http://shelf-life.ew.com/2009/12/31/baby-sitters-club-returns/
That's right! The series of books that I was able to read in about 45 minutes (each) is making a comeback. Interested to see if they are a success or not. Do the kids today even do things like babysit anymore? Do we, as parents, even allow tweens/teens to look after our kids anymore?
I have very warm memories of these books. It was just before I moved on to Star Wars novels. Dork.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
RIP, Olivia
http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/12/21/sesame-street-stars-alaina-reed-amini-dies-at-63/
I knew this would start happening soon, but not this soon. I loved Olivia's voice growing up. My favorite is probably her singing "One Little Star" in the movie "Follow That Bird."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic2uNkHIMCU
She will live on in our hearts, and on our TVs.
I knew this would start happening soon, but not this soon. I loved Olivia's voice growing up. My favorite is probably her singing "One Little Star" in the movie "Follow That Bird."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic2uNkHIMCU
She will live on in our hearts, and on our TVs.
The Little Rocket That Couldn't
This Year's Favorite Christmas Special
I love how I can be a hero to my daughter by simply taping her favorite episode of a show.
I love the Little Einsteins. I love that each episode features a classical piece of music and art. While countless adults (myself included) automatically think of Bugs and Elmer Fudd when they hear "The Barber of Seville," so too my daughter thinks of Little Einsteins when she hears certain pieces of classical music. I love that the show uses the real musical terms when controlling Rocket. My daughter now asks me why I'm going "slow allegro" when I'm not going fast enough in the car (yes, I know it's not exactly correct, but the song is "don't be slow, don't be slow, just go allegro," and she simply omits the rest of the lyrics). And the show celebrates the imagination of children, reminding us how similar it is to a drug trip.
Take "The Christmas Wish." They integrate the painting "Starry Night" by Van Gogh by having Leo wish for a bright light for his baton so Rocket can see up Mount Everest in order to get his sister Annie's missing Christmas Wish Box (yeah, I know). Now, they have already faced toy soldiers and a forest of candy canes, so they can't let a little thing like darkness hold them back! As Leo waves his baton to the melody of "Für Elise" by Beethoven, the light swirls into the sky, lighting their way. Lucy may have been in the sky with diamonds, but these kids light up the sky with swirly light coming from a kid's baton set to the tune of a piano bagatelle.
It's really the music that made my daughter stop in her tracks and pay attention. She stops everything when she hears the opening bars of the song, and then sways along to the tune. She has always loved piano music, and this one in particular seems to have spoken to her in a way the best music does. It grabs you and forces you to take notice. "I wish, I wish, I wish a Christmas wish. I wish, I wish, a Christmas wish," are the lyrics they sing to the tune. The Christmas Wish Box is a box that grants you your one wish for Christmas. But you have to sing the song.
Annie's Christmas Wish Box got lost, dropped accidentally from Santa's sleigh. The kids now have a mission: get her Wish Box back! Rocket uses his wish for a Wish Box gadget, a meter that can read how close they are to the wish box (it doesn't seem to get confused by the three wish boxes that the other kids have brought aboard). Quincy wishes for a drum so they can get past the toy soldiers blocking their path (which is odd, because it has been previously established that Rocket has any and all instruments they could even need or want on board already). June wishes for ballet boots to overcome the candy cane forest (now my daughters asks me whenever she catches me singing the Christmas Wish song if I'm wishing for pink ballet boots for her; she loves to dance). And big brother Leo gets the aforementioned light for his baton.
If I have one problem with the show in general, illustrated by this episode, it is how Rocket can do everything...and nothing. One minute, he's flying to the Himalayas, the next, he needs to get his treads on and climb Mount Everest. He can't fly over the toy soldiers, or the forrest of candy canes. To make matters worse, the end of this particular episode sees Rocket sitting on the sidelines while Annie (who is FOUR) climbs the final 50 feet or so in order to rescue her Christmas Wish Box. The final 50 feet to get to the top of Mount Everest. At the age of four. I understand that this is fantasy, but still. He's a freaking ROCKET. I guess adventures are less fun when you can do whatever you want without adversity (wait, that sounds like a suspiciously "conservative" message...).
