TheLionRampant.net

Perhaps we’ll start a feature on Media and Society and why TV fries your brain (a la Neil Postman), perhaps not. But I thought I’d post some interesting statistics on TV-free families.

Here’s a little teaser on what I learned about the TV Free Families who responded:

–They have about an hour of meaningful conversation per day with their children (national average: 38 minutes per week).
–They come from 43 states, all walks of life, income brackets, levels of education, races, etc. Most are in their 30s, married with 2 children, have college degrees, earn $60,000-$80,000 per year (range: less than $20,000 to $130,000 up), two thirds have religious affiliations and 41% send their kids to public schools (private and home school equally divided the rest).
–92% of parents say their children “never or rarely” complain about the lack of TV or pressure them to buy brand names and popular toys.
–As to their children’s heroes, most votes went for Mom and Dad. Others include teachers, Harry Potter, Jesus, Martin Luther King, Grandparents, and Michael Jordan.
–80% feel their marriages are stronger due to no TV – more cuddle time (see essay)!
–They are readers (adults and children). Get the majority of their news from NPR, newspapers, and a few national magazines.
–They (kids and adults) rarely feel they’re missing out – totally on the gain side.
–More than half of their children get all A’s in school.
–The computer does not take over the role of TV in most homes. Though 98% own a computer, only 1-3 hours of recreational use per week was reported by adults. (When asked if their children use the computer more or less than kids who watch TV, nearly half felt their children use it less due to the passive nature of the activity.)
Children entertain themselves and play for long hours with fewer sibling fights. 70% of parents felt their children got along better with no TV.
–One family with an ADD child reported removing TV from the home (under their pediatrician’s advice) – the child blossomed and took tremendous strides in development.
–As for why they’re TV-free, one man’s comments reflected much of what the survey showed: “We have not watched TV for more than 16 years, not out of a statement against society or any overt religious injunction, but a simple desire to have TIME for a more meaningful marriage and family in the face of a busy life.”

Information found here

So, what do you think about being TV-free? Is it snobbish, a good decision or a way to lose touch with one’s culture?

This entry was posted by Ashley on Thursday, May 26th, 2005 at 5:38 pm. This entry was tagged with Culture, Living the Gospel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.