Sorry, this is a long one....

I am sure most of you have heard me say that I grew up in a home where the TV was on from the time I woke up in the morning (if Dad had turned it on to watch the news as he ate breakfast) until 2:00 in the morning or whenever my mom finally went to bed.  (It was even on during dinner time – even if we were eating in the other room.)

My mother was an only child and she grew up with the radio as her companion. When mom and dad got a TV it eventually took the place of the radio for noise and companionship when she was alone – and then, even when she wasn't  When we would go their house when the older kids were little the TV would stay on the whole time. (Ugh! I hated that!) 

So, I brought a lot of bad habits to my adult life. You Dad was gone most nights and the TV was my company. Hopefully, you also remember that I tried and succeeded at times in establishing TV off times. On one hand I would have loved to have been a TV-less family. On the other hand, I realize there are good things that you can watch on TV.

Anyway, so you have probably all developed some bad habits from my poor example. I apologize for this.  I have learned some discipline but I still have a long way to go. I hope you will consider the following and look to see if you need to make any changes in your life.

This is something I think about often so I am glad I have this opportunity to teach you. I am not out to offend or condemn anyone. I just want you to ponder and let the Spirit guide you…

In the August 2013 Ensign there was an article by Elder Patrick Kearon “Opening our Hearts to Revelation” which brought this topic to the forefront of my mind again. He said,

“In fact, it is often because we are so busy receiving other messages that we impair our ability to receive the much-needed messages from our eternal home. We live in a world in which messages surround us, even bombard us. Our smartphones, our computers, and our tablets are constantly buzzing, beeping, and vibrating with every new text, social media update, email, and photograph. It really is instant and insistent messaging.

We must be selective in the messages we choose to receive. It is vital to our spiritual well-being that we not consume so much of our time receiving good messages that we make ourselves unavailable to receive the best messages.   (See Dallin H. Oaks “Good, Better, Best”   Nov. 2007 Ensign)

As with so much in life, what we consume is a choice, so if you spend much of your time consuming one kind of message, don’t be surprised that you become influenced by it. Spending too much of our time with social media, celebrity or entertainment news, games, and the pursuit of online, time-hungry activities constitutes a poor digital diet. When we choose to consume the attitudes and opinions of the mass media, we find our own values and viewpoints following suit. We tell ourselves we’re not being affected by these messages, but that is not possible.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles posed these questions:

“1. Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?

“2. Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?”

We need to be aware that many of today’s messages in the media can cause us to doubt our faith, compromise our convictions, and view the world through cynical eyes. But we can deflect deceptive messages with our faith intact if we are connected in a vibrant, continuous stream to the source of truth and light. If we have questions or doubts, we get answers from Heavenly Father through the delicate and precious channels of revelation that operate when we remove all barriers to our hearts. We choose to “look to God and live” (Alma 37:47).”  (Bold and italics added by mom.)

Ok, mom here again. I know I need to do better. I need to leave the TV off more. I would invite you to examine your TV watching. Does it follow what Dad and I tried to teach you. Is it virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy? Did you notice that funny was not included in their by the prophet? I know it is hard to turn off a show that makes you laugh but if they are degrading sacred things – like chastity and morality – is it really worth it? If it is dark and shows the darker side of life is it worth filling your mind up with that darkness?  I will let you decide. I think you know the right answers.

Finally, when I was raising you children I read many books on child rearing, talked to other moms young and old and read parenting magazines. Sadly, I don’t recommend any parenting magazines now – except for the Ensign. J  But I did Google children and media and found the following which was corroborated over and over again in other articles I found. It is what I have read over the years. I leave it with you for your discernment.

I love you!!! - Mom

Most kids plug into the world of television long before they enter school. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF):

·         two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen an average of 2 hours a day

·         kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs

·         kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development.

As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family.

Of course, TV in moderation can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it — TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.

But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental:

·         Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight.

·         Kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.

Children's advocates are divided when it comes to solutions. Although many urge for more hours per week of educational programming, others assert that zero TV is the best solution. And some say it's better for parents to control the use of TV and to teach kids that it's for occasional entertainment, not for constant escapism.

That's why it's so important for you to monitor the content of TV programming and set viewing limits to ensure that your kids don't spend too much time parked in front of the TV.