At the end of the day, it's a wonderful little episode about the spirit of Christmas, that giving is better than receiving. Annie's wish, once she gets her Wish Box, is that they are all together for Christmas, which they are. In one of the most inhospitable climates on earth, but whatever. Merry Christmas! The wonderful thing about the show is that it is set up as a play that the kids are setting up, with an opening curtain at the beginning and a curtain call at the end. All of this may only be going on in the kids' heads, but it's so wonderful, we all get to go along for the ride. I can only hope my children's eventual shows for us will be half as imaginative. And that my kids find friends as loyal as these four are to each other.
I love how I can be a hero to my daughter by simply taping her favorite episode of a show.
I love the Little Einsteins. I love that each episode features a classical piece of music and art. While countless adults (myself included) automatically think of Bugs and Elmer Fudd when they hear "The Barber of Seville," so too my daughter thinks of Little Einsteins when she hears certain pieces of classical music. I love that the show uses the real musical terms when controlling Rocket. My daughter now asks me why I'm going "slow allegro" when I'm not going fast enough in the car (yes, I know it's not exactly correct, but the song is "don't be slow, don't be slow, just go allegro," and she simply omits the rest of the lyrics). And the show celebrates the imagination of children, reminding us how similar it is to a drug trip.
Take "The Christmas Wish." They integrate the painting "Starry Night" by Van Gogh by having Leo wish for a bright light for his baton so Rocket can see up Mount Everest in order to get his sister Annie's missing Christmas Wish Box (yeah, I know). Now, they have already faced toy soldiers and a forest of candy canes, so they can't let a little thing like darkness hold them back! As Leo waves his baton to the melody of "Für Elise" by Beethoven, the light swirls into the sky, lighting their way. Lucy may have been in the sky with diamonds, but these kids light up the sky with swirly light coming from a kid's baton set to the tune of a piano bagatelle.
It's really the music that made my daughter stop in her tracks and pay attention. She stops everything when she hears the opening bars of the song, and then sways along to the tune. She has always loved piano music, and this one in particular seems to have spoken to her in a way the best music does. It grabs you and forces you to take notice. "I wish, I wish, I wish a Christmas wish. I wish, I wish, a Christmas wish," are the lyrics they sing to the tune. The Christmas Wish Box is a box that grants you your one wish for Christmas. But you have to sing the song.
Annie's Christmas Wish Box got lost, dropped accidentally from Santa's sleigh. The kids now have a mission: get her Wish Box back! Rocket uses his wish for a Wish Box gadget, a meter that can read how close they are to the wish box (it doesn't seem to get confused by the three wish boxes that the other kids have brought aboard). Quincy wishes for a drum so they can get past the toy soldiers blocking their path (which is odd, because it has been previously established that Rocket has any and all instruments they could even need or want on board already). June wishes for ballet boots to overcome the candy cane forest (now my daughters asks me whenever she catches me singing the Christmas Wish song if I'm wishing for pink ballet boots for her; she loves to dance). And big brother Leo gets the aforementioned light for his baton.
If I have one problem with the show in general, illustrated by this episode, it is how Rocket can do everything...and nothing. One minute, he's flying to the Himalayas, the next, he needs to get his treads on and climb Mount Everest. He can't fly over the toy soldiers, or the forrest of candy canes. To make matters worse, the end of this particular episode sees Rocket sitting on the sidelines while Annie (who is FOUR) climbs the final 50 feet or so in order to rescue her Christmas Wish Box. The final 50 feet to get to the top of Mount Everest. At the age of four. I understand that this is fantasy, but still. He's a freaking ROCKET. I guess adventures are less fun when you can do whatever you want without adversity (wait, that sounds like a suspiciously "conservative" message...).
At the end of the day, it's a wonderful little episode about the spirit of Christmas, that giving is better than receiving. Annie's wish, once she gets her Wish Box, is that they are all together for Christmas, which they are. In one of the most inhospitable climates on earth, but whatever. Merry Christmas! The wonderful thing about the show is that it is set up as a play that the kids are setting up, with an opening curtain at the beginning and a curtain call at the end. All of this may only be going on in the kids' heads, but it's so wonderful, we all get to go along for the ride. I can only hope my children's eventual shows for us will be half as imaginative. And that my kids find friends as loyal as these four are to each other.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sesame Street Beef
Today's Blog is Brought to you by the Letter B...As in Bull Poop
I wrote yesterday about some of the conservative beefs with Sesame Street. I think they are misguided. This is me being polite. Listen, so what if Oscar's news isn't "trashy" enough leading other grouches to watch "Pox News." There are a lot of little kids who would now probably think it was cool to watch "Pox News" because grouches love it! I would rather watch Oscar's interpretation of the news, rather than anything any of the news networks have for me.
