Stars back crusade for 'no TV' days
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Middle-class parents in the United States are beginning to enforce "no-television" days in their houses – and discovering that it produces happier, better-educated and healthier children who are learning how to play board games again.
Middle-class parents in the United States are beginning to enforce "no-television" days in their houses – and discovering that it produces happier, better-educated and healthier children who are learning how to play board games again.
Among those enforcing the new rules are Hollywood stars whose films often appear on television including Tom Cruise, Kate Capshaw and her husband, the film director Steven Spielberg.
With British children watching an average of 21 hours of television a week, and those in the US watching four hours more, a growing number of parents are insisting on a television-free day once a week.
In the UK and US, the organisation White Dot promoted 23 to 29 April as "TV Turn-Off Week" and claimed that five million people did just that. Its website ( whitedot.org) states that "Your television is giving you these messages: you are boring, the people you know are stupid ... and thank God you have television to bring glamour and professional entertainment into your life!"
Board-game manufacturers say they are selling more games as parents sit down with children to play favourites such as Scrabble.
Among entertainers, the message seems to be taking hold. Cruise said: "They are allowed [to watch] about three and a half hours a week, and only if they are doing well in school."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments