The PBS Cure

One thing I wasn't looking forward to in motherhood was having to watch kiddie shows. All those silly cartoons and animated whatnots. They come with all those toys and puppets. Forgive me this, but I just didn't want to have anything to do with it.

We don't watch television in our home much. Not because we are morally opposed, but because we'd just rather be on the internet. (You can't script the drama of blogs! The real time of facebook! The confusion of Twitter! I still can't figure out Twitter!) Because of this, The Chief hasn't had much exposure to that big, flat deal that sits in our den. This has been an admitted relief to me.

Until I started getting sick in the mornings. Then I wanted nothing more than Elmo to entertain my child while I contemplated my need to get up (will anyone notice if I don't get up today?) But no matter how cute Elmo, how grumpy Oscar, how culturally diverse Seasame Street, my child doesn't want anything to do with it. Yes, we tried Baby Einstein. He's just too busy with the vacuum, a box of Kleenex, and the fireplace shovel.

This hasn't stopped me from tuning into PBS every morning anyway. And so this is how I have become my worst nightmare. I know all the kiddie shows. AND MY CHILD DOESN"T EVEN WATCH THEM--I DO. I lounge on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and watch show-after-show as The Chief reorganizes my pots and pans drawers.

To make matters more complicated, I don't enjoy the shows. Too many goofy voices mixed with unlikable characters. And, I find most of the plots confusing, nonsensical and over-dosing on dinosaurs. Dinosaurs on a train? Two-headed dinosaurs? Purple dinosaurs? What is wrong with rabbits?

Anyway. One morning I was about to turn off the tube and face the music when Electric Company came on. A new Electric Company with hip-hop and slides and urban kiddie goodness. I was hooked and I sat for thirty more minutes and watched. The Chief even climbed on my plush lap and watched with me. Would it be too much to say that Electric Company has cured me of Morning Sickness Blues? I know I could be really late on this one, but heavens I love it.

Plus, Hector looks like my lovely friend Brooke's husband Aaron:

Do you see it?

Me too.

Anyway, plenty of Wycleaf Jean, but no (thankfully) dinosaurs:



And don't forget the Slide and Drop:

*photos in this post were found through google search and our family archives.