Mommy, when I grow up I wanna be a couch potato...just like you!

No one really dreams of wasting their life in front of the TV. That goal ranks up there with becoming a professional burger flipper or french fry specialist. Yet, the AVERAGE American spends 4 hours each and every day in front of the TV. That makes the AVERAGE American a part-time couch potato, clocking in 28 hours per week. Is that really the American dream now? Are you watching TV instead of pursuing your dreams? If so, what message might that you be sending to your children? Would you rather be a living embodiment of someone who pursues their dreams, or an embodiment of couch potato-hood? What messages does watching TV send to our kids? First, there are all the messages the TV itself sends out: all the sex, violence, and other messages depending on the shows that your family watches. By watching these shows we legitimize the messages contained within them. Second, there is the message we send by our example. We demonstrate to our kids how to interact with the world when we are watching TV, especially when we do it for four hours a day. We are passive. We hypnotically accept most of what is presented. We are isolated from the world. We do not actively engage the world. Time wise, we also show our kids that TV is the most important thing in life after sleep and work. Third, there is the message we send out by omission. We demonstrate everything else that we are not doing when we watch TV. We are NOT showing by example how to take care of responsibilities. Our minds are NOT focused on reality. We are NOT physically active. We are NOT pursuing our dreams. We are sending the message to our children that watching TV is more important than pursuing our dreams. The average American child may be surprised to find their parents have dreams beyond Saturday Night Football. What are your dreams? In order to set a good example of following your dreams, you may wish to consider strictly limiting, or eliminating TV from your life. When people are involved in pursuing their dreams they often find that they do not have the time to watch TV. TV just gets in the way of pursuing other dreams. Although you won't magically have your dreams materialize, once you get control over--or get rid of--your TV, you may find that you may have the time to pursue your other dreams. You will have time to build a happy family and an exciting marriage. You will have time to pursue the health and body you desire. You will have time to build communities with your neighbors. You will have time to play an active role in your church or religious institution. You will have time to play an active role in social or political groups. You will have time to do charity work. You will have time to start your own business. Whatever your dreams are, you will have the time to pursue them. Just Imagine... What would happen if all Americans threw their televisions out their windows today and started pursuing their dreams? What if the entrepreneurs focused their energy on building their businesses? What if all the moms and dads in this country started devoting more of their time to building the type of family they had always dreamed of having. What if communities came together to pursue their common dreams. It could literally change the world. Or we Americans could go on as we are now, passively letting our dreams pass us by, stuck in a hypnotic daze in front of the TV. Turn OFF your TV and follow your dreams!