Fridge Wisdom: ¡Gracias, pero no gracias!
Like any perfect parent, I have kept JJ from watching TV before the age of two, since pediatricians recommend they have very limited exposure up until that age. Umm… no. Like any good American, TV is my back-up entertainer, schoolteacher and tranquilizer. It’s how I was raised, and I turned out okay. Ish.
Also like any good American (of a certain age), I learned the most from Sesame Street. Counting. ABCs. How to tell when one thing is not like the other. And of course Spanish. Mucho, mucho Spanish.
And speaking of Spanish… There are a lot more options vying for my toddler’s attention, and Sesame Street is pretty low on his radar. Not so low—much to my chagrin—is Dora. You know, The (bilingual) Explorah. As a designer, I must say the animation is pretty abhorrent (what’s with the disembodied eyebrows?!?) As an adult, the repetitiveness of the dialog drives me loco. And the whole talking to the kids through the screen bit? Very creepy.
But as a parent, I must admit JJ has learned quite a bit, from this adventuresome tot and her boot-wearing monkey. Probably because they hammer it into his tiny, impressionable skull. And unfortunately not a lot of what he learns is very useful.
So a big ¡Gracias, pero no Gracias! to Dora for teaching JJ such essential words as:
How about teaching some phrases helpful in everyday life? Something like:
Or perhaps:
So what random and totally pointless thing did your rugrat learn from the boob tube?
Have you ever looked at any of the cartoons lately we used to watch as kids? Some of the animation quality was downright laughable (i.e. the whole Hanna Barbera oeuvre, including The Flintstones), yet it kept us entertained. My nieces love Dora, and the fact that they can pick up a few Spanish words, as well as be made aware somewhat of what the Latino culture is all about, is a plus in my opinion.
Steve:
One of my favorites as a kid was Super Friends, which I know is horrendously low-budget animation. But Looney Toons and Disney were always top notch. And yeah, I’m probably being too hard on Dora. I guess watching it every day is starting to wear on me. At least with Sesame Street there was always some variety. 🙂
DD