Portland, Tennessee Blog

Jessica, I agree with your post about MTV. It is nothing like when we were growing up. It is just straight trash now. However, I laugh my butt off at Spongebob.

My 4 year old will not watch those programs.. The only thing on her mind is Hannna Montana and High School Musical.

My 5 year old watches Diego, Franklin, Blues Clues, and the Backyardigans, just to name a few. But, her ultimate favorite is Tom and Jerry. She loves them. I try to get her to watch some of the cartoons that I watched as a child. Hopefully she won't turn out warped like me. LOL.

That is so true. Kids grow up fast enough as it is . . . I don't even want my 17 year acting like a 17 year old . . . LOL

Oh, and no offense taken. Parenting, like politics and religion, are volatile issues for people who feel passionately about it and I just wanted to make it clear that I was just sharing my opinion and not declaring it to be right or wrong. :)

Oh,Michelle, I was in no way knocking your post, I was just venting really..LoL I apologize if it came off that way, this topic was my chance to get some of my peeves out :) I agree with you completely,and we all do our best, I just wish more parents were aware of what their children watch on TV, listen to on the radio, and what they are reading in so-called "teen" magazines..it just seems like society wants 10 year olds to act like I used to at 17.

I hope you haven't misunderstood what I am saying. I am not advocating for teletubbies or any other "program", I am talking about silliness in a generalized sense. (knock-knock jokes, coloring an elephant purple and/or green instead of grey, playing dress-up with wacky looking clothes, etc.) I think, and it's just my opinion, that it is just as vital to a child's overall development to "just be a kid" and be silly sometimes. I am in no way, shape, or form, saying that children should be subjected to mindless programs or activities for prolonged periods of time. In fact, I am not advocating for a lot of tv, educational or otherwise, for young children. Children are naturally inquisative which makes it easy to turn a simple walk around the neighborhood, or trip to the grocery store into a educational experience. (those two activites alone can be used to learn ABC's and colors, reading, science, math, physical education, social skills, nutrition, manners and most any other lesson a resourceful parent can come up with)

I don't know you, but it sounds like you are a concientious parent . . . I am one as well, but I have yet find an example of a "perfect parenting" and I doubt I will ever find one in my lifetime so there are no judgements coming from me toward you or anyone else. We all do our best.

I think children get enough of completely useless televison as pre-teens and teenagers,I mean, MTV back in my day was music videos,it was the "cool" thing to watch as a teen,I wouldn't say it was educational,but it was music,and that music inspired me to do things and understand life, as much as a 16 year old can, such as how I could sing my heart out along with some love song, one day as I did my homework, and cry over a breakup song the next..now its basically a bunch of half naked people blaring profanity and making it known that acting that way rolls in the big bucks in Hollywood. I plan to keep my child's tv viewing as educational as possible for as long as I can, he can watch fun, useless stuff when he isn't in his forming toddler years! :)

I agree that parents need to be mindful of what children are exposed to, but sometimes it's fun for kids to watch and do things that have no
"educational" value, but that make them laugh because they are silly. And it's okay.

I just saw a clip about the release of some of the earlier Sesame Street episodes which have been labeled "adults only". It seems that some of the earlier episodes, which I, uh, cough . . . am much too young to remember . . . cough . . . have scenes where children are running through deserted construction sites, talking to strangers (even going into strangers houses and eating sweets).

The producers say that the earlier episodes were much edgier than what is presently produced, but honestly, what I remember about those episodes was how to be a good friend, learning my ABC's, counting in Spanish, and that imaginary friends were "real" even if no one else could see them. (did anyone else ever hope that someone would finally see Mr. Snuffalufffacus besides Big Bird?)

The point? I was not inclined to jump on rusty bedsprings or go into strangers houses even though I was "exposed" to Sesame Street. My parents did a good job of supervising me and teaching me so I learned the good messages and the "bad" ones were a moot issue.

Ugh. I have found very few shows actually worth my 3 year old watching. Some even "educational" claiming shows are just plain nonsense,such as the one you have mentioned and a new one on the Nick Jr. network, Yo Gabba Gabba, it is completely ridiculous. I also am appauled at the parents who let their toddlers watch the infamous Sponge Bob. Why,oh why. Some of my favorites (and thankfully my son's too) for learning are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,Blue's Clues and Diego..Thanks to Diego and Dora, my son knows many Spanish words, has been counting to ten in English and Spanish since he was 23 months old! The Diego show also has taught him so much about animals. On his preschool folder, there is our Portland mascot, the panther, one day while I was looking at it, he climbed up next to me,pointed at it and said "WOW! A PUMA!" LoL..I explained it was a panther and he said "It looks like a pumatoo,mom! :)