Online Voting Ends July 10

 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has committed to awarding “$500 million in grants to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015″.

To get a better idea about what programs should be supported they looked at the research on the causes of obesity. From this they picked “20 recently published articles ” that looked promising.

Now the Foundation is asking the public to vote.

“This summer, we want to know what you think. Below are 20 articles that we believe had a major policy impact, affected our work and thinking, or warranted our attention, due to our effort to advance the research and knowledge base for childhood obesity prevention. Please choose up to five (5) articles you think best meet those criteria. We will publish the voting results in mid-July. Voting ends July 10, so vote now.”

My 5 picks are (note articles are listed in random order):

 

“A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Reducing Television Viewing and Computer Use on Body Mass Index in Young Children”

 

“Fast-Food Restaurant Advertising on Television and its Influence on Childhood Obesity”

 

“Child Care as an Untapped Setting for Obesity Prevention: State Child Care Licensing Regulations Related to Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Media Use for Preschool-Aged Children in the United States”

 

“The Context for Choice: Health Implications of Targeted Food and Beverage Marketing to African Americans”

 

“Is Support for Traditionally Designed Communities Growing? Evidence from Two National Surveys”

 

I hope everyone takes a few minutes to vote, especially for the article “A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Reducing Television Viewing and Computer Use on Body Mass Index in Young Children”

 

Excerps from “The Serious Need for Play”

Last Day of School

Originally uploaded by K Chu

 

 

 

 

 Excerpts from an article published in Scientific American Mind (February 2009) called “The Serious Need for Play“.

Note, these are just excerpts, please click on the link to read the full, very fascinating, article.

 

The Serious Need for Play

Free, imaginative play is crucial for normal social, emotional and cognitive development. It makes us better adjusted, smarter and less stressed.

By Melinda Wenner   

 

Key Concepts

- Childhood play is crucial for social, emotional and cognitive ­development.

- Imaginative and rambunctious “free play,” as opposed to games or structured activities, is the most essential type.

- Kids and animals that do not play when they are young may grow into anxious, socially maladjusted adults.

 

Free Play

“Free play,” as scientists call it, is critical for becoming socially adept, coping with stress and building cognitive skills such as problem solving. Research into animal behavior confirms play’s benefits and establishes its evolutionary importance: ultimately, play may provide animals (including humans) with skills that will help them survive and reproduce.

Most psychologists agree that play affords benefits that last through adulthood, but they do not always agree on the extent to which a lack of play harms kids—particularly because, in the past, few children grew up without ample frolicking time. But today free play may be losing its standing as a staple of youth. According to a paper published in 2005 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, children’s free-play time dropped by a quarter between 1981 and 1997. Concerned about getting their kids into the right colleges, parents are sacrificing playtime for more structured activities. As early as preschool, youngsters’ after-school hours are now being filled with music lessons and sports—reducing time for the type of imaginative and rambunctious cavorting that fosters creativity and cooperation.

This creative aspect is key because it challenges the developing brain more than following predetermined rules does. In free play, kids use their imagination and try out new activities and roles.

 

The Stranger

 

A friend of ours forwarded me an interesting email that has been travelling around the internet. Thanks Keith !

 

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

Maker Faire 2009

 

Soooo, you’ve decided to give up TV (or at least cut back substantially), now what to do with all your extra free time?

For those who like to make things, Maker-Faire has a ton of ideas and inspiration.

http://www.makerfaire.com/

My hubby and I, went to the May 2009 San Mateo Maker Faire, and had a very interesting (and fun) time.

Here are some photos:

 

Mouse-trap powered thing

Homemade speaker and radio

Bike Cart

Solar Bike Cart

Cupcakes on the move

 

50 Ways To Leave Your TV

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”

Originally uploaded by Jiya101

 

 Kelsey B has very kindly agreed to let me
post his excellent song, sung to the tune of
“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon.

 

50 Ways To Leave Your TV

The problem is all inside your head
She said to me
The answer is easy if you
Take it logically
I’d like to help you in your struggle
To be free
There must be fifty ways
To leave your TV
She said it’s really not my habit
To intrude
Furthermore, I hope you’ll learn
There’s nothing worthy on the tube
But I’ll repeat myself
At the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways
To leave your TV
Fifty ways to leave your TV

CHORUS:
You just hop on your bike, Mike
Pull out the plug, Bub
Time to get ready Betty
To do something else
Go to the park, Mark
You don’t need to discuss much
Just turn off the switch, Mitch
And get yourself free

 

Television Rule # 2

TV Rule # 2

 

Cussing vs violence

Here is a letter-to-the-editor that I quite liked.
San Francisco Chronicle, May 7th, 2009

Cussing vs. violence

Are we @#$%*! kidding? The Supreme Court rules that the government can threaten broadcasters with fines over a single swear word on TV? I rarely watch TV, and on the occasion I’ve turned it on, I am appalled and offended by the content. It seems every show has someone with a gun or knife or is being terrorized, threatened, beat up or shot. This is entertainment? Not to mention the video games that offer, in a recent review, “brutal, up-close and personal contact.” Now little Bobby can spend a couple of hours in his room tallying up how many guys he killed.

