TV ADDICTION

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TAKING ACTION

What can you do? Some individuals and families actually throw out their TVs to keep from succumbing to them. They go cold turkey—a harsh but effective solution.

You probably don't have to go that far. If you, as parents, firmly believe that controlling TV watching is important for your children's (and your own) sake, you can control it. If you (both of you, if you're a two-parent family) set some rules and stick to them, your children will know you mean it, and they 'll obey. But if both of you aren't committed to control, or if either of you has doubts about being able to regulate your own TV watching, your children will exploit the opening.

Once you've got your own conviction steadfast, though, all you have to do is figure out what limits will work best for your family. Some suggestions:

Probably the simplest—and most often successful—method is no TV Monday to Friday Five days out of seven, shut it down (even if a teacher assigns a program for school). The result? The kids don't have to rush through supper or their homework to get to the tube. They can still enjoy some TV, but they know exactly when. This is the most effective method because it's the most clear—cut and ironclad.

Although Jim Trelease's family adopted this rule, after a few years they decided that each child would be allowed to choose one parent—approved, school—night show a week. While Jim says this policy helped develop his children's discriminatory skills, you're probably better of going five-sevenths cold turkey to begin with. Until you get that weekday hiatus firmly established, you may find it too easy to make "exceptions," "concessions," and "just this times" until, before long, you're back where you started.

Some families limit each child's viewing to one hour a day-a system that's fairly successful at breaking the strength of TV's grip. Some limit viewing to two or three hours a day. Such rules are easily eroded, however, by the pressure to watch "one more" show. Some put the cap on at no TV during weekdays and two hours on weekends.

If you don't really think you'll be able to set down some rules and stick to them, you can try more insidious methods of control. Use a set with such poor reception that no one wants to watch it a lot. Don't leave the TV in the main living room, but keep it in an uninviting space—like a basement—or store it in the closet except when you want to pull it out to view it. Get rid of all your TVs but one: There's a clear correlation between a family's viewing hours and the number of sets it has. At the very least, take all TVs out of your kids' bedrooms!

Whatever plan of action you adopt, you'll have to show some self-control as well. You may not choose to adopt the same viewing restrictions as your children (after all, there are many things adults do in our society that children don't), but if you pig out unrestrainedly on TV, your hypocrisy will ultimately do you in.

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