Thirty-something speaks
Fond memories don't come on a flat screen
Mike Maddock

I don't think anyone looks back on his or her childhood and says, "Man, I sure wish I'd watched more T.V. growing up!"

Back when I was a kid, we had four channels that seemed to have nothing on but news, Lawrence Welk, soap operas, and Hee Haw. Given those choices, it's no wonder why my generation spent more hours outside than it did in front of a television set.

The exception was Saturday mornings. That's about the only time back then, other than the stop- animation holiday specials, that television was meant for kids. I gladly admit Bugs Bunny and the Super Friends kept me inside most Saturday mornings.

Today kids have at least five channels dedicated specifically to them running 24/7. Where I dodged Walter Cronkite and Minnie Pearl, kids today have so many options it's no wonder the average school age child watches 27 hours a week.

That means over a period of one year, that kid has spent more time watching television than doing anything else other than sleeping. What's worse, despite the supposed kid- friendly choices available, many are choosing from the 200 plus other channels. So by the time the average kid finishes sixth grade he's watched about 100,000 acts of televised violence and 8,000 murders and that's just the commercials! It's no wonder many have become less sensitive, scared to death of their environments, and more aggressive towards others. All that sitting and watching isn't exactly creating rock hard abs either. In other words, T.V. is turning a generation of children into mean, paranoid big tubs of goo. Whose fault is that?

My wife and I struggle constantly to find the right balance. My kids wouldn't know Hanna Montana from Paris Hilton, but they do have just about every Disney movie known to man plus a few others. It's a whole lot easier to slip in one of those movies, than to deal with a bored child. So too many times I've suggested a movie instead of suggesting they get their little buns outside.

I also have to admit I firmly believe one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century is the DVD player in automobiles. That thing has been a Godsend for my wife and I on many

trips. Nothing quiets the Are

we there yet? questions from my kids like that DVD player. Although, my children may never know quite how to get to the beach or the joys of reading South of the Border billboards. Plus, the

new question is now Do we

have time for another

movie?, but our DVD player sits idle most of the time. That's not the case for some others. I see those things going in the carpool line many mornings. How bad must it be that some can't even drive the kids to school without the T.V. on? Instead oWf oHualdv ey ao ug rmeaint dda cyh!,a int'sging

the channel before you get

out?

I just want my kids to look back one day when they're all grown up and remember the time they spent digging tunnels in the backyard or playing tennis in the driveway. While I may get a few moments of peace, no fond memory ever came from plopping them in front of the television.