When I was a kid I used to love Saturday morning cartoons. Two of my all time favorite cartoons were The Smurfs and Scooby Doo.
The cartoons my kids watch are very different than the ones I grew up watching. A few of their favorite cartoons are Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Super Why.
I have noticed one huge difference between the cartoons I liked and the cartoons my kids like, my kids learn things from their cartoons. Little Einsteins is all about music. They talk about musical vocabulary, different composers and their music, and play a lot of pieces of classical music. Handy Manny is a bilingual handyman the speaks English and helps kids learn Spanish (he was also Fez from that 70’s Show). Thomas is all about work ethic and making sure jobs are done correctly. Super Why teaches kids letters, letter sounds and helps kids learn how to read.
My daughter is always telling me weird facts about animals, seasons or dinosaurs. Either she’s a pathological liar with a knack for b.s. or she learns a lot from Cat in the Hat, Dinosaur Train, and Sesame Street.
That got me thinking, what did I learn from Scooby Doo?
-All villains wear masks.
-If you are running away from someone, your feet will just spin in place and you will be captured.
-Beware of “meddling kids” they mess up the best plans and evil schemes.
What did I learn from The Smurfs?
-A Smurf is three apples high.
-Do not to open presents from anyone named Jokey.
-People that wear glasses are brainy.
-The word “Smurf” can be used in many different ways. Example: That shirt is Smurfy!
So, if someone ever tells me that my kids watch too much TV, my best comeback will probably be “You don’t know what the Smurf you are talking about!”
Happy Parenting!
-Pete
www.facebook.com/petetheblogger
