This week is National TV Turn-Off Week and if you don’t have kids in school, I bet you didn’t even know it. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Most of us in America are too busy putting away our Easter decorations or planning how to celebrate National BBQ month to be bothered with any holidays in between.A friend of mine, who happens to be a college professor, is one of the seven million people who participate in this anti-television event every spring. The only plus in not living on the same street as him was that I wasn’t going to have to hear about his holiday ever again.Not true.Apparently, even in the Midwest folks have heard of this absurd celebration. In fact, the officials who put together the Hills-Beaver Creek School newsletter went so far as to include the dates of the event in April’s issue.Unfortunately, as you may have gathered from reading my earlier columns, I am a TV addict. I am part of the 283 million Americans who feel they can’t take a week without their friends on the boob tube.In order to write this column, I set out to find the roots of this holiday. Just why do people feel humans need to not watch their televisions for one week in the spring? Especially since this week usually corresponds with the start of May sweeps, the NBA Playoffs, a PGA golf championship and turbulent weather forecasts. Here is what I found on the TVturnoff.org Web site.Why turn off the TV? Television cuts into family time, harms our children's ability to read and succeed in school and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity. Here are just a few of the facts:üOn average, children in the United States will spend more time in front of the television (1,023 hours) than in school (900 hours).üForty percent of Americans frequently or always watch television during dinner.üAs U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher said at the kickoff of TV-Turnoff Week 2001, "We are raising the most overweight generation of youngsters in American history ... This week is about saving lives."So I guess this week is about saving the children. Though I hate to admit it, a story from my childhood backs up what the anti-television folks are saying.When I was in third grade, I watched a lot of television. I was addicted to the prime time Nick at Night lineup, I loved cartoons, I watched sports and the good people at Nickelodeon could entertain me for hours. My relationship with the television schedule was more important than anything else in my life.Unfortunately at the time, I wasn’t a stellar student in school. I didn’t read well, I couldn’t spell and I had little interest in learning.One Sunday morning my father showed me a news article about a boy who had bet his parents $500 he wouldn’t watch TV for a month.I loved the idea and proceeded to make a similar bet with my parents. Except I upped the ante, saying I could go a full year.So, for one year I took a break from television. I started reading newspapers and books, joined a softball team, took swimming lessons, was in two plays and suddenly was volunteering for science projects.The bet changed my relationship with television. I had kicked the habit.When reality television entered my life, I quickly became addicted again. Now, I have to watch my shows on Tuesday and Thursday nights.But I do encourage kids out there to give it a try. The world is a wonderful place to explore. Sometimes you just have to get up off the couch and discover it.Comments or story ideas can be emailed to lexim@star-herald.com.