Turn off the TV and Get a Life Week

Pin It

Oh man, is it that time of year again already?

What is up with this? It seems that every time I turn around that dratted Teachinfourth is challenging us to be kind to others, leave comments on people’s blogs, or something else...but now he’s asking me to surrender TV? What’s this guy up to?

Yeah, I can almost hear some of your thoughts oozing through the computer screen.

Well, if you’ve been a follower of Adventures & Misadventures of Daily Living for the past few years then that above ad will look awfully familiar to you, and this challenge might be one you’ve already taken part in. You see, every year I challenge my class; I challenge them to turn off their TVs sets, video games, and all gaming systems along with abstaining from attending movies for one full week. In the place of these electronic diversions, I challenge them to spend more time with others: playing outside, reading, writing, and enjoying the company of their friends and families.

We call this the “Turn off the TV and Get a Life” challenge—an idea I picked up a long time ago from speaker, John Bytheway. This will be the 11th year of my class taking this challenge, and the great thing is that this has since spread to the entire fifth grade at my school.

However, what I’d like to know is if you’d like to take part in the challenge with us.

Would you do it?

Could you do it?

One full week devoid of video games, gaming apps, Youtube, movies, and all forms of television?

The challenge begins when you wake up on Friday the 20th and ends when you wake up on the following Friday exactly one week later.

Sounds kind of like torture, doesn’t it?

Now, I’ll be honest with you…there are a few day when I come home from school, beaten and tired – wanting nothing more than the brainless eye-candy of the tube, but for this week, no matter how badly I want to watch a movie, I won’t.

Those students at my school who are successful with this endeavor, we will celebrate their accomplishment on Friday next week with a par-tay. So, what IS the party? It will be afternoon fraught with board games, teamwork activities, and things one can do without the aid of a television or any type gaming system.

If you are successful, you are more than welcome to join our entire fifth grade at our celebration; whether it is with us physically in our classroom—or from afar in spirit.

So, now comes the really big question…will you do it?

I hope you’ll join us.

P.S. If you have any good ideas of what to do in lieu of television and electronic games for entertainment, let us know...you just might persuade someone else to take part. (*Remember that Blogging is READING and WRITING and Facebook is all about making connections with others...but not playing Farmville).