Picking on Sesame Street for this is like criticizing Santa for delivering presents to all good girls and boys, not just whoever adheres to the brand of Christianity you happen to subscribe to. (Does anyone actually do that? I hope not) Every single show on PBS preaches basically the same message: acceptance, tolerance, sharing, caring, listening, patience and, yes, a certain mushy kind of multiculturalism, environmentalism and community engagement. Dragon Tales has a two headed, bilingual dragon who speaks Spanish and English (I'll get to that one in a different post; we've just started watching the show, so I want to hold off snarking - I mean judgment until I get a good idea about the show). And I'll write late (today?) about this mushy middle in just about every kids show on TV. These aren't bad concepts to instill in our kids. It's up to us as parents to decide how to elaborate on these concepts for our kids as they grow up and interact with the world, which unfortunately isn't nearly as cuddly and fun as their beloved TV shows have made it out to be.
Besides, if you're going to attack Sesame Street, there are way better targets. I, too, have a problem with the show receiving government money. Why? Because it's freaking Sesame Street, the merchandising juggernaut. They just about invented character licensing. How much money did they make just selling Tickle Me Elmos? I've spent enough money on toys, DVD's and other products that bear the mark of Sesame Street (diapers, cookies, juice, snack bars, place mats, books, CDs, etc) to fund an entire season of the show. So why do they still need grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting?
Which brings me to the next complaint: hypocrisy. Sesame Street, free of commercialism (unlike the Playhouse Disney I subject my children to). I'm sorry, when my daughter lost her mind about Elmo when she was barely a year old, we then had to go out and buy every single piece of Elmo gear known to man (and some I had no idea about). If it had Elmo on it, I had to buy it. I didn't always, don't worry. But to tell me that it's not about selling products, I call bull crap. And do you know who else brings me Sesame Street every day? McDonald's. Beaches Vacations. New Balance Shoes. That's right. Commercials. Look, I have no problem with commercials. But please get off your self-righteous hill where you look down at the rest of us and admit that, no, you're probably (definitely) not as pure as driven snow.
I haven't even started on the quality of the show now. It's not Sesame Street anymore, it's four different shows huddled together under the street sign. And it now reflects more contemporary theories of learning, rather than the hard lessons put forward by the older shows. And, yes, self-esteem was always a central part of the show during any period, but it seems to have crowded out basic skills that the show was trying to teach in order to prepare disadvantaged kids for school.
And yes, I am a cranky old personal complaining that things were better in my days. But they were, and I have proof. I have Volumes I and II of Sesame Street Old School, taken from the late 1960's and early 1970's. Cassie likes to watch them. They come with a ridiculous disclaimer at the beginning of the show that the episodes are meant for entertainment purposes ONLY and are no longer educational. Right. Tell that to my daughter who now knows the letter M because of one of the episodes, repeating the letter over and over and over again in various songs, words, rhymes and stories. Sesame Street from today hasn't taught her another letter. And maybe that's not the point anymore. And if it isn't, that's the biggest shame of all. And I think it's one we can all get behind.
I wrote yesterday about some of the conservative beefs with Sesame Street. I think they are misguided. This is me being polite. Listen, so what if Oscar's news isn't "trashy" enough leading other grouches to watch "Pox News." There are a lot of little kids who would now probably think it was cool to watch "Pox News" because grouches love it! I would rather watch Oscar's interpretation of the news, rather than anything any of the news networks have for me.
Picking on Sesame Street for this is like criticizing Santa for delivering presents to all good girls and boys, not just whoever adheres to the brand of Christianity you happen to subscribe to. (Does anyone actually do that? I hope not) Every single show on PBS preaches basically the same message: acceptance, tolerance, sharing, caring, listening, patience and, yes, a certain mushy kind of multiculturalism, environmentalism and community engagement. Dragon Tales has a two headed, bilingual dragon who speaks Spanish and English (I'll get to that one in a different post; we've just started watching the show, so I want to hold off snarking - I mean judgment until I get a good idea about the show). And I'll write late (today?) about this mushy middle in just about every kids show on TV. These aren't bad concepts to instill in our kids. It's up to us as parents to decide how to elaborate on these concepts for our kids as they grow up and interact with the world, which unfortunately isn't nearly as cuddly and fun as their beloved TV shows have made it out to be.
