Gift Guide 
Need a smart way to persuade your kid to limit his viewing habits? Take a look at Ask Arizona, one of our most-read features.
This month, our star writer Arizona reveals a super-relatable tale about how she once lost an entire day of fun because she binge watched a popular television show for children. You’ll love Arizona’s no-fail advice for kicking the habit (for starters, she recommends not turning the TV on in the first place). You can catch her story on pages 40-41 of the January 2017 issue, on HighlightsKids.com, or in the recap that follows. Whatever you choose, discuss the article with your child whenever you can grab a quiet moment together. And don’t forget to use the conversation starters and reading comprehension questions we’ve provided. They’ll help your kid become a better and more insightful reader.
Recap: A kid who signs his letter Too Much TV in Tennessee needs help limiting his television watching. Arizona responds with a story about the time she got sidetracked watching too much television while visiting her childhood friend Maddy. Maddy lives two hours from Arizona, so the trip was a rare treat for both of them; they planned to celebrate the occasion with a long list of fun activities. As the visit got underway, however, the girls squandered the day engrossed in Maddy’s favorite television series—and they regretted it later. While the get-together didn’t turn out as planned, they learned an important lesson about what really counts when friends spend time together.
Conversation Starters:
- Describe a time when you watched way more TV than you had planned. Did you regret it? What else could you have been doing?
- What do you think of Arizona’s advice that if you don’t want to go overboard, don’t turn the TV on in the first place?
- Which would you prefer: Watching TV indoors for six hours, or going outside for a great game of tennis, softball, or hockey?
- Name a person you would like to visit if you could see any childhood buddy. How would you spend your time together?
- What would you eliminate to curb your screen time: apps and games, streamed shows and movies, or your favorite TV programs?
Reading Comprehension Boosters:
- Besides television, what does Arizona say she can’t get enough of?
- According to Arizona, what one thing do both her obsessions have in common?
- When Arizona first started watching the TV series with Maddy, she actually liked it. How did she feel about it after having spent a whole day viewing episodes?
- Arizona suggests three ways Too Much TV in Tennessee can curb his viewing habits. What are they?
- List the activities on Maddy and Arizona’s Fun List (bonus points if you get all four of them!).
