Olney, MD, April 16, 2008---The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) joins thousands of parents, teachers, teacher educators, and more than 70 national organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association, and the International Reading Association, in support of Turnoff Week 2008, April 21-27, sponsored by the Center for Screen-Time Awareness, a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to encouraging children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities.
This year marks the 14th annual Turnoff Week, the first without the word "TV" in its slogan. "TV" has been dropped from the slogan because it's not only television that distracts us-more and more electronic gadgets are impacting our daily lives. Cell phones, laptops, portable DVD players, and hand-held electronic games take away from time spent with family and friends. The overuse of these tools limits physical activity, and contributes to a more sedentary and solitary lifestyle. Turnoff Week 2008 aims to celebrate life, activity, family, friends, and community. Turnoff Week encourages us to "power down" the TV and gadgets, and "dream big."
Research indicates that excessive television viewing and screen-time behavior negatively impacts children's ability to read and learn in school, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity. According to the Institute of Medicine, one-third of all American children are either obese or at risk for obesity. Children in households where the TV is on "always" or "most of the time" are less likely to read than are children in other homes, cites the report, Zero to Six: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers, Kaiser Family Foundation and the Children's Digital Media Centers, 2003.
Parents and children have more opportunities to think, play, read, and participate in activities together when they spend less time watching television or using screen-time devices. "Whether as educators, parents, or concerned community members, we should all be involved in ensuring that our children are engaging in balanced, healthy lifestyles," states Diane Whitehead, ACEI Acting Executive Director.
The Center for Screen-Time Awareness is sponsoring a national reading and writing contest called "Show Your Shiny Side" to encourage children's reading and imagination, as well as a national scavenger hunt to get kids and adults outside to explore. For more information, and details on these and other community activities, visit www.screentime.org
The Association for Childhood Education International is the oldest organization in the world dedicated to the development of the whole child, from birth to early adolescence. Founded in 1892, ACEI is an organization of teachers, teacher educators, and parents whose primary purpose is to promote the inherent rights, education, and well-being of children in the home, school, and community. ACEI publishes the award-winning publication Childhood Education, as well as the Journal of Research in Childhood Education.