A Time To Work and A Time To Watch

I was eighteen years old when television first came to Zimbabwe. It is difficult to put a figure on how much time today’s children spend watching television. We know that fifteen to eighteen year olds seem to watch less TV than younger children.

A quick eleven plus question.

If we watch an average of 2 hours of TV a day, how much will we have watched by the time we are eighteen?

If the same question had been posed as: (365 x (18 x 2)) then it is possible that more children will not have had to hesitate.

An even easier question would have been 365 x 36.

In the great spirit of research into television, studying and children it was found that watching a simple quiz show before an examination helps to stimulate the mind.

Perhaps parents need to start watching and recording quiz shows to ensure the television viewing before an examination is appropriate.

Naturally there will be a rush on the book shops with anxious parents asking for quiz books suitable for the eleven plus. If you do decide to make up your own questions, please send some sample questions to us.

My questions is: If there was no TV until a child was eighteen - how on earth would children spend the time?