The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
During the week of February 21-27, 2005 individuals and families are encouraged to consciously abstain from watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet (with the exception of Internet access for homework), in favor of getting active! Instead of focusing on TV, families can focus on creating, building, participating and doing. In this way, the whole family can benefit from participating in healthy activities. Participation in TV-Turn Off Week is voluntary, and meant to be fun. TV Turn-Off Week is a time to build family and community spirit. It is an opportunity for families to take time from their busy lifestyles to re-connect and have fun getting active together. Individuals and families can either refrain from all electronic entertainment for the entire week, as often as possible, or for a minimum of one completed day. If you would like your family to be more active but are not sure how to decrease your family's time spent in front of screens, just follow these easy tips and take the first step to the start of a healthier lifestyle: Hide the remote so family members must get up to change the channel. Move your television sets to a less prominent location to make it less tempting. Suggest new activities in a positive way. Don't worry if children claim "I'm bored!" Boredom often leads to creativity and active play. Remove the TV from your children's bedroom. A TV in the bedroom draws children away from family activities and distracts them from homework, thinking, reading and sleeping. Limit the number of TV, video games and computer hours you and your children watch each day. One hour per day is a good guideline. Replace family TV watching with physical activity or indoor games. Put on some music and dance, or play a board game. To keep families active during TV Turn-Off Week, the Flin Flon District Health Council, NOR-MAN RHA and Flin Flon Parks and Recreation have partnered to offer a free skating party on February 24 from 6:30-8:00 p.m at the Creekside outdoor rink. Free hot chocolate will be served courtesy of the Victoria Inn, and families will have the chance to win lots of cool prizes. All families are welcome! To receive more information on TV Turn-Off Week and tips on how to become more active, call the NOR-MAN RHA at 687-1331. During the week of February 21-27, pledge to give up your electronic entertainment and get active with your family! The NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority, Creighton Community School, and the Recreation Departments in Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach have joined together to declare the week of February 21-27, 2005 TV Turn-Off Week.
