So - what was your reaction to that title?  Did your stomach turn a small flop - thinking of all those favorite shows you would miss?  Or did you have a small moment of “wouldn’t that be nice”?

Today marks one month without TV for our family.

Well - let me qualify that that a bit.  One month without commercial television.  We’ve watched a couple of rented DVD’s due to the rainy weather we’ve been having here in W. MI, and we turned on the news after hearing the local civil defense sirens going off.  Turns out there was a tornado warning in effect, so TV proved the best way to get the update on that situation.

Otherwise - our small gray box has remained in the corner with a dark screen. 

Now I’ll grant you - the first week of that month without was our vacation where we went tent camping in a local state park.  But that vacation was the impetus for the longer break - after getting back from that relaxing week neither my wife or I wanted to be the first to break the quiet and peace by switching the TV on.

So what fills primetime lately at the Boyink house?  Reading, mostly.  Both my kids are bookworms anyway - so as long as we make regular library visits to ensure they have a few on hand they’re OK with that.  They have asked now and then to watch the odd episode of Cyberchase, but we’ve been turning them down as they’ve seen most of the episodes already anyway.

Once the kids are in bed my wife and I have been listening to books on tape - a great “TV-alternative” for those of us who spend most of the day at the computer monitor. 

I also start guitar lessons this week, so will fit some practice time into the after-supper hours.

And the effects of not watching TV?  For me, I can say is that there is a sense of peace and quiet to the days now that didn’t exist before.  I feel less “intruded upon” by advertising - between no TV and not listening to commercial radio I don’t have to endure people shouting at me to buy stuff.  This is more important for me as we head into the holiday season - as I get older it’s harder for me to tune out all the commercial noise of the season and remain focused on the things of real importance.

And for the rest of the family?  I played interviewer and asked each of them some questions around TV.  Here are their responses:

Daughter, 8 years old
Q: What do you think about going without TV for a month?
A. Not very good.

Q. What have you been doing instead of watching TV?
A. Reading.

Q. What do you not like about TV?
A. Nothing.

Q. What do you miss about TV?
A. The animations.

Q. If we let you watch TV all you wanted, how much would you watch?
A. Alot.

Q. What would you watch?
A. Cyberchase - because there is math and you learn.  Mia and Miguel.

(Daughter then crosses the room to hug the TV...obviously we still have issues to resolve here....)

Son, 9 years old
Q. What do you think about watching less TV?
A. You don’t get alot of junk in your head by watching bad movies.

Q. What have you been doing instead of watching TV?
A. More activity time - I think I’m more active without watching TV.

Q. Are there any disadvantages to not watching TV?
A. The down part is you don’t know the weather without going on the computer, and they don’t update that as often as on TV.

Q. If we let you watch TV all you wanted, how much would you watch?
A. Cyberchase once a week, maybe Mia and Miguel but other than that not much.

MsBoyink
Q. Do you miss TV?
A. Once in a great while, especially when I don’t have a book or story on tape to listen to.  But I did look at the TV Guide the other day and didn’t really see anything I had to watch anyway.  I don’t miss commercials.

Q. Can you sense anything different about our days w/o TV?
A. Daytimes - not much effect.  In the evenings, we’re more purposeful about our activities.  We started the read-aloud of Pollyanna.  We’re not as dictated by the clock - no rushing to get something done so we’re free to watch a TV show.  It’s annoying to be kept to a schedule by the TV.  I still want to do a weekly family movie night with popcorn, etc—but I don’t miss commercial TV at all.  I don’t want to get wrapped up in the next “So You Think You Can Dance”. But it might be easier for us - we’re not in the workplace where there are discussions of TV shows.

It has affected - it’s hard to even put a DVD in.  We’re reading Pollyanna - it would have been a whole lot easier to watch the Disney movie version instead.  Or read the book after watching it - but I wanted the kids to come up with what Pollyanna looks like on their own, before seeing the movie.

So - reviews are mixed.  But overall MsBoyink and I are happy with the decision, and are continuing to keep the screen dark - and finding out what can fill that time instead.

What say you - what role does TV play in your house?  Have you ever given it up for a length of time?  Would you consider it?