Parents ban daughters from watching tv

[VINMAN]

Too bad more parents arent this proactive and involved in their kids lives. ( although here they would probably be charged with child endangerment and cruelty...)






A couple determined not to let their two daughters become couch potatoes set them 100 outdoor challenges to complete - in just one year. Kerry and Tim Meek were eager to get daughters Amy,10 and Ella, eight, out of the habit of watching television and playing games. So the parents from Arnold, Nottinghamshire, challenged their children and themselves to complete the gruelling activities in just 365 days. Walking on high ropes, foraging for food, snorkeling and cliff jumping were among some of the daring challenges which the family completed on Saturday after spending the night in a suspended tent tied between two trees. Mr and Mrs Meek also wanted to test their daughter’s social skills by encouraging them to get up in front of the school to announce a bake sale they were holding to raise funds for a charity - the aim of another task to stand up for a cause.

Mr Meek, 44, said the family had taken on their 'year of adventures' to encourage a positive mindset. 'This is something we have been doing every weekend, regardless of the season. 'We started from scratch, Kerry and I are not very adventurous people and as our kids have grown older we have wanted to give them that mindset that means they don’t want to sit in front of a TV or computer game all the time. 'Now the girls instigate the ideas themselves and they are determined to sleep on a mountain, which one day we will do.' 'We don’t force them not to watch it but now they just don’t so much. 'We want them to be confident and outgoing people



The 100 things they did:

1. Slacklining (walking on a rope between two trees)
2. Scooter Safari
3. Caving
4. Spend the night in a hammock
5. Canoe down a river
6. Adventure led by the girls
7. Sleep in a wood
8. Watch rutting deer
9. Learn survival skills
10. Sleep on a beach
11. Forage for a meal
12. Support a cause (Comic Relief)
13. Snorkelling
14. Go for a reptile ramble
15. Find a private beach
16. Climb the Eiffel Tower
17. Kayak Safari
18. Camp in a city
19. Swim in a natural pool
20. Sleep in a cahutte
21. Coasteering
22. Orienteering race
23. Outdoor birthday party
24. Walk on high ropes
25. Make a rope swing
26. Sleep in a Bivvy-Bag
27. See a henge from sunset to sunrise
28. Sleep in a family-size sleeping bag
29. Kayaking
30. Community work
31. Climb and abseil
32. Sailing
33. Walk a peninsula
34. See a puffin
35. Watch wild seals
36. Play conkers
37. Go off-road hiking
38. Sleep in a shelter
39. Climb an epic summit
40. Camper-vanning
41. Cook and eat in the wild
42. Wake and run
43. Bivvy by a river
44. Tag team cycle trail
45. Learn a constellation
46. Whittle (carve) while you walk
47. Sub-zero camping
48. Snow walking
49. Floodlit swan feed
50. Discover local history
51. Find a summit
52. Go without electricity for 24 hours
53. Weaseling (climbing between gaps in rocks)
54. Night-time descent
55. Eat nettle soup
56. Enter a race
57. Explore rock pools
58. Cook on a beach
59. Dam a stream
60. Explore a cave
61. Explore a wreck
62. Find a waterfall
63. Take on the elements
64. Body-boarding
65. Wild river swim
66. Mountain biking
67. Going to the toilet outside
68. Go behind a waterfall
69. Coastal walk
70. Music festival
71. Visit a landmark
72. Walk to a tidal island
73. Sleep in an eco-tent
74. Spot red squirrels
75. Climb a ‘matterhorn’
76. Walk down a river
77. Geocaching (GPRS treasure hunting)
78. Clean a beach
79. Scramble
80. Walk around a city
81. Orienteering
82. Night-time wood walk
83. Snow hiking
84. Cook with snow
85. Visit a suspension bridge
86. Three peaks in three day
87. Climb a winter summit
88. Ghyll scrambling (walking through gorges)
89. Make meal for mum on Mother’s Day
90. Play in snowdrifts
91. Backpacking
92. Tracking and mapping
93. Visit London
94. Build a bridge
95. Crabbing
96. Night walk in a forest
97. Off-peak camping
98. Skiing
99. Climb indoors
100.Tentsile (hammock-like tent)


[img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/11/13/article-2505551-19623A2D00000578-799_634x408.jpg[/img

[red-beard]

Dang! I think letting them watch TV would be cheaper!

