I have three boys. I live in a world of Thomas the Tank Engine, balls, bats, golf clubs, water guns, Nerf guns, ping-pong ball guns, laser guns, guns made of Legos, Legos, guns made of Tinker Toys, Tinker Toys, guns made of Lincoln Logs, Lincoln Logs, Bionicles, Transformers, Power Rangers and the guns that accompany them.
Things are pretty rough and tumble around here. At all times at least 2/3 boys are engaged is some sort of combat–hand to hand or mental warfare. There is kicking, throwing and punching.
At any given time there is a pick up game of hide-and-seek available. Treasure maps are made and treasure lost and treasure found. Elaborate “traps” are made to be triggered by brothers, girls (that has to be said with disdain) or the ultimate bottom of the food chain…babies.
Who are the Disney Princesses? Couldn’t name them.
Where are the Barbie shoes? Not in my vacuum.
Mommy can you paint my nails? No!
Last night we visited the land of Princesses, Barbie shoes and manicures. We went to dinner at a dear friend’s house who has three girls the same ages as the boys. We get together with them frequently and the kids have discovered Switzerland in the back yard. There is common ground. Cease fires are negotiated. Treaties signed. Boy-Girl world peace achieved.
After eating and playing their hearts out, there was a request to watch TV. Behavior had been stellar and the wish granted. At their house TV takes on a whole different meaning. No Transformers, Thomas, low-budget construction movies or Monster Truck rallies are represented. Instead they all settled down in front of Hannah Montana.
When it was time to leave Ryan (7) was in a trance. Mesmerized by this strange new world. Once distracted from this mysterious new experience he realized his error. When asked if he liked Hannah Montana, his response was a manly, “no way!” But the seed had been planted…
This morning, as every morning for the last 4 years, the TV turned on automatically at 6:30 to TLC (they show PBS kids shows in the morning). Sounds of Wilbur’s “moo, moo, moo” filled the house…
Along with an uprising.
An uprising?
Ryan stood and declared Wilbur and all TLC morning shows immature. Too immature for him. Those shows are for…babies *shudder*.
Let me get this straight. ONE exposure to Hannah Montana and suddenly he has reached the maturity level of a pre-teen girl.
Lord have mercy on me if he catches wind of the Cheetah girls…
Oooooohhhh. Shudder. We have been held hostage by agonizingly bad Disney programming for years. It started with Hilary Duff (well, her show wasn’t even that bad at first) but has spiraled downward ever since. And the Disney movies. That are played on what seems to be an endless reel. And then all the little Disney rock stars they create. Ugh.
But…we’re now in something far, far worse. MTV.
Spend a couple of hours with MTV on and if you haven’t already gouged your eyeballs out with a gardening spade, you’ll at least be entertaining the notion. It is lowest common denominator programming, television that makes you want to dig up the rotting carcass of whoever it was who invented TV and cause some sort of bodily harm to his remains (if you can do that). MTV was such a painless mindless network of music videos back when we were in college. Now it’s riddled with repulsive and yet more repulsive programming totally bent on destroying any innocence that might be left in our children. Sigh…Now, off my soap box.
Am I a bad mom or just not giving my girls the opportunity to grow up? They are 5 and 3 and I haven’t once introduced them to iCarly, Drake & Josh, Hannah Montana or any of those other shows that I thought were for the older crowd. We haven’t even gotten into High School Musical but the neighbor girl who is about to turn 4 is having a HS Musical themed party.
I type this as the girls gleefully watch Maggie & the Furocious Beast. They do watch Tom & Jerry, the Pink Panther and those other cartoons I grew up with though!