March 14, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Spring Break is almost here, and while that might mean sunny beaches or ski slopes for some, millions of kids will be spending their time off close to home – with television, iPods, computers, cell phones, and a host of other media gadgets.

In a world where kids spend an average of 45 hours per week with the media when they are in school, it’s a sure bet that kids on Spring Break are going to look to fill their extended free time with even more television, movies, video games, Web sites and text messages, said Common Sense Media CEO and Founder Jim Steyer.

“Many parents, particularly those who work, can probably imagine that their kids would love to spend their week off sitting on the couch with a remote in one hand and a cell phone in the other,” said Common Sense Media CEO and Founder Jim Steyer. “But it’s really important to keep kids active when they are out of school. Spending the whole week staring at a screen isn’t healthy.”

Researchers have even begun to suggest that kids tend to be less active when they have more free time than when they are busy in school. A study released earlier this month by Indiana University and Ohio State University found that young students gain more weight over summer vacation -- when they should be most active -- than during the school year. The researches said children are spending too much of their summer vacation eating snacks, watching TV and playing video games and that parents need to be more involved.

As parents prepare to have their children out of school for Spring Break, Common Sense Media recommends they spend some time thinking about how they’ll manage kids’ media use during the week.

“It’s not that parents have to tell their kids: ‘No media during spring break!’” Steyer said. “But it’s a good idea to set some ground rules with your kids and stick with them.”

To help parents manage kids’ media use over Spring Break, Common Sense offers the following tips:

• Set boundaries: Talk with your kids in advance and set a limit for how much time they can spend each day watching television, playing video games, or IMing friends. Middle and high school kids are old enough to spend lots of time unsupervised, but you’ll want to check in with them and make sure they’re not breaking or bending the rules you all agreed on.
• Do your research: It’s ok to let your children use the media for a set period of time each day, but make sure you know what they’re watching, listening to and playing. If you’re going to rent movies or video games for your kids to enjoy over break, make sure the content is age-appropriate. Common Sense has simple, easy-to-use reviews at www.commonsense.com
• Enjoy the media together: Plan a family movie night, take a shopping trip to the bookstore, or rent a video game you can play together. Media is big part of kids’ lives today, and it can be a lot of fun, so make an effort to find media that you and your kids can enjoy together.