Yes, I know that “Good Parents” do not let their pre-school children watch television.
I am obviously not a good parent. (But we've covered that before.)
There were days when that 30 minutes of Dora the Explorer was all that separated me from the insane asylum. The day I discovered that Maisy was hypnotic baby crack that could keep AC frozen in place long enough for me to shower and check email was a grand day indeed. I wanted to hunt down the people who made that show and throw myself at their feet in groveling gratitude for the peace it gave me when there was something I needed to do. I made a tape of Maisy episodes to have on hand for emergency AC distraction. It was a ridiculous show and I hated it with a passion normally reserved only for large purple dinosaurs, but oh, mercy, I loved it as well.
Children’s television isn’t made for adults and most of the shows AC loved to watch made my eyeballs bleed. But there are some shows that were so good, I was disappointed when AC outgrew them and I didn’t get to watch them anymore.
Like…
The characters themselves are from an acid trip, but overall, it’s an awesome show. Great stories, original songs and real dancing. I swear, the Backyardigans crew had a real choreographer on staff. The songs were catchy and different. Just all around fun. And they always went in for a healthy snack at the end.
I actually watched a couple of these before AC was born. The cutest dog ever acting out classic literary masterpieces. ‘Nuff said. (He's in a Robin Hood outfit. That's just adorable!)
Granted, the baby talk could get a little old, but you had to love the teamwork and the puns for parents. I've even found a ringtone of the theme song and I'm so putting it on my phone (probably only for special occasion use. It can get a little irritating.) “Da phone, da phone is ring-ging…” (If you have a small child in your life, you’re singing along already. And it will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. You’re welcome.)
But the one show I loved then and will still watch now – with or without AC – is Phineas and Ferb.
This show is brilliant. Funny, smart, catchy songs, and a secret agent platypus. And Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated. There’s a million things to love about this show, and I recommend it for all adults. (Because who doesn’t want to get up and dance to “Squirrels in my Pants”?)
So what kids’ shows do you love and occasionally still sing a line or two of?
PC
7 comments:
Right there with you PC! Thankfully my kids are a bit older now, but purple dinosaur? I hated him with a passion!
Go and google the Teletubbies for the most irritating tv programme known to all man. Now singalong - "Tinky Winky, Dipsy. La-la, Po.....Teletubbies, teletubbies say hello!"
Hideous, hideous, hideous.
What was wrong with Hong Kong Phoey anyway????
My kids just had Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers and Electric Company, but oh how I loved the free time they gave me, especially when I was pregnant with #2 son. I could plop #1 in front of Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers and lie on the couch for a while.
Babysitting my granddaughter introduced me to Wonderpets (da Phone! I'll be right there!) I love it and miss that she's outgrown Wonderpets.
I'll have to check out Phineas and Ferb.
Love the Wonderpets ("Dis is sewious!". Most of the others make me want to pull out my hair.
My all-time favorite cartoons were Rocky and Bullwinkle, and PuffnStuff, which wasn't actually a cartoon (pre-Muppets) and was slyly geared more toward adults than children, but kids didn't know it.
Sesame Street still has great lessons for all of us to learn (or re-learn!) But, I still find myself "walking backwards through my mind" to find things! It really works! And, the way they dealt with Mr. Hooper's death was a life lesson for all of us.
I am hopelessly out of it and don't recognize any of them (you will be there in, say twenty years PC). The one thing I do remember from my son was "Power Rangers." I still keep hearing his voice saying "Go, go Power Rangers!" I still stroll though the toy section and look at the Power Rangers and Transformers - ah the good ol' days when you could pacify with a toy and a show!!!
My son was a Power Ranger fan & Batman. And when he was a toddler, I LOVED 101 dalmations cartoon version. Why, might you ask? Because I could then take a shower and completely close the shower curtain. My son was afraid I would disappear if it was completely closed. Put in 101 dalmations and he did not move, at all!
Yes, mine are starting to move out of that stage too. But I'm like you: I'll watch Phineas and Ferb with or without the kids. LOVE IT!!! Funny, with sly jokes that parents can get. We watch lots of it around here.
Cheryl, my son still watches power rangers! We've been through the Jungle Fury version and am now watching Samurai. They come out with a new one every couple of years or so.
The funniest thing towatch with the kids, though, is Animaniacs! My hubby is a huge fan, and he's introduced the kids to the episodes through iTunes. Sometimes they just look at me and go, "Huh?" while there dad is laughing his butt off.
Angel
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