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By Mom Unplugged, April 30, 2008 6:45 am

So it is time for me to report on MY Turnoff Week, I say “my,” not “our” because my kids didn’t know that anything different was going on. Without TV, they are used to just “doing their thing.” I do allow videos on occasion, but they rarely ever ask for them and never asked this week, so I didn’t have to say no.

In my household, this week was all about me: ME, ME, ME, ME!! I am the one with the screen addiction. I am the one who last year, was rather shocked to discover how difficult it was for me to not just “quickly check my email” twenty five times per day (what am I expecting to find in my email anyhow? No…I do not want any Vi@gr@ thank you!).

I then figured out that avoiding the computer was all just a state of mind. Mindfulness about my daily life. Instead of having half my brain on the computer, simply accepting that it was off and would stay off seemed as though it would work. And my goodness, did it ever work for me!

Perhaps the timing was simply fortuitous and I was just badly in need of a blog break this year, or maybe I really did learn a lesson last year. Whatever the reason, my computer was off most of the week and I LOVED it! In fact, I am finding it difficult to get back into blogging. My emails have piled up and many need to be answered. (Sorry world!)

I did feel great email guilt during the week (and now) because I do not want to appear rude, but answering email takes time. Time that I spent last week weeding out my house for the school garage sale, reading with my kids, and working outside. I accomplished a lot.

To read how it went for others, please check out the links here.

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By Mom Unplugged, April 28, 2008 3:20 am

I sit here at 2:53 AM on April 28th. Turnoff Week ended here in Arizona exactly 2 hours and 53 minutes ago. Insomnia combined with an urgent need for a cup of tea means that I am getting the new Mr. Linky up in a very timely manner!

If you joined in with the 2nd Annual TV-Turnoff Week Blog Challenge, this is where you get to link to your final post. On Tuesday, May 6th I will announce two completely random winners from everyone who finished the challenge and linked to their final post here. Someone will win a complete set of The Adventures of Billy Brown audio plays, and another randomly lucky participant will receive a $10 Amazon gift certificate.

So…how did it go? Come on, ‘fess up! Tell us all about it. If it didn’t go as well as you had hoped, PLEASE don’t beat yourself up over it, but learn from your experience. What would you do differently next time? What worked? What didn’t? If it went better than expected, then we want to hear all about that too. What worked? What didn’t?

So…are you going to rush off and subscribe to 700 additional channels… or are you going to toss your TV and computer permanently out the window…or something in between?

(Please leave a comment too so we can all still find you if Mr. Linky goes AWOL.)

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By Mom Unplugged, April 24, 2008 7:46 pm

Congratulations, you are over half way there! At noon today, Turnoff Week (and the 2nd Annual TV Turnoff Week Blog Challenge) was half-completed.

So how is it? Easier than you thought? Harder than you thought? Have you met your goals? Readjusted your goals? Given up your goals? Don’t worry if it is harder than you thought, and rejoice if it is easier!

For me, so far I have to say it has been much easier than I expected. My big “screen issue” is the computer, and honestly, I think I was in need of a bit of a blog break. I have had a pretty happy and productive week so far, however my rapidly growing collection of unanswered emails is gnawing insidiously at the edges of my thoughts…

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A few links to help you if you need them-

Unplugging Kids

The “Mommy I’m Bored” Box

Practical TV-Free Ideas

Craft/Activity Ideas: Unplugged Projects

Unplugging You

Unplugging Yourself

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By Mom Unplugged, April 20, 2008 8:37 am

It’s not too late to join us for the 2nd Annual TV-Turnoff Week Blog Challenge! Turnoff Week (as it is now called, since we have more to turn off these days than just our TVs) begins tomorrow, April 21st.

Turn it off on your own, or if you need a little motivation and group support to try it, sign up for the Blog Challenge. I am giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to a random participant and now there is even another reward: Jens Hewerer, creator of the Billy Brown series of children’s radio plays, has very generously offered to send a complete CD set of Billy’s adventures to a random participant who completes the challenge!

So if you are “on the fence” and the thought of the potential family/environmental benefits of a TV-free week is not enough to persuade you, perhaps the chance of winning one of two prizes will nudge you over the brink.

Read “the rules” and sign up here.

Comments (4)

By Mom Unplugged, April 19, 2008 9:19 am

Wow! Thursday was my biggest day ever thanks to all the people searching for information about TV-Turnoff Week. I actually had to upgrade my account in order to avoid exceeding my bandwidth! I only went from “Baby” to “Hatchling” … so I am really not THAT big time, but it was certainly a huge surprise for me.

Today I had planned a post with some alternative ideas to TV, so with this kind of an audience, I guess I had better come up with a few!

Since we are TV-free all the time, I can tell you what my kids like to do:

• Read
• Do art projects
• Play outside
• Play imaginary games with each other, or by themselves
• Build with Legos, Knex, or blocks (especially my son) and then create imaginary games
• Dress-up (also leads to imaginary games)
• Play board games either with each other or with me
• Do puzzles
• Write stories (my 2nd grade daughter)
• Play with the cats and dogs

Here are some suggestions and elaborations that might inspire you and your children. If anyone has any other ideas, then please comment!

• We are fortunate to have a great backyard and a swingset…plus a big forested area next door. If you are less well-endowed in the yard department or live in an apartment, then there is always a visit to the park, or playing at a friend’s house, or having a friend over.

• Be tourists for a day. How about a trip to local attractions such as zoos, aquariums, parks, or playgrounds that you might not have been to yet. Think about tourist attractions that you and your children might enjoy. I don’t know about you, but when I live someplace, I tend not to visit all the attractions for which that location is famous!

• Art Projects: you can always search the old Unplugged Projects (the category is: “Unplugged Project” of course!)

• Bring out some board games and have a family game night. My advice for preserving your sanity: try to pick a game that your children like, but that is not deadly boring for the adult participants. (ie. stay away from Candyland - that one sends me into an immediate coma)

• Turn on some music and dance (again: pick something you like too or you’ll go crazy!)

• Try a Kids Cook Night. Pick a recipe that your kids might not ordinarily like. I find that if my kids do the the cooking themselves (with supervision of course), they are more likely to enjoy the meal.

• Listen to a radio play for kids. Jens Hewer, creator of the Adventures of Billy Brown, recently contacted me about his wonderful series of radio plays. These are more than just books on tape. They are fully produced children’s radio plays, a format that has apparently been popular in Germany since the 1970′s. My review is coming soon, but in the meantime, you can download one of Billy’s adventures for free at his website, Giddio. There are also free Billy Brown pages to color. Perfect for Turnoff week and great imaginary fun for kids!

• Volunteer with your kids (especially if they are older). Habitat for Humanity, your local animal shelter, nursing home, or soup kitchen would probably love to have you help out for a day…plus you’d give your children a bit of perspective and teach them the good feeling that comes from helping others.

• Wash the dog, or teach him tricks.

• Take a walk around your neighborhood, or be adventurous and go on a real “nature hike!” Check out these sites for more outdoors/nature-related ideas: Backyard Nature, Green Hour

• Teach your kids to knit, crochet, embroider, or french knit…or learn one of these skills together.

• Visit these sites for more TV-free ideas: Bubblegum Books, Center for Screen-Time Awareness, Instead of TV

• When all else fails…bring out the Mommy I’m Bored Box.