Besides, if you're going to attack Sesame Street, there are way better targets. I, too, have a problem with the show receiving government money. Why? Because it's freaking Sesame Street, the merchandising juggernaut. They just about invented character licensing. How much money did they make just selling Tickle Me Elmos? I've spent enough money on toys, DVD's and other products that bear the mark of Sesame Street (diapers, cookies, juice, snack bars, place mats, books, CDs, etc) to fund an entire season of the show. So why do they still need grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting?
Which brings me to the next complaint: hypocrisy. Sesame Street, free of commercialism (unlike the Playhouse Disney I subject my children to). I'm sorry, when my daughter lost her mind about Elmo when she was barely a year old, we then had to go out and buy every single piece of Elmo gear known to man (and some I had no idea about). If it had Elmo on it, I had to buy it. I didn't always, don't worry. But to tell me that it's not about selling products, I call bull crap. And do you know who else brings me Sesame Street every day? McDonald's. Beaches Vacations. New Balance Shoes. That's right. Commercials. Look, I have no problem with commercials. But please get off your self-righteous hill where you look down at the rest of us and admit that, no, you're probably (definitely) not as pure as driven snow.
I haven't even started on the quality of the show now. It's not Sesame Street anymore, it's four different shows huddled together under the street sign. And it now reflects more contemporary theories of learning, rather than the hard lessons put forward by the older shows. And, yes, self-esteem was always a central part of the show during any period, but it seems to have crowded out basic skills that the show was trying to teach in order to prepare disadvantaged kids for school.
And yes, I am a cranky old personal complaining that things were better in my days. But they were, and I have proof. I have Volumes I and II of Sesame Street Old School, taken from the late 1960's and early 1970's. Cassie likes to watch them. They come with a ridiculous disclaimer at the beginning of the show that the episodes are meant for entertainment purposes ONLY and are no longer educational. Right. Tell that to my daughter who now knows the letter M because of one of the episodes, repeating the letter over and over and over again in various songs, words, rhymes and stories. Sesame Street from today hasn't taught her another letter. And maybe that's not the point anymore. And if it isn't, that's the biggest shame of all. And I think it's one we can all get behind.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Random surreal observation of the day: Arthur
Today on Arthur, his friend Buster (who is a rabbit) needed to fill in and do magic for the kindergarten class because the real magician couldn't find his rabbit (presumably from the hat). It's like Pluto on Mickey Mouse. Why do all the other animals get to walk and talk (not to mention other dogs), but he's stuck walking on four legs and barking? Shows that feature animals as "people" need to be more consistent.
Rudolph or, working through childhood traumas
It's Christmas time, so the first batch of reviews will be about Christmas Specials. I have always loved Christmas. Now, not so much, and part of it has to do with re-watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I "taped" it for my daughter, so we could share in one of my favorite Christmas Specials. And I was completely blown away. The stop-motion animation still holds up and Burl Ives still makes a great talking snowman. But the rest of the story? Oh dear.
It's interesting to note that this show aired in 1964, at the height of the GREAT SOCIAL CHANGE, civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, etc. There are a lot of those themes that come though subtly and not-so-subtly throughout the narrative. But in order to get the message across, some beloved characters take a real beating. Namely, Santa himself, but Donner doesn't come off to well, either.
When Rudolph is first born, his father, Donner, goes from being a proud papa to an embarrassed as soon as he sees that shiny nose, that you could even say glows. Brutal. Because they go to great pains to show that Rudolph is brilliant. I don't know when a reindeer is supposed to start talking, but I'm pretty sure it's not right out of the womb. To make matters worse, Donner's boss, Santa Claus, comes by to congratulate his star reindeer on siring a son, only to chastise the father for his part in the genetic freak of nature. So much so loving jolly old St. Nick. The guy literally tells him that no matter how good he becomes as a reindeer, the nose will keep him from ever pulling his sled.
The most heartbreaking scene for me is when they go to play reindeer games. Rudolph would seem to be batting 1.000: he makes a friend, gets the girl, and flies! But then the nose, which his father has forced him to hide, comes a-shining. It's not the name-calling and the laughing. It's not the fact that he can't play in any reindeer games. It's not that Clarisse isn't allowed to see Rudolph anymore either. It's Santa telling Donner that he should be ashamed of himself because of his son's nose, in front of Rudolph. It's like a dagger.
