STEVE SMITH -- What’s Up?

o7 “The most important thing we’ve learned, so far as children are

concerned, is never, NEVER, NEVER let them near your television set -- or

better still, just don’t install the idiotic thing at all.”f7

-- From “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl

A wise man once said, “There’s nothing wrong with beating a dead horse.

It’s good exercise and the horse certainly doesn’t mind.”

With that in mind, and with apologies to my colleague Joe Bell, it’s time

to talk about television. Specifically, television, kids, and the

upcoming “National TV Turnoff Week,” April 24-30.

Julie King is a fifth-grade teacher at Adams Elementary School in Costa

Mesa. King, also a fixture on the local soccer fields and softball

diamonds, has a unique notion about television -- she believes it is a

distraction to the developing mind.

Awhile back, King developed a contract with her students. And although

the payoff for the kids was one of those intangibles that kids hate, sort

of like telling them to eat their vegetables because “they’ll help you

grow big and strong,” a little more than half the class is participating.

“The contract, which parents must sign,” said King, “reads that the child

will not watch any television from Monday night through Thursday night.”

That’s about it. King introduces the concept to families on the school’s

Back-to-School Night.

The participating students are then sent home each week with a log that

indicates whether they have watched any television. If the group has not,

they get a party once a month. At first, King was worried that the party

would not be enough of an incentive, but after a short time, the benefits

of not watching television became their own reward.

“I have testimonials from kids who wrote to tell me how much better it is

without TV,” said King.

Of that, I have no doubt. Our two kids have not watched TV in more than a

year and no longer ask for permission. It seems that between reading,

playing outside and homework, there’s too much to do. It’s better around

here.

King reports the same at her house. Because she wants to walk the walk,

her family has adhered to the school contract at home.

“My kids rarely watch TV anymore, even on weekends,” said King. “In

almost every house we’ve been, we’ve watched them gaping at the screen.

They loll and slop and lounge about, and stare until their eyes pop out.”

Still, others don’t seem to be convinced. When I mentioned my desire to

have the school district embrace TV Turnoff Week, one school board

member’s reaction was, well, I’ll just say I was hoping for more

enthusiasm.

Board member Wendy Leece, who recognizes the value of having kids watch

less TV, is considering the best path to take. But at this point, it’s

probably too late for any concerted board effort to take place. So, it’s

up to you.

If you do nothing, here is what is in store for your child:

* Your 1-year-old will watch six hours per week, even though the American

Pediatric Assn. recommends not a single minute for your child before age

2.

* Your child from age 2 to 11 will watch 20 hours per week, versus only

38. Five minutes spent “in meaningful conversation” with a parent.

* Your child from ages 2 to 7 will watch TV alone and unsupervised 81% of

the time.

* Your child may be one of the 54% of kids who prefer TV to spending time

with their dads.

* You will be one of the 92% of the parents of children who do not

require their kids to finish their homework before watching television.

* And by the time your child is a teenager, it is very likely that he

will know the city designated by zip code 90210, but will not be able to

tell you the city in which the Constitution was signed.

The goal of turning off the TV, at least during the week as King has

done, should be at least as important a program for reading in our school

district as DARE is for keeping kids off drugs.

Improving reading scores by turning off the television works. King will

tell you so not only from her own experience, but she has testimonials

from students and parents to back it up.

o7 “So please, oh please, we beg, we pray

Go throw your TV set away

And in its place you can install

A lovely bookshelf on the wall.”

f7 Do something good for your kids, your family and your home. Turn off

the TV, if only for one week, April 24-30.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer. He can be

reached via e-mail at o7 dailypilot@latimes.comf7 , or call our Readers

Hotline at (949) 642-6086.