May 2011. That was when Curly and Dimples finished with living in Michigan and were finished with a very abusive and dangerous situation.
I was delightful for him and me to have them out of that situation and here safe with us. The side benefit was that we got to have Dimples here with us when she was a only few months shy of 2 to a few months shy of 4. I made trips out there to see them about every two months after Dimples was born. Now she was here with us and we could watch as this lovely little person who had no knowledge of how the world works, discovere how the world works in ways adults have forgotten.
I also was introduced to Toddler TV. When Curly was a little one, we had Sesame Street. Now there are not only dozens of different toddler programs but stations that run toddler TV all day and night. Dimples became the queen of the television. All the adults in the house lost control of the television completely. All televisions in the house could not play anything except Toddler TV programs. She would not allow it. If she heard something on another television in the house, she would migrate toward it and let you know she wanted to watch “my shows”. It was easier to change the channel than argue.
Now I know, I can hear you, yes you. Telling me that children shouldn’t watch television all day. I agree. But, she had just spent 6 months in a friend of Curley’s spare bedroom. There were reasons they spent most of their time in that bedroom, mostly because they were hiding. There was hardly room for an 18 month old to play, but there was Nick Jr. on all day. It made the situation easier. You don’t break that habit just because she moved to my house. At my house, I am always in the room with her when she is watching TV and we are interacting with whatever is on the television. She tells me things that are funny to her, I ask her questions about what is happening. I am always listening to what is on the television, thus I am prepared to ask or answer questions and she knows I am really there with her.
I know all the shows, songs and most of the characters on Disney Jr.. I know she has learned a lot from these TV programs. Me? I feel a little dumber for all the hours that toddler TV has been pounded into my brain. A while back I had Jake and the Neverland Pirates theme song stuck in my head for two days. I have even made observations that one should never consider. Like Mickey Mouse being the worst example of a boyfriend ever. He and Minnie have been “a couple” for over 80 years. Donald and Daisy are just a few years behind Mickey and Minnie. I also learned that Goofy was married. He has a son. But in true Disney fashion, Mrs. Goofy was killed off somewhere, somehow. I love the Fairy’s movies and series. Dimples loves Sophia the first. She is a little Princess that is just a bit older than Dimples. What’s not to love.
She is not interested in Sesame Street. At.All. After a couple of years, she is finally willing to let the adults watch television. It depends on her mood and the time of day. She will let Him watch what he wants, when he wants to watch it. She has started to ‘play’ rather than stand in front of the television all day. She will sit down to coloring or a reading book, this is a recent development.
So while I feel dumber for listening to all that Toddler TV, particularly since they repeat the same episodes ad nauseam , she has gained some skills she may not have gotten any other way. There are worse habits she could have developed during 6 months of hiding… Now Curly has remarried and we have Dimples a few days every couple of weeks. I miss Mickey and the Chuggington Trains. I miss Dimples. She is happier now that her mother is settling back into her life and rediscovering who she is and who she is not. She is happy she has a daddy now. She had some trouble grasping the concept that she does not live here and her mommy isn’t coming back to her bedroom here. She has finally got it where her house is and that she visits Nana's house.
As annoying as Toddler TV is… I am grateful there is good programing for a little girl that had a very difficult beginning in life. She can see that life is good, bright and that problem solving is not that difficult if you put your mind to it… Oh...wait, grown-ups should be living by those principles as well..
Has Toddler TV been a part of you life? If so what was your favorite kids show?
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