The whole theme of "misfits" who are different runs through the entire narrative, with Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist. Now, my academic cap goes on. Or at least my gaydar. They go to great pains to showing Rudolph as straight, but Hermey? Come on, none of the other elves had great hair like that. His personality and manner of speaking? Anyone who took any sort of gender studies or cinema or media class as an undergrad knows the code or shorthand for "gay" in movies during that time, and Hermey fits the bill. But it works for the time and the period. There would need to be a balance between 50's values and 60's values. Because who was watching the show in 1964? Those who were about to blow up the universities were too old, and anyone people who had young kids would have probably missed the boat by a few years on the social movements still coming. And if they had been in some of the underground movements in the 1950s, I doubt they would be watching crass commercial nonsense with their kids or even celebrating the commercialized holiday that is Christmas.
But back to the gay thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I was in love with a guy, who turned out to be gay, all through high school. That may be why I am constantly on the lookout, if only to save my 12-16 year old self from the quasi-humiliation. It doesn't make any sense. But there it is. As if the story wasn't weird enough, at the end, Hermey takes great pleasure in pulling out all of the teeth of the snow monster. Which would fit into the narrative that gays were limited to playing at that time: psychos. In this case a psycho who would seem to benefit the larger North Pole society, but a bit of a nut nonetheless. Two steps forward, one step back.
Imagine, if you will, the discussions that must have taken place in conceiving and then "selling" said show. Imagine Mad Men, but TV executives instead of advertising executives. Yeah, Hermey is "independent", isn't that what all the kids are saying? Yes (snicker) independent (snicker). This is great stuff. Rudolph, a beloved reindeer outsider! An elf who wants to be a dentist! A cruel Santa! A scary snow beast! A gruff and greedy prospector! And an island of misfit toys! How does the special not just sell itself? This would NEVER get made today.
And those toys on the island of misfit toys? So sad. That winged lion comes off as being way better than Santa. He saves these toys, while Santa needs to be cajoled into it. I just checked wikipedia (which I tell my students never to do, but for blogging, it's perfectly acceptable), and it would appear that the original version of the special didn't feature Santa going back to rescue the toys. Public outcry forced them to add the "new" ending. Two strikes against Santa. "Good" means either conformist or useful. 1950's messages reading loud and clear.
But back to those toys. There is one doll who doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her. I know why she is a misfit. All the other dolls figure skated. But she was a swimmer. And because she didn't participate in the same sport as all the other dolls, she was exiled to the island. That's right. I was that little doll. That's the genius of that one little doll who doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her: children were free to project their own perceived "misfitness" (I have a PhD, I can make up words) onto the doll. She's good at math! She has red hair! Daddy doesn't live with her anymore! She is the misfit in all of us.
Why does this depress me so much? I'm not sure. Maybe because my brain is so trained to pick up on these things now that I can no longer enjoy what was once a really special Christmas experience. Or maybe it's because Santa really is a giant a-hole in this show and I really hope that neither of my children figure it out. I didn't even mention how mean he is to the elves when they perform their special elf song for him. You might say that he's just under a lot of pressure having to deliver toys to all the girls and boys every year, keeping track of the naughty/nice list as well as ensure all toys are built to various federal regulations. But my daughter is already asking: Mommy, why is Santa so mean? Why does he make Rudolph sad? Perhaps I am the most depressed that she understands my answer: You know how sometimes when mommy gets stressed and over-tired and doesn't eat well how she can get cranky and short-tempered? Yeah, it's like Mommy at the end of the semester. Just with less intolerance.
It's interesting to note that this show aired in 1964, at the height of the GREAT SOCIAL CHANGE, civil rights, women's rights, gay rights, etc. There are a lot of those themes that come though subtly and not-so-subtly throughout the narrative. But in order to get the message across, some beloved characters take a real beating. Namely, Santa himself, but Donner doesn't come off to well, either.
When Rudolph is first born, his father, Donner, goes from being a proud papa to an embarrassed as soon as he sees that shiny nose, that you could even say glows. Brutal. Because they go to great pains to show that Rudolph is brilliant. I don't know when a reindeer is supposed to start talking, but I'm pretty sure it's not right out of the womb. To make matters worse, Donner's boss, Santa Claus, comes by to congratulate his star reindeer on siring a son, only to chastise the father for his part in the genetic freak of nature. So much so loving jolly old St. Nick. The guy literally tells him that no matter how good he becomes as a reindeer, the nose will keep him from ever pulling his sled.
