Turn off the TV, turn on creativity
Sunday's episode of the X-Files was about a little boy whose creative imagination got him into trouble.
X-File viewers won't find the plot odd, but the boy could cause dreadful things to happen to people he didn't like just by imagining them.
I didn't see the whole episode, but I caught the last scene, which showed the boy seated in a recliner in the middle of a large, dark room facing an entire wall of television screens, each airing their own broadcasts.
It was a logical way to prevent more ill from befalling other unsuspecting victims: simply stifle the boy's imagination with TV. Brilliant.
It's ironic a TV show would make the point that TV stifles imagination, but the point arrives just in time for National TV-Turnoff Week, which starts Monday, April 22.
If Jonathan misbehaves, our first choice of punishment is grounding him from TV, which he views in limited quantities as it is.
While it's an unpleasant for him to miss a few Cartoon Network shows, wonderful things happen in our house when the TV is off. Books open up, Crayola markers and crayons find their way to blank sheets of paper, and talks of kindergarten capers unfold.
Next week, local elementary students will join thousands of schools, libraries and community groups nationwide in a coordinated effort to encourage millions of families to turn off their TV sets for seven days.
TV-Turnoff Week focuses not only on the general poor quality of TV programmin, but on the excessiv quantity most Americans watch - an average of four hours a day according to Nielson Media Research. All that time adds up to lost opportunities for reading, conversing, participating, thinking and creating.
On Friday, students will come home from school with yellow tally cards to record the total number of minutes watched. There will be special prizes awarded for students who watch no TV or less then 60 minutes during TV-Turnoff Week. They're also asked to refrain from videos, movies, computer games, Game Boys, Nintendo or similar media for the week.
To help fill the "four-hour" per day void, school volunteers Carol Morgan and Barb Golla have contacted various businesses and organizations to participate in TV-Turnoff Week. Special events will be offered to families either free or at reduced rates.
Their List here.
Just looking at the community calendar in the Star Herald, I see plenty of additional opportunities:
Family Reading Night is from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the elementary school
The elementary school Spring Fever Dance will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 26.
The Green Earth Players musical production of "Oliver!" is at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 25 and 26, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28, in the High School Theater.
If you're not event-oriented, the Blue Mounds State Park is a great place to hang out - whether you make a camping trip out of it, or just take a walk along the cliffline or water front.
Regardless of how you spend your TV time, make sure it's quality time, because when and if the TV comes back on, those creative opportunities will again be gone.
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