Now unless you’ve been living in
a cave since the telly was invented then this last piece of research shouldn’t
come as a shock. We all know that vast numbers of hours ‘zombied’ in front of
the TV, or playing on games consoles, and using smart phones, computer tablets,
and laptops have all contributed in one way or another to obesity and a
decrease in our health and general well-being. Come on, haven’t we been
bombarded with that enough already?
However, before you get all huffy
and puffy, rolling your eyes and flicking onto the next channel (which most of
us including myself tend to do) is ask yourself what’s different this time
round? Well, in my opinion, the main emphasis in this particular report is on the
key phrase ‘recreational screen time’ and the word ‘recreational’ here carries
a very large significance. Why? Because for the first time a report comes along
that does not disregard the fact that children in modern life are increasingly
reliant on computers whether at home or at school for that matter. The report argues
that it is the extra time we, the parents, allow children access to these
machines for playtime that is putting their health at risk. They should be
banging about in the park in their free time, not on the keyboard of a
computer.
As defined by freedictionary.com,
recreation is the refreshment of one’s mind or body after work through activity that amuses or stimulates. And vast
research has shown that it is the quality of the recreation that we choose that
directly affects not only the way we feel in the short term but in the long
term has a significant impact on life expectancy and longevity. Besides the
known factors such as exercise and good eating habits, factors contributing to
better health and therefore longevity now include flossing, de-stressing, READING
and switching off the TV/laptop/phone. So
the last thing you or your child need is more computer time for play after the
huge amount of hours spent working in front of them.
This is not in any way a call to
unplug the TV and throw it out the window, unless you’d like a right riot on
your hands if your house members were anything like mine. While I am at it, let
me make one thing clear: I am not against TV viewing. On the contrary, I
believe that families gathered round a TV at the end of the day is very much
like when in the olden days tribes gathered round a campfire for news, warmth
and stories. With the warmth factor sorted thanks to modern central heating, the
TV becomes our source of stories, news and yes gossip. The point I am trying to
make (based on the above mentioned report) is that the key for TV to work as a
recreational tool and not a life-endangering habit is to be choosy in what you
watch, making it more about quality rather than quantity. Applying that rule
will instantly reduce viewing time noticeably leaving more time for the family
to do other things together. Like what? I hear you say. Well, hello reading, of
course!
Research has found that one of
the best stress busters out there is actually reading. Books can distract one’s
mind from the day’s chaos. They offer pathways of escapism whether into
fictional worlds or glimpses into the lives of real people that may inspire us.
Gathering a family to share a book creates ‘talking points’ that in their turn
create better understanding and empathy among the family members particularly
if there is an environment for fair, open discussion afterwards. Families who
read know more things. And with greater knowledge comes heightened self-esteem
(it’s a chain reaction). Reading stimulates the mind and the imagination and
allows the individual, particularly children, to better articulate individual thoughts
and feelings clearly and coherently and to make up their own mind regarding different
subjects (something that is very rarely attainable from TV viewing). So, what
are you waiting for? Switch off and grab a book (make sure it’s from
mintaad.com) and trust me, nine out of ten times the book is always better than
the movie!
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