[tweezers74]

We don't watch TV at my house. My boys are 5 and 8. We watch the iPad on occasion but rarely do we use it. Most of the time when they are sick and resting in bed or when I let them watch something as a reward. Most of the time just in bed for about half an hour.

Otherwise, I try to get my boys to do other things. I even, gasp, let them be bored every once in a while. We take hikes, ride bikes, got to museums, zoo, play golf, paint, bookstores, etc. I thought it would be harder without the TV but it really hasn't been that difficult and the boys haven't really asked for it. They have cable over at their father's house so maybe they get it out of their system then.

[widgeon13]

Sounds like fun, those girls will do well.

[sailchef]

Quite the educational experience for anyone.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Dang! I think letting them watch TV would be cheaper!

LOL Didnt think of that!

When my kids where young and home from school in the summer, I was so pissed that they sat and watched tv all day instead of going outside, before I left in the morning id go and disconnect the cable tv on the side of the house.

[scottmandue]

8. Watch rutting deer

Excuse me?

While I applaud any parents effort to separate the child from suckling at the proverbial electronic tit.

As Red Beard said I doubt the average parent can fund such adventures... I presume they are in the UK? Where do you go snorkeling in the UK?

[dtw]

Originally Posted by tweezers74

We don't watch TV at my house. My boys are 5 and 8. We watch the iPad on occasion but rarely do we use it. Most of the time when they are sick and resting in bed or when I let them watch something as a reward. Most of the time just in bed for about half an hour.

Otherwise, I try to get my boys to do other things. I even, gasp, let them be bored every once in a while. We take hikes, ride bikes, got to museums, zoo, play golf, paint, bookstores, etc. I thought it would be harder without the TV but it really hasn't been that difficult and the boys haven't really asked for it. They have cable over at their father's house so maybe they get it out of their system then.

This. My 10 year old is welcome to watch all the TV she wants when she's with me. Can't remember the last time she watched any though - there's just no time for it. When she has idle time, she's usually buried in a book. She's discovered Amazon with me and knows I'm always up for ordering books.

Can't remember the last time I stopped at her mom's house and the TV was off

[tweezers74]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

8. Watch rutting deer

Excuse me?

While I applaud any parents effort to separate the child from suckling at the proverbial electronic tit.

As Red Beard said I doubt the average parent can fund such adventures... I presume they are in the UK? Where do you go snorkeling in the UK?

If you read through a lot of the activities, they aren't that expensive. My boys have snowboarded, rock climbed, hiked... My one son didn't snorkel (too young) but pulled him around in a boogie board with a "looking glass" so he saw all the fish and sea turtles that we did. You just have to be creative and look for kid specials. For example, if you bring canned food to this ski resort near where I live on kids day, you can get a kids season pass. Pretty cool. They bank on the fact the adult will buy a season pass too.

[LeeH]

Once homework and chores are done, our daughter is allowed to watch one show a day. 99% of the time it's done right here:

[tweezers74]

Lee, I love the "pigs fly" mount your wife has with all her medals. Such a good idea! I was going to put all mine up in my office but may have to rethink this ...

[fintstone]

"Watching deer rut" seems an odd goal for an 8-year old girl...just sayin.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by tweezers74

I even, gasp, let them be bored every once in a while.

My somewhat spoiled niece (oldest sister's daughter) was hanging around with my nephew (wife's oldest sister's son). She says at some point "I'm bored". To which my nephew replied: "Sometimes you just have to be bored."

Pretty philosophical for a 17 year old.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by tweezers74

Lee, I love the "pigs fly" mount your wife has with all her medals. Such a good idea! I was going to put all mine up in my office but may have to rethink this ...

Sadly, it looks like the flying pig medal holder has been discontinued! The pig holder probably has half of her medals.

[Hydrocket]

I don't think parents needs to ban TV. They just have to be aware and participate in the decision in what the kids are watching.

[Math]

96 and 82 are the same. they only did 99 things.
also, lots of sleeping.
lazy slackers.