May 16, 2008

Creativity at its best

One of the best parts about having a website and a blog is hearing from other people with great ideas. That's how I found out about this fabulous design.

For all the parents who are tired of logo-laden apparel, this provides a great alternative. The message is powerful. It's non-corporate advertising at its best. I want to see these T-shirts on everyone. I want to have a baby just so I can buy her (or him) this shirt in the smallest size it comes in. Considering the fact that I am past the fertile stage of my life, this should prove how much I like these shirts. I guess I will have to settle for getting invited to a baby shower and giving the shirt to the expectant mother. Well I suppose I can also buy a bunch of them to offer at my workshops.

I don't know the people who run this site yet, but I'm sure they must be wonderful people to have come up with this great idea. I hope you like it, too.

Enjoy the nice weather, if it is actually nice where you are. Climb a tree, play outside. Show your children that the world outdoors can be one big play station. And you don't have to buy these shirts to do that. But you might want to anyway!

Happy Parenting!

Ellen

May 6, 2008 (my mother's birthday)

Lots of Laughs

Now that TV-Turnoff Week is over, I thought it would be a good time to acknowledge the people out there who have a great sense of humor about it. Check out the comic strip, Stone Soup, whose creator lives in Eugene, Oregon. See the April 21-26 strips.

The good news is that most people who participate in TV-Turnoff Week end up watching less television even months later. So maybe the kids in Stone Soup will be playing outside more this summer, too. I know I'll be following the strip to find out, because reading the comics is still one of my favorite television substitutes. And kids love it, too!

Happy May!

Ellen

April 18, 2008

An Almost Commercial-Free Week

Well, what a surprise! I am writing my second blog and it’s still April. It’s also TV-Turnoff Week, April 21-27.

If you decide to participate in this fun-filled week, I would be happy to help and so would lots of other people. Check out my TV-Free Parenting yahoo group and find out what’s working for other families.

Naturally I will be participating in TV Turnoff Week. For our family that means that we are still using computers for homework, writing, research and of course for updating my exciting website.

This year I am also making one unusual exception during TV-Turnoff Week. I am going to allow myself to watch a particular commercial over and over, mostly because I wrote and co-produced it.

I know you’re probably wondering why someone like me who wrote a book about overcoming TV addiction would then write a commercial. What can I say? It was for a really good cause, and after having seen countless commercials in my lifetime, I think I may have a knack for it. See it for yourself, and if you like it, pass it on.

I guess you’ll also have to decide if you want to make an exception and watch it during TV-Turnoff Week. Just so you know, it’s fine with me.

Best wishes,

Ellen

April 2, 2008

My Dream Dinner Date

I know I'm not a superdelegate or anything like that, but I've decided to pretend that I'm one. And so in this blog, I would now like to declare my support for Barack Obama.

There, I've said it. I feel much better now. And I'm sure Barack is very pleased as well. He even extended a dinner invitation to me. Naturally it was very exciting, except for the fact that he's also invited a million or so other people to have dinner with him. In truth, only four of us will actually be chosen to go on the coveted dinner date, and I think that some have already been chosen. I'm only mentioning this now, because the deadline to vie for this big event was at midnight, March 31. I’m sorry if you missed it. Really.

To be eligible for this dinner, I had to fill out an online form, in which Barack asked me what I would like to discuss with him that night. Naturally I could sense that he was really interested in hearing my ideas and that he would much rather do away with the impersonal nature of the online application process. As you might guess, I told him that I would like to talk with him about kids and the media, particularly television and video games. Barack loves this subject, you see, and he mentions it all the time. See this.

I don't know what else I should have said to Barack to convince him that I am one of the people he should choose. If I knew what the criterion for the contest was, I would have tailored my comments to fit those of the ideal applicant. But of course, that’s not the Obama way. Barack isn’t into spin. He’s actually authentic and far more spiritually evolved than I am, thank God. So, I asked myself: What would Barack do in this situation if he wanted to go out with someone really amazing who was about to change the world? Well, he would probably just be himself and not do anything crazy or desperate, such as writing this pathetic blog about it in order to try to win someone over. Barack just isn’t like that, you see. But maybe he won’t mind having dinner with someone who is. I can only hope.

Many blessings and my apologies to those voting for the other candidates,
Ellen

March 12, 2008

Presidential Candidates and TV Viewing

Well, it has been way too long since I’ve posted a blog. I continue to be amazed at those people who post one every day. I suppose I could do that, too, but I’m afraid I would end up writing about how much my cat sheds, and that sort of thing.

The truth is that I have been wanting to blog a lot. I’ve been wanting to write about one of the presidential candidates, but I’ve also wanted to keep all of my readers (the ones who are democrats, that is) happy.

So instead, I will simply point out that my favorite candidate is the only one who has said in his or her televised speeches that parents should turn off the television and put away the video games. This is a brave stance for a presidential candidate to take. Talk about asking parents to make sacrifices! I applaud him (or her).

When you think about it, the kids who are fortunate enough to grow up without lots of exposure to commercial television might actually become better at making informed decisions in future elections. Rather than being solely influenced by seductive and/or frightening commercials with sleeping children and red phones, they might choose to read about their candidates and watch them speak and debate each other instead. In other words, they might become part of a well-educated and well-informed populace.

It could happen, but it would take work. And wouldn’t it be so much easier if it wasn’t par for the course for candidates to spend millions of dollars on television commercials in the first place? I think so. But I’ve said enough. It’s time for me to brush my cat, before it covers the couch in fur.

May peace be with you.
Ellen