrabble or Monopoly game or encourage your child to think about some new school project ideas or go total old-school with carrom. “Rani toh Pappani!”

• Camping

Who wants TV when you can watch stars? No matter if you are not in the woods. Set up your tent in your backyard and tell spooky stories around a campfire and encourage him to think about some interesting  school projects ideas through nature. It doesn’t have to be a huge tent even, just a barbecue sort of fire would do well enough!

• Get Out

When the weather is warm and the sun sets later in the day, get out of the house. It’s okay if you don’t go far. Just the park around the corner will do. Play Frisbee with your kids and dog. Go for a walk or a long drive. An evening in the pool is also a great way to spend the evening.

• TV reduction plan

There’s no point in putting a blanket ban on TV. It will lead to rebellion doing more harm than good. Sit with your kid and plan TV viewing time slots. Let them choose the shows they really like and allow them to watch only those. Ask them what they’d like to do during their free time. Encourage them to think new school project ideas that they can create.

• Take TVs out of bedrooms

Just because a TV is affordable and keeps the kids out of your hair does not mean that you install a TV in every room. Having TVs in bedrooms is unacceptable. Bedrooms are for peace and quiet. Keep the TV in the living room which is easy for you to monitor. It helps when there’s only one TV and monitoring what your kids watch is easier.

 

• Provide alternatives

What is the point of only watching someone do science experiments on TV?  School project ideas should be taken from these shows and implemented. Erupting volcanoes and 3D models look so cool on TV. Imagine how much cooler it would be to implement these school project ideas. Kids should read book aimed at their ages, find out new science project ideas to try out. They can even use project kits to experiment with new school project ideas.

• Kindle the sporting spirit

Keep a good supply of balls, shuttlecocks, bats, rackets, and games handy. Be active together. Don’t sit on the sidelines like a slob. Play with your kids. The benefits will show on your physique as well.

 

• Go on outings together

Plan study trips. Check out your nearest museums, aquariums, zoos and science centres. Study trips needn’t be only through the school. For example my college tech fest had an ISRO exhibition that many school children came to see. This will inspire them and give them new school project ideas. They may even end up making friends, even those older than them. Believe me or not I am currently mentoring three kids who visited the tech fest and made me their friend and is a better way to get your child away from TV.

Do a variety of things that encourage the kids to explore their world through all five senses. Let them see, touch and hear everything for themselves. Not before long, you will realize that your kids are free of the addiction!