[dentente]

We have created a monster. She watches two tv shows a day. Dora is one. Blues Clues is the other. She is 2.5. She talks to the characters on the tv. Answers all prompts (scary!!!) and spends a great deal of time singing the little songs and drawing maps and/or looking for clues like the ones she saw on the show that day.

This is deeply creepy to me. I only hope she is getting something out of it. She wants a backpack. I will not buy a Dora one. I refuse!!!!! Is my child being programmed or is she learning something useful?

Why am I so icked out? I think it's too late to do anything about it.

I feel like they are making kids into Pavlov's Toddler.

*sigh*

Denny

 

[Erin Pavlina]

My 3.5 year old is Dora obsessed as well, but I love it. She's learning a little Spanish, and the show is very positive, non-violent, etc. Dora has to help someone find their way home in each episode usually. She's very helpful and compassionate.

I like that the show prompts the kids to speak and answer questions directly to the tv. Not as mindless that way.

I don't know... there are some shows I wouldn't let her watch, but Dora seems like a good one to me. Of course, those songs were jsut totally stuck in my head for weeks. Vamanos!!

 

[3 Little Monkeys]

My little one is exactly the same age as yours, and she loves Dora and Blue. She has a little backpack (not a Dora one) that we bought, mainly because big sis has one for school and she wanted one too. She doesn't really talk to the tv much, but does go hunting clues and yelling "wiper no wiping.......oh man!" quite often. I don't see the harm, if anything her imagination has picked up since she started watching. She has learned quite a bit from the shows too. She's picked up some spanish, it has reinforced her colors, and shapes and she's starting to recognize some letters by sight. Besides that, it's an hour of "free" time for me to "relax" - although the songs do tend to stick in my head for hours...... sometimes I find myself singing them in the shower

:

 

[burritomama]

If it bothers you, well, then, do the difficult thing: unplug the TV and don't plug it back it.

I think there was a thread awhile back where ParisMaman talked about how, after their recent move, they just didn't plug the TV in again and that was that. I think it was ParisMaman...

We don't have cable and because we live in a cnayon, we don't get local either. We do have a VCR but after last summer when our little guy was overexposed to TV and videos (a side effect of my summer gig) - so much so that I think I could see him begin to imitate not human behavior as much as cartoon behavior and exaggerated TV behavior (do you know what I mean here?) - too wierd for me! Too creepy. I think his laugh was beginning to change! (I've seen this with my older nieces - they picked up language and behvaior from shows - a lot of primping and odd stuff that didn't really fit into their lives or ages.) Sorry, I am not being too articulate here.

Anyway, we came home and decided not to let that influence continue. So, except for the occasional DR. Suess ABC video and the Eric Carle story adaptations I get from the library - that's that.

We watch our own rare videos after the babe is asleep.

We'll see how long we hold out. So far so good. We're both (DH and I) committed to this.

 

[PurplePixiePooh]

My 3 yr old just adores Dora! What I have done is rather than make a big deal of it, I am using this great opportunity to teach her spanish! We just got some spanosh/english Dora flash cards, and yes, dd does have a backpack. Got it like a year ago. She loves it, she likes to wear it when we go out sometimes. She will put her little boxes of organic raisins in there and a fruit leather. MAkes her feel like a big girl.

I don't see why things like this need to be made into a big deal. Find the positive areas and build on them. Teach spanish, work on finding some clues of your own, and most of all have fun with it! We watch the shows together and make it into a fun learning experience and then carry that lesson learned into the day and build on it.

 

[CortLong]

My nearly 2 year old loves Dora.....I try to focus on the good (cultural differences, etc) and Morgan DOES have a backpack, but that's it. If you watch Dora, she always has something useful to help her in her backpack, so.......you could encourage your daughter to think of things to "pull" out of her backpack when you guys need something, etc, etc. I hope that made sense. I just think they're are ways to make this positive. OR if it really does bother you- unplug the TV.

 

[LiamnEmma]

yeah, my 2.5 year old loves Dora too. So did my 4 year old when he was 2. He's grown out of her a little, but he still enjoys her and will watch if dd does, but he prefers older fare such as the Magic School Bus (I love that they teach science on that show). Anyway, dd has a small Dora doll with a book masquerading as backpack, and a stuffed Swiper. I guess I just remember how entranced I always was with that kind of thing--in between reading books and playing loud outside games with friends--and to me, that's the point, it's about well-rounded behaviors. I worry sometimes about t.v., but then something happens like ds "writes" at school that his favorite activity, at school and at home, is to read books. So great, he's obviously not too poisoned.

But I agree with others, if it creeps you out too much, simply don't let her watch.

burritomama, I know exactly what you mean! We let ds watch Caillou a few times and he started mimicking his laugh, his cry, his voice, his overall cloying annoying behavior. ugh!

Leah

 

[dentente]

OMG, totally OT but Caillou is so danged evil. The next door neighbor's kid is 4 and acts just like him. Vile!!!!!!! Whiny!!!!! Ack!!!!!

Denny

 

[burritomama]

That is the scary, creepy thing: how easily they're influenced.

I know I can't control it all but I determined to do what I can for as long as I can.

One of my other pledges to to avoid taking him shopping in big malls or superstores. I notice how they sell things to kids (who doesn't?) - developing little consumers and producing desire for material things so early. Actually, it's desire for bright plastic wrapped bright plastic sh-t. Argggh. Sorry. Off topic.

 

[ebethmom]

Oh, how ironic. Dora is on right now, and I'm stealing a few minutes on the computer.

My son now sees "Ah keenos!" everywhere. Volcanos, to you and me. And tall mountains, slippery rocks, sticky tape. . . We sing Deh dedeh deh deh Dora, Deh dedeh deh deh Boots!

I don't mind this show too much. I like that it reinforces sequences, colors, Spanish, and problem solving.

I'm also contemplating ways to use less TV. It would mean getting up much earlier than ds.

Dora's over, so we're off to read the B Book.

 

[mamaroni]

I have to agree with most of the posts--I like Dora! We watch it, then turn the TV off. She is learning a lot from it, IMO. Same with Sesame Street, Blue Clue's and a few others (anyone familiar with the Tweenies or Oobi?). We get Dora on the Noggin channel (rather than Nick Jr), so there are NO commercials. As long as it isn't a complete crutch or babysitter, and we don't watch commercials, I think these preschool shows are terrific.

I am going to look for those Dora spanish flash cards. Great idea! This would be a good time to get ds in on that as well (learning spanish, that is).

 

[Embee]

My DS loves Dora and Blue as well, and I have no real issue with either show. I like that the shows are interactive, that there is usually something to be "solved." Many upon many progams that DH and I previewed, were of the "let's ram the message (be it sharing, bedtime, whatever) down the child's throat and move on" variety?

But here I must whine and offer my kicker!

DS loves Dora and Blue, but we do not possess cable of any kind. CBS shows one episode of each show once a week, which I tape. When we watch Dora and Blue, we watch the SAME EPISODE FOR A WEEK!

Admittedly, by the third or fourth day, I'm usually using the Dora/Blue time for taking a moment for myself. Usually to do something really fun like balance the checkbook.

: Since DS is giving up naps often, it's been helpful on that count. Recently, we aquired a few Blue videos (thankfully) that I can interchange. *whew* He also enjoys Mr. Rogers which he and I enjoy together as well.

Moreover, I appreciate shows that bring DS to action. If after watching, he initiates turning off the tv, and he's up recreating a Dora adventure or Blue mystery, I can totally get with that (I find Mr. Rogers has this effect as well). When he's watched other programs, I don't find that he's inspired to do much of anything but to continue watching... and that's when I feel icked out. Certainly, I wouldn't want all of his non tv activities to be centered around tv shows (which thankfully, they aren't at all), but here and there, why not? And well, I have to admit, I like the shows myself. I actually look forward to each Satruday when we get to see our new episode of the week.

 

[bananasmom]

Quote:

anyone familiar with the Tweenies or Oobi

My dd is a good bit younger than the others mentioned here (18 months), and I for one, am not a Tweenie fan. They scare me.

Well, not really scare, but there is something about them that is unsettling. It bothers me that they don't really allow the child to interact (like how Dora and Blue ask a question and wait a few seconds), they just keep yapping and singing and dancing. I also don't like how they won't keep quiet, when a book is being read.

I've only seen Oobi shorts, between shows on Noggin.

I'm afraid that I let my dd watch too much TV. When she is awake, she is one of those really really active toddlers - I'm almost 8 months pregnant - and she wears me out. So, if I can get her to sit still (blankie and some Noggin) and I can rest, I do.

Here's my question, with regards to Blue:

Who do you like better, Steve or Joe?

I can't decide, they are so different. Although the format is the same, they each bring something different to the show. I tend to think that Steve Burns is a more talented and versatile performer, but they've written some nice bits for Joe and he pulls it off.

 

[mamaroni]

Yes, the tweenies can be a bit strange.

I can't decide between Steve and Joe. Whatever happend to Steve anyway? I heard some crazy thing from my younger sis that he was a drug addict or some such thing and died! probably one of those urban legends.

 

[dentente]

The Tweenies are creeeepeeee! I hate 'em. They are another UK show brought over and americanized using the most annoying voices they could get ahold of! Bleh!

Definitely a Steve fan here.Steve Burns is alive and well and about to release his own Rock album. He is not dead. Urban legend. He's pretty serious about his music and is closely tied to a band called The Flaming Lips. Quite popular alt rock people in certain circles.

Joe is okay and dd likes him. He is so shiny and perfect that he creeps me out a little. Seems almost like he was grown in a vat of kiddy show hosts. He is friendly and efficient so I guess we have to give him props for filling the shoes of Old Steve who was pleasingly human in his demeanor and looked physically like someone you could actually know in real life.

Anyway. I guess I have to get used to Dora and Joe. My dd does not engage in watching the TV if these two shows are not on. So something about them is really clicking with her. She impresses me with her emulation of the concepts she is seeing. I guess I should be pleased. I mean. I am trying to be. It is ever so creepy to see your kid talk to the tv.

Denny

 

[ebethmom]

Just another snippet about our life with Dora. . . My son is so into Dora - he talks about the show all day long. If I don't watch it with him, I'm lost the rest of the day. He speaks pretty clearly, but I still need context to figure out some words. If I miss Dora, I have no idea what he is talking about!

 

[rhemp]

Quote:

Seems almost like he was grown in a vat of kiddy show hosts.

LMAO

We don't watch Blue or Dora. I have to admit I feel kinda guilty for how enthusiastically ds dives for his spot when it's time for Sesame Street. I need the hour break and I know it's a wonderful show. I just hate how he "tunes in" to it. I also hate Elmo. Am I alone there? Seriously...Elmo is the antichrist.

 

[dentente]

Elmo and Caillou are secretly the same evil being.

JMHO

Denny

 

[bananasmom]

I don't like Elmo that much either, it bothers me that he does baby-talk and doesn't use good sentence structure. I do have a couple of his board books, Ana likes those. (but his voice just kills me, I can't watch!!!)

~~~

re: Caillou, I don't like that show either... but I sometimes watch it, just to connect a little to the young girl who did his voice. She was killed in a car accident in early September. (sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread)

Quote:

Jaclyn Linetsky, the 17-year-old girl who provided the English-speaking voice of Caillou in the popular children's TV cartoon show of the same name, was remembered fondly at her funeral service Wednesday. Over 1,500 people crowded into Paperman and Sons funeral home in Montreal for a private ceremony, which lasted over an hour.

moderators note: this thread has been edited due to copywright violations. You are welcome to post a link to the original article.

 

[dentente]

Eek! How awful. Poor kid! I'm sorry she died.

Denny