I always thought the best and most appropriate job for me would be a TV critic for some snarky alternative publication that’s read in coffee shops by people without jobs, but with ample supplies of high-tech gear and black turtlenecks. Instead, I’m a sales guy who works at Texas Christian University. Go figure.
But the passion for television cannot be stopped. I have my parents to blame or credit—depending on your views on TV and childhood. As a latchkey kid growing up the ’70s, my afternoon parents were the Skipper, Gilligan, and of course, Wile E. Coyote. Only later did I learn that the Professor was said to be having “relations” with Mary Ann and many of my cartoons contained questionable racial and sexist overtones …
Regardless of the harsh truth, these fictional characters made up a big part of my childhood, and I still can’t watch an episode of one of my old favorites without getting a bit nostalgic. Another emotion that watching these old shows creates is embarrassment. By and large, these shows were pretty bad. Bad writing. Bad directing. Bad acting.
I’m constantly reminded how terrible these oldies were every time my son grabs the remote and dials up Phineas & Ferb. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
It took the creators of this show 16 years before some savvy studio suit decided to green light it. Today, it’s the gold standard for kid TV. And it’s not too shabby for adult TV. The writers bury so many adult nuggets within each episode that I can watch the show anytime without the impulse to steal the remote back and turn on SportsCenter. It’s funny, educational, positive and even includes some catchy songs.
It’s also not the only show I’d watch without my kids in the room. These days, kid shows are really pretty good. Whether it’s another witty cartoon or a fun, sing-along show, kids of all ages have great options to choose from. With my kids separated by five years (12 and 7), I’ve observed some rather interesting trends:
The writing is better for some of my son’s cartoons than some of my favorite sitcoms and is certainly a lot better than any episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
A few of my childhood favorites have made a cool impact with my kids—namely Scooby Doo and The Jetsons (two classics).
Kid TV, as a whole, is much more positive, educational and just plain smarter than anything I grew up watching.
Of course, it’s not lost on me that it’s much more acceptable to agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics, which says kids younger than 2 should not watch any TV and that those older than 2 should watch no more than 1-2 hours a day of quality programming. Their point is well-grounded with such statements as “TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development. As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends and spending time with family.”
I get it, I get it. Too much of most anything is a bad thing and too much vegging in front of the TV will not only bake your brain, but it’ll make you as large as the 54-inch flat screen you’re watching. So, yeah, make sure your children are playing outside with real friends using real athletic equipment and sweating real sweat.
Important note: If the preceding sentence is news to you as a parent, please turn your kids over to the nearest orphanage or destroy your TV with a brick or a shotgun.
I’m guessing everyone reading this knows how to balance TV, homework and play time. Call me crazy. All I’m saying is that kid TV is actually all that it’s cracked up to be. Enjoy it and then go outside and play with your kids.