The most heartbreaking scene for me is when they go to play reindeer games. Rudolph would seem to be batting 1.000: he makes a friend, gets the girl, and flies! But then the nose, which his father has forced him to hide, comes a-shining. It's not the name-calling and the laughing. It's not the fact that he can't play in any reindeer games. It's not that Clarisse isn't allowed to see Rudolph anymore either. It's Santa telling Donner that he should be ashamed of himself because of his son's nose, in front of Rudolph. It's like a dagger.
The whole theme of "misfits" who are different runs through the entire narrative, with Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist. Now, my academic cap goes on. Or at least my gaydar. They go to great pains to showing Rudolph as straight, but Hermey? Come on, none of the other elves had great hair like that. His personality and manner of speaking? Anyone who took any sort of gender studies or cinema or media class as an undergrad knows the code or shorthand for "gay" in movies during that time, and Hermey fits the bill. But it works for the time and the period. There would need to be a balance between 50's values and 60's values. Because who was watching the show in 1964? Those who were about to blow up the universities were too old, and anyone people who had young kids would have probably missed the boat by a few years on the social movements still coming. And if they had been in some of the underground movements in the 1950s, I doubt they would be watching crass commercial nonsense with their kids or even celebrating the commercialized holiday that is Christmas.
But back to the gay thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I was in love with a guy, who turned out to be gay, all through high school. That may be why I am constantly on the lookout, if only to save my 12-16 year old self from the quasi-humiliation. It doesn't make any sense. But there it is. As if the story wasn't weird enough, at the end, Hermey takes great pleasure in pulling out all of the teeth of the snow monster. Which would fit into the narrative that gays were limited to playing at that time: psychos. In this case a psycho who would seem to benefit the larger North Pole society, but a bit of a nut nonetheless. Two steps forward, one step back.
Imagine, if you will, the discussions that must have taken place in conceiving and then "selling" said show. Imagine Mad Men, but TV executives instead of advertising executives. Yeah, Hermey is "independent", isn't that what all the kids are saying? Yes (snicker) independent (snicker). This is great stuff. Rudolph, a beloved reindeer outsider! An elf who wants to be a dentist! A cruel Santa! A scary snow beast! A gruff and greedy prospector! And an island of misfit toys! How does the special not just sell itself? This would NEVER get made today.
And those toys on the island of misfit toys? So sad. That winged lion comes off as being way better than Santa. He saves these toys, while Santa needs to be cajoled into it. I just checked wikipedia (which I tell my students never to do, but for blogging, it's perfectly acceptable), and it would appear that the original version of the special didn't feature Santa going back to rescue the toys. Public outcry forced them to add the "new" ending. Two strikes against Santa. "Good" means either conformist or useful. 1950's messages reading loud and clear.
But back to those toys. There is one doll who doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her. I know why she is a misfit. All the other dolls figure skated. But she was a swimmer. And because she didn't participate in the same sport as all the other dolls, she was exiled to the island. That's right. I was that little doll. That's the genius of that one little doll who doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her: children were free to project their own perceived "misfitness" (I have a PhD, I can make up words) onto the doll. She's good at math! She has red hair! Daddy doesn't live with her anymore! She is the misfit in all of us.
Why does this depress me so much? I'm not sure. Maybe because my brain is so trained to pick up on these things now that I can no longer enjoy what was once a really special Christmas experience. Or maybe it's because Santa really is a giant a-hole in this show and I really hope that neither of my children figure it out. I didn't even mention how mean he is to the elves when they perform their special elf song for him. You might say that he's just under a lot of pressure having to deliver toys to all the girls and boys every year, keeping track of the naughty/nice list as well as ensure all toys are built to various federal regulations. But my daughter is already asking: Mommy, why is Santa so mean? Why does he make Rudolph sad? Perhaps I am the most depressed that she understands my answer: You know how sometimes when mommy gets stressed and over-tired and doesn't eat well how she can get cranky and short-tempered? Yeah, it's like Mommy at the end of the semester. Just with less intolerance.
What This Blog Won't Be
Once I put up my first post, I thought and thought and thought about it. And I want to make a few things clear about how I am going to approach talking about the kids' shows I am subjected to.
1) I am not going to be like this:
http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/12/11/thomas-the-tank-engine-is-sexist-study/
This is why people don't like academics. Apparently, depending on where you read the article, Thomas is also responsible for the dominance of conservative politics in Canada. Now, I could just go around deconstructing the kids shows in order to expose how they are all sexist, homonormative, capitalist exploitation shows. And it would probably mean a lot more traffic and/or tenure if I ever get a job again. But, really? Come on.
