Aug. 30, 2000

How's this for a challenge? Could you or your children give up watching tv, movies, and video games for an entire year?

A couple of kids in Sandy decided to try it. But the deal was, mom and dad would have to pay them each $500 if they did it.

Guess what? Yeah, it's time to pay up. Keith McCord has the story.

For a year, Todd and Jeffrey Parker found unique ways to spend their time. They made a deal with their parents. They would spend an entire year--NOT watching television, movies or playing video games; if they made it, mom and dad would pay them 500-bucks!

Quite an incentive for a 13- and a 9-year-old. However, it was a long year.

Jeffrey Parker/TV Refugee "IT WAS HARD FOR THREE WEEKS FOR ME. FOR THREE WEEKS AND THEN I GOT TO FIND SOME MORE THINGS TO DO BESIDES TV."

Todd Parker/TV Free:"FOR ME IT WAS THE THREE MONTHS."

So what did they do instead?

Todd spent a lot of time drawing and writing comic books. And he's learning to play drums.

It was extra challenging for Todd, because he shares his room with his older brother - who has a tv and video games.

Todd Parker/TV Free: "EVERYBODY PLAYS COMPUTER GAMES AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE AS ADDICTED AS I WAS, BUT I PLAYED THEM ALL THE TIME."

Jeffrey plays basketball and reads Harry Potter books.

He also took up collecting coins and is responsible for feeding the family's fish.

Their dad, Jim Parker, didn't think the boys would ever make it for an entire year. But he says, despite the lighter pocketbook, he's proud of his sons.

Jim Parker: "I KIND OF COMPARE IT TO WHAT IT COST FOR A SEMESTER OF COLLEGE. I THINK THE BENEFIT THAT THEY GOT OUT OF BY SKIPPING TV, VIDEO GAMES AND MOVIES FOR A YEAR IS PROBABLY WORTH MORE THAN ANY SEMESTER SOMEONE COULD GET IN COLLEGE."

So what now?

Jeffrey Parker/TV Free: "I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO WATCH TV AS MUCH AS I DID BEFORE."

Todd Parker/TV Free: "I AM GOING TO SET LIMITS FOR MYSELF SO I DON'T, JUST, GO CRAZY."

Todd can breathe a sigh of relief--his year is up, and he has his 500-bucks. For Jeffrey, though, his year comes up tomorrow, so he better not be watching us tonight!

Todd says he's headed to the video store to spend some of his money!