(This blog post turned into more of a tirade than I had initially planned. You don't have to agree with me. I'll still love you!)
The other day my kids were watching an episode of Arthur on PBS. Buster the slobby rabbit suddenly became a germaphobe. It was cute and funny and rather educational.
It reminded me how much I have grown to LOVE PBS programming for kids.
In the nearly ten years I've been a mother I have come to depend on it. My kids have grown up with Elmo, Arthur, and (I hate to admit it) Barney. Now they're into the new Electric Company and Word Girl. I've even picked up a few favorites of my own that weren't around when I was little, like Between the Lions and Arthur. I even kind of miss Zoboomafoo.
Of course, that doesn't mean that I haven't had a few criticisms of PBS Kids shows through the years.
Like, what the heck was up with that show Boo-Bah? It was like Teletubbies on shrooms. And that kid Caillou was about as obnoxious as they come. I don't like some of the changes they've made to Sesame Street and I really could do without Sid the Science kid, I find the animation somewhat creepy. And Wishbone was well intended but really rather weird.
But I have very little to complain about when it comes to actual content and plot lines. Which I can rarely say for some of the "kids" programming I've seen elsewhere.
The other day my kids were watching Saturday Morning cartoons--well, it wasn't really cartoons it was Hannah Montana. (We don't have cable but a few Disney Channel shows are shown on ABC on Saturday.) It was AWFUL!!! Someone has lead that poor Miley Cyrus seriously astray when they told her she could act. And don't get me started on her singing. Uck! After that was this horrible show about some bratty kids living in a hotel. It was over-acted, over-indulgent and totally over-rated. I realized my kids aren't missing out on much by not having multiple "kid channels" to watch. Of course, that means we have to get our Dora and Spongebob from DVD's but we are spared the constant barrage of commercials for kid-centric stuff we don't need.
I'm sure there are wonderful shows out there for kids that we've never heard of on networks we don't have, but my kids probably spend more time than they should in front of the tube as it is. I don't feel like we're missing out on anything.
So for now anyway, PBS is all we need.
(Makes me think I should probably give them some money one of these days!)
8 comments:
Your comments on the Hannah Montana show totally reminded me of an experience I recently had while running on the treadmill at our local rec center. Indulge me while I share it . . .
Usually, I go early enough in the morning that all they are showing on TV is news or sports recaps. However, I went in later in the morning and discovered the late-morning TV selection to be a completely different experience. The choices I had were: soaps, sports, or (brace yourself) Saved by the Bell. Remember that show??? Talk about over-acted, over-indulgent and totally over-rated! But, I will shamefully admit, that is what I watched. (Hey, it was better than the soaps!) ;o)
The whole time I ran, all that was going through my mind was, "Why did I ever watch this show as a teen? This is SO CHEESY and LAME!" But then I remembered, "Oh yeah, it is because Zack and Slater were HOT!"
I think that is the entire pull with Miley Cyrus too. Give it a decade or two and she won't be remembered so fondly! ;o)
My husband and I spent an evening with our grandbaby recently and watched an episode of a show called "Wonder Pets" that had been recorded on the DVR. (I have no idea what channel it is on.) She is only a year and a half, and was totally into it. She said "bye bye" at all the right times. So cute to watch her, but very painful to watch the actual show, especially for my husband. As his own kids were growing up, he wasn't home during the Kid Hour TV watching times, so hadn't been exposed to "Barney" or the likes of "Wonder Pets" before. The entire premise, dialog (or lack there of), singing, etc.... it made him completely nuts.
My daughter told me she doesn't like watching Miley Cyrus because, she is ugly. What did I say? "Hmm, she sure is--of course I told her how would you feel if someone said that to you?" Inside, I thought--well she is kind of husky voiced....
And yes, love the PBS kids. With newborns, I really love it.
love to read your blogs! We are huge PBS fans! For years it was the only tv station we could get.
We just haven't had TV for the most part while we have had kids (sometimes by choice, sometimes not)- it is lovely to just choose the films that we don't mind them watching.
We did have that 5 month stint in NYC where there was a TV in every room and cable- we were junkies, but mostly for the food network, discovery, and HGTV and the like. The girls did watch too much Disney and by that I mean more than 5 minutes. It was painful, but we were so cultured in other ways that in our down time I wasn't too worried about the damage that could be done by a little modern day pop culture. I am glad that my kids would rather be reading a book, practicing music, and being outside! Though I have to say 3 cheers for Public TV- it really is the best out there!
PBS Kids is the best! When tv made the change to digital, we missed it for a few months. Now we can get it again and I am so happy! I love SuperWhy and Dinosaur Train for my 2-year-old!
And I must admit that even in my 'tweens I liked watching Wishbone. :)
That Wishbone show was a total creepfest. Did he really have to play the love interest in every classic literary tale? Could he not just have been the modern day storyteller, letting a normal human be Cyrano or Romeo? Ick.
My kids can't stand Miley Cyrus because she can't sing. But Hannah Montana is much better than the annoying, implausible Zack and Cody hotel thing. Seriously? Who lets their night club singer live in a hotel with her two annoying children?
Sarah, you're a fabulous writer. You should totally free lance for mommy articles.
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