You Cannot Beat The Television

You cannot beat the television.
The television, television.  -OK GO

I've been a couch potato for as long as I can remember.

Scooby Doo, Sesame Street, Burgugas (Mexican show in the 80's, you can YouTube) are some of my earliest childhood memories.

I can name a lot of other cartoons, children's shows. I can spend whole days in bed doing nothing except zoning out to whatever strikes my fancy. 

I really, really wanted to avoid that for my son. I had a plan. No TV till two, then limited screen time from then on. 

Well we all know how that turned out, right? You don't? Read it here, I'll wait.

So I spent a lot of time beating myself up (as did the hubby) then I made peace with it. At home he gets 20-30 minutes Monday through Friday. On weekends as little as nothing (except Football ALL Sunday, not that he cares. Unless we cheer, then he cheers too. Epic cuteness) Or maybe a family movie we try to watch. He'll pay attention to pieces, but I can't say he watches. At my moms, I don't know how much he gets to watch. When he starts school in just a few weeks it will drop dramatically as he'll be at Grandma's two days less a week. I think we'll be just fine. 

In the meantime we have found two shows approved by both the hubby and I that we LOVE.

My Number 1 pick, Super Why! (the hubby's #2)

Art work by me, no not a 7 year old

This show is awesome. I love the reading readiness, the message it sends and "Hip Hip Hooray (the super readers saved the day)". No matter if Animal paid attention to the episode or not (but almost always yes) he starts dancing and throws his arms up in the air. I love it. I especially love the idea that if you have a problem you can't figure out, you can find the answer by reading a book. It's the same message he'll be getting from me his whole life, because when I don't know something that's how learn about it. 

My Number 2 pick, Team Umi Zoomi (the hubby's #1)


It's such a fun show. Completely age appropriate. Fun with shapes, counting, and patterns. Math skills are super important and this is a great show to get your preschoolers mind engaged. I also like the music in this one. 





Animal also likes:

 Peppa Pig (harmless, age appropriate and fun)
Yo Gabba Gabba (lots of fun, musical, my favorite song; Don't Bite Your Friends)
Bubble Guppies (learning, music, and funny. I like this one too, the hubby can't get over fins)

I can't stand Dora the Explorer. I just can't.

The hubby can't stand Ni Hao Kia-Lan. I was sad about that one, because I think it's cute and Animal likes it. He (the hubby) doesn't like it because he thinks the characters are whiny and that after they're whiny and pout, they get what they want. I don't always agree, but they are whiny. 

I still watch TV.  A lot compared to some. 

Compared to my old self however, I'm down 50-70% a week. The only day the TV is on all day now is Sunday, but when the football season ends that will change. I'm pretty happy with that.

How about you? 



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