Thursday, March 19, 2009

Celebrate Turnoff Week: April 20-26

CCFC is proud supporter of international Turnoff Week, a time for families to turn off screens, get active and involve themselves in their communities. Over 20 million people will participate and, with events being planned in every state, there is no excuse to find yourself alone and attached to the TV or computer. In December, the National Institutes of Health released a review of 30 years of studies on screen-times impact. The study reveals alarming health concerns, ones that lead to a breakdown of family and society. Turnoff Week is the first step in reversing this trend and a door to a new way of life. To find out more about how your family or your school can participate, please visit the Center for SCREEN-TIME Awareness at www.screentime.org

Obama in our direction

Since President Barack Obama assumed office two months ago, he's put forth an ambitious political agenda. High on his list: Improving education and urging parents to do their part.

The $789 billion economic stimulus package includes $115 billion in new education funding, dollars that will be used for things like school renovation, special education and Head Start.

But Obama is also calling on parents to do what no government program can: "There is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent-teacher conferences or help with the homework or turn off the TV, put away the video games, or read to their child. Responsibility for our children's education must begin at home," he told a joint session of Congress last month.