Example: I could say that Little Einsteins promotes normative gender and racial roles, as the leader of the group is clearly Leo, the white boy, who is also a conductor. Quincy, the African-American character plays all of the instruments, but is clearly beneath Leo in the hierarchy. Then, we have June and Annie, a dancer and a singer respectively. This could mark a type of "gay panic," not allowing a male character have an interest in more "female" activities such as dance and singing.
Then again, I could shut the f- up about it and enjoy that the show teaches my kids about music.
2) I am not going to be like this:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/03/l-is-for-leftist-thats-good-enough-for-me/
Or this:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/11/03/sesame-street-all-monsters-are-equal/
This is why people don't like conservatives. It's freaking Sesame Street!
Did you see the video he embedded? It's from the 1970's. I watched that song when I was my daughter's age. Couldn't find anything more current to illustrate your point? Promoting equality? Which message would you prefer? You're better than everyone, everyone, everyone, you're better than ever-y-one, because you happen to be white, middle-class and Christian! Kids get jaded soon enough in life that we don't need Sesame Street (or any other show, for that matter) teaching them that there are terrible injustices, mean people and so, so many inequalities in the world. I have The Incredibles for that message, thanks.
Again, this is why people don't like conservatives very much. At least the complaint doesn't go as far as criticizing the show for promoting sharing because it encourages socialism. Sharing = Marx, BEWARE! I'm getting way off topic here, but I can't help imagine what a "conservative" Sesame Street would look like. Every image I have suffers from the very worst of the "crazy conservative" stereotypes, and I hate that that happens. I move in conservative circles, and few, if any, of the people I know and love dearly who are conservative fit any of the stereotypes. I have no doubt I could come up with a decent parody/satire, but really, what's the use? I've gotten enough cheap laughs at conservatives expense for today. Comedy Central doesn't have me on the payroll. My integrity has a price. And, it would be just as easy (and cheap) to come up with a parody/satire of a hard left kids show. Wait, the USSR beat me to it. (Ba-dum-dum)
On either side, I would say this: if the TV is the only place where your children are getting their values and world view from, then it's your own damn fault if they don't turn out the way you were hoping in terms of how they vote in their first election. Or their second.
In conclusion, my Blog won't be like either of those commentaries on kids' TV.
1) I am not going to be like this:
http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/12/11/thomas-the-tank-engine-is-sexist-study/
This is why people don't like academics. Apparently, depending on where you read the article, Thomas is also responsible for the dominance of conservative politics in Canada. Now, I could just go around deconstructing the kids shows in order to expose how they are all sexist, homonormative, capitalist exploitation shows. And it would probably mean a lot more traffic and/or tenure if I ever get a job again. But, really? Come on.
Example: I could say that Little Einsteins promotes normative gender and racial roles, as the leader of the group is clearly Leo, the white boy, who is also a conductor. Quincy, the African-American character plays all of the instruments, but is clearly beneath Leo in the hierarchy. Then, we have June and Annie, a dancer and a singer respectively. This could mark a type of "gay panic," not allowing a male character have an interest in more "female" activities such as dance and singing.
Then again, I could shut the f- up about it and enjoy that the show teaches my kids about music.
2) I am not going to be like this:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/sright/2009/11/03/l-is-for-leftist-thats-good-enough-for-me/
Or this:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abaldwin/2009/11/03/sesame-street-all-monsters-are-equal/
This is why people don't like conservatives. It's freaking Sesame Street!
Did you see the video he embedded? It's from the 1970's. I watched that song when I was my daughter's age. Couldn't find anything more current to illustrate your point? Promoting equality? Which message would you prefer? You're better than everyone, everyone, everyone, you're better than ever-y-one, because you happen to be white, middle-class and Christian! Kids get jaded soon enough in life that we don't need Sesame Street (or any other show, for that matter) teaching them that there are terrible injustices, mean people and so, so many inequalities in the world. I have The Incredibles for that message, thanks.
