"Skip the Screen Week" is April 30 – May 6. Along with TV, parents contend with computers and video games. "Skip the Screen Week" includes ALL "screen" activities.

Although technology plays a critical role in our society today, too much screen time can have detrimental affects on growing, young minds. Most research has been conducted on the affects of TV. Until more studies are available regarding the affects that this growing technology has on children, consider these TV facts:

1. TV undermines family life. The average American watches 4 hours of TV per day. Forty percent of Americans watch TV during dinner. Parents spend 38.5 minutes per week in meaningful conversation with their children. When asked, 54% of children would rather watch TV then spend time with their families. Encourage time together as a family.
2. TV hampers education. Each year, the average American youth spends 900 hours in school and 1,023 hours watching TV. Children ages 2-17 spend an average of 19 hours and 40 minutes watching TV and an average of 4.7 hours reading.
3. TV promotes obesity and discourages children from participating in physical activity. Sixty minutes of moderate physical activity is recommended daily for children. Fourteen percent of children report no physical activity. Since 1962, the number of children who are seriously overweight has tripled. Seventy percent of overweight adolescents will become overweight or obese adults. Encourage your child to play outside with his/her friends. Go for a walk or play some ball with your child.
4. TV promotes violence. By age 18, the average American child has seen 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV. After seeing violence on TV, ninety-one percent of children report felling scared or upset. Other studies show that for every hour of TV watched daily, the risk of bullying others increases by 9%; so kids who watch 3.5 hours of TV are 30% more likely to bully others than kids who don't watch TV.

We encourage all MDS families to participate this year. Get the "Skip the Screen" contract by clicking here. Your child will also receive a bookmark. Enjoy and have a great week.