At least once a day, A asks me if she can watch t.v.. And sometimes I give in. Ok, ok, you got me. I always say "yes." But how could I not? Cartoons these days are nothing like what they used to be. The programs on t.v. nowadays are educational...and I'm talking about real learning going on. In fact, I learn some new stuff every single time I watch an episode of Curious George with her. I mean, who knew that the smaller the igloo, the warmer it stays. Alright, maybe everyone knew that. But I didn't and that's what I"m talking about. I learned something...from watching a cartoon with my 3 year old.
Now the reason this is amazing is because when I was young, cartoons weren't so preoccupied with adding useful information to your brain. They were more focused on sucking you in for hours of fun that required absolutely no brain activity whatsoever. And they were almost always strange...blue people schlepping the day away singing addicting songs, mutant turtles running around trying to save the day, ducks going on all kinds of treasure hunts. I mean, nothing had any ounce of educational value. But they were so much fun. Tom and Jerry (fun). Fraggle Rock (weird but fun). Thundercats (creepy but fun). Fat Albert (straight out offensive but fun). The list goes on. Let's be real here, the cartoons from our youth were way more entertaining than, let's say, Word World or Wonder Pets.
And although our kids must be much smarter from all the subliminal learning that is going on, I can't help but feel sorry for them. They have never known a world where a cartoon's one and only purpose was to offer mindless entertainment. I'm so sorry A and G. You may never know my experience of sitting in a room (that was most likely covered in lead-based paint), eating a saturated fat filled snack such as a Twinkie, while my mind relaxed into a stupor as I watched a cat terrorizing a mouse for hours on end.
My children, I feel for you from the bottom of my heart. But, then again, maybe that's why you know way more than I did at your age.
About Me
- borabora
- This blog was an accident. A conversation I had with my daughter changed my mind about blogging. Which is not too surprising considering she's been changing me (for the better) ever since her debut into this world. Anyway, back to the point, not all accidents are bad. Look at my second child, Gwen, for example...hehe. Ok, bad joke. (The 2nd child already has it hard enough as it is. Sorry Gwen.) I am a happy stay-at-home mama with two beautiful girls and an awesome hubby and I happen to find myself in many (accidental) situations that turn out to be the best thing ever. Hopefully this will be one of those times. Thanks for reading the mish-mosh of memories and musings that are being recorded as a gift for the two little girls that have captured my heart.
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