Two months before our scheduled August move, I broke the news to my sons: "We won't be connecting the television cable as soon as we move into the new house."

Flabbergasted, they cried in unison, "What? Why Mom?"

Without television?

Luckily I had discussed this issue with my husband prior to my announcement. He agreed that the whole family could benefit from delaying the cable connection. We've always had cable. In fact, we've never even attempted to watch television without the costly service. For our family, no cable meant no TV. It's not as drastic as it sounds -- we do watch movies on the VCR as a weekend family activity.

What's Too Much?
Would you believe American children and adolescents spend 22-28 hours per week viewing television? That's three to four hours a day. Shouldn't our children be passing this time interacting in healthier activities?

A Pediatrician's Concerns
When Dr. Susan R. Johnson presented a paper to the Waldorf School of San Francisco in May 1999, detailing the effects of television on children, she quoted Endangered Minds author Jane Healy, Ph.D. with this troublesome statement: "Television anesthetizes our higher brain functions and disrupts the balance and interaction between the left and right hemispheres."

Johnson was also concerned about her own son's behavior as it related to watching television. "He was so unresponsive to me and to what was happening around him, that he seemed glued to the television set. Instead of creating his own play themes, he was simply re-enacting what he had just seen on TV in a very repetitive, uncreative and stilted way," she says.

A Learning Tool
When the boys were preschoolers I encouraged the time they spent watching Sesame Street, Thomas the Train, Reading Rainbow and Barney. I truly felt I was helping their learning process by providing them with these educational shows.

Dionna Sanches of Boise, Idaho is not the only one who believes that "television can be very educational and instrumental in learning." But at what point do we cross the line of offering our children an alternative learning opportunity to using the "box" as a child occupier?

The Kids are Kept Busy
Carrie Smith of Landaff, N.H. states, "the old adage about the TV being a baby-sitter is true. Parents need to shut the darn thing off!" Although some parents may feel this is not the case in their home, I admit I've used their love of television to my advantage.

Not so long ago, the boys would head for the television set as soon as they crawled out of bed on weekend mornings. An act that once needed permission became a habit. Their request for an hour of early morning TV viewing allowed me to sleep in a bit longer.

Habits are Hard to Break
For many, this well intended TV time grows into viewing habits that are hard to break. No wonder our children defend their right to watch television. They probably question why all of a sudden we are cutting back on their time exposed to the set.

Setting Limits
Nell Minow, author of The Movie Mom's Guide to Family Movies, shares her expertise. "Watching television or videos is a treat, not a right," she says. Minow states in her book that such activity should come "only after homework, chores, other kinds of play and family time."

Patricia Claessen of Clarence Creek, Ontario tries to adopt this theory, but as she says, "they take advantage of my inconsistency anytime they can get away with it. when I follow my game plan, they definitely watch less TV."

Positive Effects
Many parents don't feel their children's viewing habits are harmful. Lisa Sanders of Manassas, Va. ensures the shows her children watch are appropriate for their ages. "My son, (almost 2) can say his ABCs and count to 20. Sesame Street has certainly helped that. My daughter reads with Between the Lions. These shows have affected their behavior -- for the better."

Not So Positive
Unfortunately, not all parents experience such glowing results from their child's television viewing habits. As children grow out of the preschool educational shows, many lean toward those that exhibit less positive role models, like the Simpson's. This is when parents run into problems, as Alyice Edrich of Corona, Calif. experienced when her children used to watch Power Rangers. "The kids thought they could go around beating everyone up," she says. What did Alyice do in this situation? "We no longer let them watch it."

What Can Parents Do?
No parent wants her child wasting away in front of the television. The alternative for Janie West of Brookhaven, Miss. is "liberal use of the off button" and providing other activities for relaxation.

You don't have to eliminate television completely, but at least set limits. Remember Nell Minow's words: "Watching television or videos is a treat, not a right."

One Mom's Plan Worked
Twelve years ago, Minow, a mother herself, adopted a NO TV rule. Her family enjoyed appropriate movies, but television was limited to sick days, snow days and special programs. Two years ago the rule was lifted. Her children, now teenagers, never developed the habit of seeing what's on TV. Today television rules are still enforced, such as "no TV or videos on school nights," but it's not an issue. Even though her kids are teens, they are expected to ask before watching anything. Her efforts have allowed her to maintain control over what her children watch.

Alternatives to Television
If we really want our children to decrease their television viewing, we must help them find alternative activities. Telling the kids to play outside won't work. Parents have to guide their children by providing ideas on how to enjoy their non-TV time.

Have the children head for the Lego box in the morning. Encourage them to unwind with a good book or magazine. Invite neighborhood friends to play outside. The changes won't happen overnight, but with an initial investment of time, effort and enthusiasm, your kids will develop healthier habits.

Our family is faring well without the television. We missed watching the Olympics, but we took advantage of our situation and followed the events by reading the newspaper. The boys spend more time outside, building their physical strength and endurance. Their concentration skills have improved, thereby making reading, building and mastering 3-D puzzles more enjoyable. And our family weekend activity of renting a movie is even more enjoyable.