Learning Expressions

Blog: Digital Detox / TV Turnoff Week

I thought I’d change it up a bit this week with a little public service announcement about a growing concern in the world of parenting. It all begins with screens. We’re surrounded by them. I’m frequently reminded of a scene from Minority Report, see below, and a few ominous passages from Fahrenheit 451 about a character who sleeps with “seashells” in her ears (iPod headphones anyone?) and is a virtual slave to entertainment.

The reason I bring all of this up is because April 19 kicks off National TV Turnoff Week, more recently known as Digital Detox Week.

Do you know how much time your children spend in front of a screen each day? The New York Times did a study last year and found that the average person (this includes adults) spends 8.5 hours a day looking at a screen. (Read the article.) That’s essentially a third of our lives! The American Academy of Pediatrics says that a child’s use of TV, movies, or video and computer games should be no more than two hours a day.

National TV Turnoff Week was launched in 1994 by the Center for Screen Time Awareness to promote social consciousness about digital consumption. Research has shown that children who spend too much time in front of the TV are more prone to develop obesity, irregular sleep patterns, behavioral problems and learning issues in school, so this is definitely something that folks are paying attention to.

The point of Digital Detox Week is to go cold-turkey on all screen time. (Obviously for the adults in the family, screens are essential to the working day so there’s a 9-5 exemption, but once you leave work everything should be shut off.) If your family participates, you’ll be shocked at how often you find yourself reaching for the remote, the Blackberry, or the Google button. You’ll probably also be surprised at how much extra time you have as a family.

So what do you do instead? The key to limiting children’s screen time during Digital Detox Week and beyond is replacing it with plenty of stimulating activities. Here are a few suggestions to help you on your way:

1. Remove TVs from the bedrooms: All television viewing should be done in common areas where parents can properly monitor what children are actually watching. Stock bedrooms with alternative entertainment—books, puzzles, and construction-based toys that children can interact with when they play.

2. Set a schedule: As a family, decide how much television is acceptable and during which hours it should be viewed. Include designated times for other family activities in your schedule, such as game night, reading aloud, and outdoor sports.

3. Focus on creating: Avoid placing children in front of the TV when you need a few moments to yourself. Instead, set them up with a do-it-yourself project that requires ongoing work. This way, when they come home from school or feel bored, they will be eager to pick up where they left off.

I think it would be great if more and more families “celebrated” Digital Detox Week. The most important part is spreading awareness. We won’t be able to change our habits over night, but if we’re conscious about the amount of time we’re “plugged in” we’ll be more likely to alter our lifestyle to be sure we’re raising smart, healthy kids.

Until next week,

Toy Talker

40 Years of Sunny Days - Sesame Street Celebrates Anniversary

Last week Sesame Street celebrated its 40th anniversary. Can you believe that? This landmark in the show’s history speaks not only to its integrity, but its ability and willingness to adapt alongside the evolution of television media. For several years now Sesame Street has had the distinction of being the longest-running children’s television program and has received more Emmy’s than any other show in history. I was curious to find out how it all began and what the producers have planned for the next 40 years of muppet magic, starting with the 2009-2010 season.

Beginnings

According to CNN, the original Sesame Street concept was “nothing short of revolutionary.” The show that premiered in 1969 was produced as a learning tool for inner-city children. The idea was to teach them their 123s, ABCs, and some important life lessons to boot before they ever crossed the threshold of a school. In my research I kept running across references to the big debate over whether the human characters could interact with the puppets without confusing the imaginary and real worlds. This apparently took months of discussion to sort out before the first episode aired. I’m glad the pro-intermingling movement prevailed!

The visionaries behind Sesame Street are Joan Ganz Cooney, who was working as a documentary filmmaker for public television in the 1960s, and Lloyd Morrisett, head of the philanthropic Carnegie Corporation. It was 1966 when Lloyd first asked Joan, “Can television be used to teach children?” Months later Joan presented her research in a document called “The Potential Uses of Television.” Sesame Street biographer Betsy Loredo claims that document contained “the essential DNA” for the legendary show.

What’s in a name?

After a long search for a catchy name, one of the show’s writers suggested “Sesame Street.” The word “sesame,” an allusion to the fabled command from The Arabian Nights, “Open, Sesame!,” suggested excitement and adventure. Since the show was set in an urban street scene, “Sesame Street” seemed an ideal combination.

The Bigger Picture

Let’s not forget the collaborative effort though. Sesame Street would have been a very different place without Jim Henson and his team of Muppeteers; the actors who played Bob, Susan, Gordon, and Mr. Hooper; or the iconic “Sunny Day” theme song by Joe Raposo. Speaking of which, check out how the opening sequence has changed over the years. (I always wanted to be one of those kids in the intro. Alas, this never happened.) The 2009 version, which premiered last week, has a very creative transition from live action kids into the chalk drawings that I appreciate.

Sesame Street Sunny Days Through the Years

1969:

1998:

2009:

Season 40

In addition to the new opening theme, Season 40 of Sesame Street is taking Bert and Ernie to the next level in a series of clay-animated shorts. I’ll be interested to see whether this sticks or not. I think the characters are still their same lovable selves, but Sesame is famous for experimenting and not all experiments are successful. Luckily they’re also famous for admitting when something doesn’t work and fixing it. (I refer to the “Around the Corner” segment that was introduced in Season 25 and was eventually recalled.)

I think what I love most about Sesame Street is that it responds to the times. The content and the guest stars are always current. Sarah Jessica Parker, for example, greets a certain fluffy yellow bird by saying “Hey Big” in the preview. Or how about the new “Mad Men” spoof that’s already garnered some interest on YouTube.

This is true of the show abroad as well. “Takalani Sesame,” the South African version introduced the first HIV positive muppet, Kami, in 2002. The idea was bold, but absolutely essential in an area where AIDS is an epidemic.

If Sesame Street responds to the times, it’s equally true that the times respond to it. For the week leading up to the opening of Season 40, the Google Doodle featured an entire series of Sesame-inspired icons.

Life Lessons

So what can we take away from 40 years of Sesame Street? So many lessons, so little time. But here’s what it’s made me think about in the past few days:

We should use every tool at our disposal to teach our children—every situation, every medium. Sometimes a television show or a toy is more than what it seems. Sometimes it’s an opportunity.

Sesame Street may have cleaned up and gone a little Wisteria Lane on us these past few years, wiped off the graffiti and all the rest, but there’s still a big bad world around the corner. Growing up happens so fast. It’ll be no time at all before our kids fly the coop, and we’ve got to take every opportunity we’ve got to teach them what they’ll need to know.

The next time you have a choice between mainstream and educational—choose the latter. Learning IS fun. Why else would generations of children tune in and ask, “Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?... How to get to Sesame Street?....”

 Here’s wishing you a very Sunny Day.

- Toy Talker