Children's Shows

It is still legislated as much as possible, and by the underground mother networks, that Television usage ought to be minimized. Really? Claims are that it ought not be a surrogate parent. Yet, I find that the things children get from tv use is so much better than reality. Admittedly, it takes a village, and due to external nudges the children learn and teach me such valuable truths via forced redundancy of "Children's Programs". Personally, I will go out on a limb alone and say that I approve of using tv to provide a venue for the mind to develop. Ofcourse, we always lie and in interviews claim that our children only watch a minimal ammount of TV.

I do not feel this replaces me as a parent, but it enforces everything I teach, giving place holders and examples for a growing acceptance of truth.

An example is our last Family Home Evening. The children, Joseph, 4 and Mary Anne, 3, love it so much! Because we use tools they already love to convey our lessons. Last week, we taught of the value of Family Histories, by telling them stories of when we were young children. Then, our activity/game included favorite videos of their own personal history, which they loved soooo much, and days later, they still talk about and review significant things from their past because it was on video. I think this is because they esteem their TV so much that to see themselves was soooo impressive. I think they would do anything to get to be on TV.

(Insert comment on journal based movies)

When my siblings were little, I used to use songs to teach them everything. I wrote songs for each address and phone number, which I still recall to this day. And that has so much worth, but as each child is different. I see that effecting Mary Anne more. She loves to learn a song. But, Joseph is like a sponge when it comes to absorbing things taught in a video from vocabulary to basic social skills.

I have learned so much from watching and rewatching and reading about his favorite Carachters. They generate a Passion in him that I could not muster.  One example of his regard for other personalities is a guy who makes kid friendly videos. His accent is quite different from ours and we find Joseph saying things like this guy when we constantly correct him. It is easier to work with what he observes than correct him, so it is important to monitor what is allowed to go in. But, who wouldn't prefer to live in a TV world? I pick Mr. Kangaroo or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

At bedtime a favorite is Beatrice Potter, which I found videos of online, and he loves those so much cause he already knew them. I think that is why kids like repitition. I noticed when we went gps Temple Open House how a totally new place felt like home to them when they excitedly pointed out familiar paintings. "Jesus has that picture in his house, too!", Mary observed. Also, I noticed how you can forget where you are (townwise) in a Wap-mart cause they are set up the same (or should be). Once, Dad went in the women's restroom cause the Walmart stores has reversed the location of men and women's restrooms in two frequently visited stores. This I getting long winded and off track, lol Thomas The Tank Engine reverie was how this all started. Well, that and a comment years ago about how a song was written to a chick on a TV show... Sorta.