Spending too much time in front of electronic media screens--TVs, computers, video games, and modern music players and cell phones--has been linked to childhood problems like sleep trouble, lower grades, and weight and behavior issues. And a recent study* showed that children between the ages of 8 and 18 years old are spending at least 8 hours with electronic screens every day! Many experts have been suggesting we take a good hard look at our relationship to electronic media, and try different ways of reducing this "screen time." This April 19th-25th is national "Screen Free Week" (referred to as "TV Turn Off Week" back when TV screens were the only screens to worry about), and it's the perfect time for all of us to examine our media use, and to try to substitute some of that TV/game/computer time with other activities that are more social, creative, and active. There are many free resources, available on-line, for kicking off your week-long experiment in screen-free living. At screenfreeweek.org, for example, you will find a downloadable "Educator's Guide to Managing Preschool Screen Time" as well as printable planning charts, discussion guides, and information on how screen time affects kids. These materials will help you and the children in your life think of new and stimulating ways to spend time together--and not with your screen! Good luck and happy planning! * Kaiser Family Foundation, "Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds"