TV and Me

I am amazed by this PBS article. Particularly that, "On average, they spend about two hours a day with screen media - the same amount of time as they spend playing outside, and three times as much time as they spend reading or being read to." Sad!

Basically, is television helping or hindering children? Apparently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you avoid sitting your child down in front of a TV, especially if they are under the age of 2.

My first horrible and terrible thought was, "Yeah, but they are so quiet when you sit them down in front of a TV." I am ashamed of myself. Though, I did babysit two kids once who refused to watch television and always wanted me to talk in my pirate voice. Those kids probably turned out okay.

But then I thought about that quote above. I think I played outside a lot. I mean. We had a swing set. And I know my sister and I would go outside, collect rocks and paint them to make beautiful treasures. And I know my parents, my dad in particular, read to me every night. I can remember him reading from a fairy tale collection that I loved. Other than that, the first books I remember loving were the ones I read myself.

Most other memories from my childhood are those of television shows. This is bad. I think this is really bad. Probably.

Sharon, Lois and Brahm, for starters. David the Gnome. Sesame Street. Reading Rainbow. Then for videos, my sister and I watched Sally Red Shoes (not a real name. It was the Wee Sing Along with the girl's birthday party. My sister called it Sally Red Shoes.) Wee Sing Old King Cole. Into the Woods and that crazy Alice in Wonderland that had everyone in it that my dad taped off the TV in the 80's. My sister and I still quote this shit. Just yesterday I texted her, "Puh-leeeeeeasssseeeee," which is the magic word Humpty Dumpty uses to get the kids to Old King Cole's castle! I'm 25 26 now! Why is this what's stuck in my memory banks?

I'm sad about this.