May 20, 2008. Nuevo Vallerta. Reading and TV.

I have read many statistics about television usage, but I have never believed it. Until now. Our neighbors at the apartment are very nice folks, actually related to my first Broker in Real Estate. Also they were in the property management business for years in Bethesda. When they turned the business over to their children, they sold their Chevy Chase home and moved to their summer house on the Chesapeake Bay. But as their several children and grandchildren live in the Washington area, they decided to buy a place in Chevy Chase, for the many times they came to town. Staying with their children was not so convenient they found. They come to town about once a week for a day or so at a time. Now I know some people keep their TV set turned on all the time, without watching, and I always assumed the statistics take into account the TV set turned on for 7 hours a day, not watched for 7 hours. But every night these good folks have their set turned on every night, and they watch it, because when the phone rings, the sound is turned off. I know this is true, because when I go to bed to read, I can hear the very low sound coming from their apartment. I have been astonished that they watch TV every night all night. I really want to ask them, but Ken would object. But I have always been nosy while he is not. In fact, Ken does not hear the sounds from next door, but I listen for them, and wonder whether they ever read. Now my brother and sister-in-law have the happy talent to read and watch TV at the same time. But most folks are not as clever!!

How to handle the TV usage with children is not easy I know. I only know how it worked with us. Ken and I are used to reading. Andrew read, in fact if he was sent to his bedroom until his behavior improved, he would not come out for hours. He would be happy as a clam reading his books. David, after his homework was finished, wanted to watch TV. The family had a meeting and all decided that through the week, no one would watch TV, but on the weekend, the boys were free to watch at any time. Now David was in first grade and could read well, but he did not turn to reading for recreation, but when he was TV deprived, and he could not go outside to play, he turned to his books. The weekends were no problem, because of our old farm and our active social life, which almost always included the boys. So it worked. Ken and I explained the reason for all of us to not watch TV, and the boys happily agreed, especially with the weekends left to them. Now David reads far and wide. Most interesting of all, both families watch very little TV, as both daughters-in-law want more for their girls than watching TV. And that is a good thing.