So, in April my wife and I put away our TV. We just put it in our closet.... our goal was to not watch TV for the entire month of April. Once April was finished, we really had no desire to get it back out.... it wasn't a 'count-down-the-days' situation. Well, it wasn't until sometime in June it came back out and that was just to watch a DVD we own. Now, it resides in our spare bedroom on a dresser... hooked up... but used less than an hour per week (on average).

Isabella doesn't watch TV at home. She has seen some baby videos at her Grandma and Grandpa's, which I really don't think is bad. TV in moderation is perfectly fine.... but what is moderation?

It seems a lot of parents set their kids in front of a TV to get a break. There is no doubt that parenting can be a stressful, but did you ever think TV could be hindering their development? You could almost as easily set them down with a coloring book and some crayons (depending on their age) and they would probably be just as interested (especially if they aren't already addicted to the tube).

Also, Amy and I would much rather be playing with her anyway. It just seems there are so many more options than TV. Going on a walk, to the park, to the beach, to the pool, over to family or friends... outside grilling... playing music, listening to music.... and on and on and on.

I used to love watching TV, hell, I admit I still enjoy it, but when I really think about it though I believe we can all be more constructive and creative and do more exciting and interesting things in our lives in the time that we normally watch TV. This isn't to say that there aren't ever times to relax. We all need a break sometimes.... and if your kid is screaming and you know the ONLY thing that is going to help calm them is TV, then of course it's alright.... it's alright even if it's not just to calm them, but to have them watch something now and then. My point is that the amount that kids today watch per week is astounding!

And to be honest, a lot of television out there is shit anyways. When I did watch TV there was a lot I watched that I didn't even really like.

So, to get to the point I came across this article today on Digg.com, read here. and I thought it was really interesting. It outlines how TV watching for children age two and under can really delay developmental skills. It also outlines the statistics on how much television in hours per week that children watch.... and it's a pretty frightening statistic.

I suggest you try putting away your TV for a month.... see what happens. Maybe you won't want to get it back out and if you do want to get it back out.... it better only be to watch 'The Office'. Now that show.... it kicks ass and you better believe I'll be watching it.