What’s going on here? I’d rather hear someone swear than to subject myself to all the violent garbage put out by the entertainment industry.

MARY JO THORESEN

Berkeley

Post Turn-off Week – May 2009

Playing hopscotch on the beach

Originally uploaded by annulla

Every year when Turn-off Week rolls around, my tvSmarter.com pageviews go way up. This year especially, the pageviews were double and even triple what they normally are. And since most of my pageviews are the result of internet searches, I think this is evidence that Turn-off Week does indeed succeed at increasing awareness of the harmful effects of too much TV (and other screentime).

Congratulation to Screentime and all the participants for another great Turn-off Week !

Congratulation also to Sarah of Unplug-Your Kids for her excellent Turn-off Week Blog Challenge.

Sarah recaps here (with quotes and links to plenty of very entertaining stories):

http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/04/27/so-how-did-it-go/

http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/05/06/and-the-winner-is-3/

http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/05/06/another-non-bloggers-story-jeanna-from-new-zealand/

http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/05/03/baking-soda-boats/

http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2009/05/02/a-non-blogger-report/

Regarding Sarah’s turn-off week, she made this encouraging observation:

ENCOURAGING NOTE:  One thing I have observed with my children which might be encouraging to other parents, is that once they get over the first hump of reading fluency, they seem to have much less interest in videos and spend a great deal of their non-play time reading.

This was certainly true with my 8 year-old daughter when she became comfortable with independent reading, but she was never a huge video watcher to begin with.

It was far more remarkable with my 6 year-old son.  He was always the one who would have been Mr. TV had I allowed it.  In the past few months he has suddenly taken off with his reading and is rarely found without a chapter book in his hand.  He honestly seems to have forgotten that the TV ever existed.  My husband and I are absolutely astonished!

 

8 ways to ditch the remote, part I

 

 

It’s easy to say “turn off the TV for a week”, but quite a bit harder to actually do so.

 

A huge Thank You! to Chris Martell who has crafted this inspirational list of 8 ways to ditch the remote.  And his excellent No-TV graphic!

 

 

8 ways to ditch the remote, part I.  by Chris Martell

 

Turn-Off Week 2009

Does TV Help Cause Alzheimer’s ?

 

Big thanks to Chris for emailing me this link:

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7896441.stm

 

 

that study along with this one:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1204894.stm

 

both found a link between excessive TV watching and Alzheimer’s. But does TV watching directly contribute to Alzheimer’s, or is the association more complicated?

 

This is an important question, as Chris pointed out in his email:

 

“One other important aspect that this article did not touch on was the immense social economic cost to providing care to the segment of our society that deals with geriatric health care in regards to dementia.”

 

 

How TV Effects Brainwaves

 

Here’s an excerpt from my new brainwave page.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions for improvements, etc…

 

Also, this is just an excerpt, for more complete information please go to:

 

http://www.tvsmarter.com/documents/brainwaves.html

 

How Does TV Effect Brainwaves?

 

Media Making Us Mean?

 

You may have read about some of the new studies looking at how Social Rejection can lead to increased aggression.

 

According to the Science Daily article:

 

People who feel socially rejected are more likely to see others’ actions as hostile and are more likely to behave in hurtful ways toward people they have never even met, according to a new study.

 

 

Letter-To-The-Editor

 

The average TV viewing time is now 6 days per month (142:29 hours per month). Tim Goodman, TV critic of the San Francisco Chronicle mentioned this statistic in his column along with tips on how to fill up those 6 full days!

 

In response, my husband wrote this letter-to-editor, it didn’t get printed, but I thought I would share it: 

Editor,

 

I was pleased to see Tim Goodman’s reference to the kill-your-TV-Folks and I fully support his sharing of ideas to get the most out of this medium. It does strike me as sad though that we spend a full six days per month sitting passively and being entertained. More time by far more than spent reading or spending time with our families or exercising or just about anything else. Time spent; time gone. You don’t need the kill-your-TV-Folks to know that. 

Great Letter Hubby !

 

The Importance of Play

 

Why do parents allow their kids to watch so much TV?

 

Obviously part of the problem is that the TV/movie industry has been so incredibly effective at convincing most people (including parents) that TV is beneficial, educational, and at the worst harmless.

 

But, I do think there is a deeper reason. And that is that throughout human history parents have, to a great extent, had a quite laissez-faire attitude towards their kids. After looking after their children’s physical needs, and making sure they do their chores, go to school, do their homework, children have been very much left to their own devices. And this has been a very good child-rearing strategy. Why? Because children know the secret of learning, which is to learn through play. Children have a powerful instinct for playing. So all those hours that parents allow them their freedom are not wasted, they are put to good use.