This week -- April 20th - 26th -- is "Turnoff Week."  Since  2001, this week has focused on getting kids and families to turn off their TVs, but now the focus has expanded to just about anything with a screen: ipods, computers, cell phones, and electronic games.

While I do think that children can spend too much time staring at a screen, I don't think all screen time is bad.  In fact, I think that video games are sometimes beneficial and watching DVDs with your children can be a bonding experience.


  Carey Bryson, About.com's Guide to Kids' Movies and TV, believes TV can actually be good for kids and offers some tips to help children develop healthy TV viewing habits.

Whether or not you believe screen watching is good or bad for kids, you can get your kids to think about their screen habits by encouraging them to enter the essay contest sponsored by the Center for Screen-Time Awareness. The contest is for kids in grades two and up and asks participants for essays dealing with "the positive effects of reduced screen-time on their life and imagination."

So for this week, you can ask your children to reduce the time they spend with their favorite screens and then write on essay on the experience.  The entry deadline is May 30th. You can visit the essay contest page for more information.