Again, this is why people don't like conservatives very much. At least the complaint doesn't go as far as criticizing the show for promoting sharing because it encourages socialism. Sharing = Marx, BEWARE! I'm getting way off topic here, but I can't help imagine what a "conservative" Sesame Street would look like. Every image I have suffers from the very worst of the "crazy conservative" stereotypes, and I hate that that happens. I move in conservative circles, and few, if any, of the people I know and love dearly who are conservative fit any of the stereotypes. I have no doubt I could come up with a decent parody/satire, but really, what's the use? I've gotten enough cheap laughs at conservatives expense for today. Comedy Central doesn't have me on the payroll. My integrity has a price. And, it would be just as easy (and cheap) to come up with a parody/satire of a hard left kids show. Wait, the USSR beat me to it. (Ba-dum-dum)
On either side, I would say this: if the TV is the only place where your children are getting their values and world view from, then it's your own damn fault if they don't turn out the way you were hoping in terms of how they vote in their first election. Or their second.
In conclusion, my Blog won't be like either of those commentaries on kids' TV.
Migh as well do something with my PhD
I have a PhD in comparative literature. I am currently underemployed in an area unrelated to my degree. And, I have two small children under the age of three. So I watch A LOT of preschool television on Playhouse Disney and PBS Kids. I am intrigued by Nick Jr. but have largely avoided it. I also own a number of classic kids shows on DVD which I force on my kids whenever I get tired of their favorites. Whenever I watch any of these shows, I can't help but lapse into an analytic mode. Especially on the 300th viewing. Suddenly the vast layers of meaning become crystal clear. And that insight is what I am going to share with you in this blog.
If you believe that children should ever watch TV and have come here only to critique my parenting skills, go away. You raise your kids the way you see fit, and I'll raise mine. They have two loving parents, aren't in daycare, were breastfed, get as much organic food as I can afford and find in my small town, are read to daily, sung to, danced with, hugged and kissed and infinitely loved. If you don't like it, take your high horse and ride far, far away.
It all started when my little girl was about 5 months old. She was teething or growing or not sleeping enough or just generally asserting her authority, and I couldn't get her to calm down. Any parent who has experienced this knows the desperation. We didn't currently have cable, so I checked out my collection of child-appropriate DVDs. We had a really large collection, as I am a giant child at heart, and have been preparing to give my children the gift of sharing in my fondest childhood memories since before I graduated high school. And there it was: The Many Adventure of Winnie-The-Pooh. It featured a book! It encouraged reading! It was narrated by a calming British voice! If anything, it would help me calm down! I popped it in, and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, my daughter sat still and was quiet. There are those who hate Disney's adaptation of A.A. Milne's classic children's stories, but I will love it forever because it gave me a blissful 10 minutes of silence.
This 10 minutes of bliss was followed by 6 months of the DVD on an endless loop. First thing in the morning, on went the DVD. And when she couldn't sleep, we set up my laptop in her room so she could calm down long enough to fall into Pooh-filled slumbers. When we traveled through multiple time-zones, I would sooth her at 3 in the morning singing all of the songs from the movie. When it seemed like it would never end and couldn't get any worse, suddenly, she discovered Elmo.
The little red menace.
But more on him later.
If you believe that children should ever watch TV and have come here only to critique my parenting skills, go away. You raise your kids the way you see fit, and I'll raise mine. They have two loving parents, aren't in daycare, were breastfed, get as much organic food as I can afford and find in my small town, are read to daily, sung to, danced with, hugged and kissed and infinitely loved. If you don't like it, take your high horse and ride far, far away.
It all started when my little girl was about 5 months old. She was teething or growing or not sleeping enough or just generally asserting her authority, and I couldn't get her to calm down. Any parent who has experienced this knows the desperation. We didn't currently have cable, so I checked out my collection of child-appropriate DVDs. We had a really large collection, as I am a giant child at heart, and have been preparing to give my children the gift of sharing in my fondest childhood memories since before I graduated high school. And there it was: The Many Adventure of Winnie-The-Pooh. It featured a book! It encouraged reading! It was narrated by a calming British voice! If anything, it would help me calm down! I popped it in, and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, my daughter sat still and was quiet. There are those who hate Disney's adaptation of A.A. Milne's classic children's stories, but I will love it forever because it gave me a blissful 10 minutes of silence.
This 10 minutes of bliss was followed by 6 months of the DVD on an endless loop. First thing in the morning, on went the DVD. And when she couldn't sleep, we set up my laptop in her room so she could calm down long enough to fall into Pooh-filled slumbers. When we traveled through multiple time-zones, I would sooth her at 3 in the morning singing all of the songs from the movie. When it seemed like it would never end and couldn't get any worse, suddenly, she discovered Elmo.
The little red menace.
But more on him later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)