With the advent of the remote control and cable TV, we have begun drifting farther away from family values, real laughter and good old-fashioned motion. I remember when being a kid meant going outside to make hay forts, climb trees or look for frogs. My kids, while they are still young, have never really done any of those things. I’ll bet mine aren’t unique, either. Kids are more comfortable in their safe little homes with their safe little TVs. But what is the cost for this comfort and security?Today, you can’t help but hear about rising obesity rates, childhood diabetes and other scary health concerns, all centering around the fact that our kids are eating more junk and moving less. And why not? With global TV channels, you can explore the world, watch the workout instead of participating in it, and hang out with your friends in online games.
Now, I don’t think the poor little inanimate TV is any more responsible for making us fat than the gun is for making us dead. We are the people who control how things go in life, and if we spend all day in front of the TV, or let our kids do the same, it falls entirely on us to bear the consequences.
Next time you put your feet up and start flipping channels, think about what life might be like if you participated instead of watching from behind the scenes.