Thank Goodness for Modern Technology

I am not one of those moms that said my child would NEVER watch tv. We rarely watch tv BUT, for a while at our NEOH house, we didn't have cable for the last month we lived there and only got ONE channel - the scrolling TV Guide Channel. Do you know how desperate you seem when you need a little down time and are willing to just watch it even though it has tons of interference? Moving on....

When H arrived home, we would sit and have his last bottle while we watched some show that was typically low key. It was one of those rare times when all three of us were able to sit down and relax together. Sometimes he would play oblivious to the tv behind him. We usually watched something like House Hunters, Pawn Stars, or Myth Busters (dependendent upon who had the remote control...)

As he got older and we progressed beyond the last bottle, we no longer had the opportunity to sit quietly together and we (meaning the parents) lamented the passing of the opportunity to spend some quiet time together. H didn't really begin to show interest in television until he was about two. I know that occassionally at his Ohio daycare, he would watch movies with the kids whose parents picked them up between 5-6. Most often, he would be sitting in some older girl's lap just happy to have the attention and quiet time. He never mentioned the shows or stated any preference for watching tv. I tried once last July on a car trip to TN to show a Bob the Builder cartoon to him on the computer. He really had no interest.

By the time we moved south, he started becoming more interested in television. We, as a family, do not watch much tv. This is mostly because we aren't home all together very often and we just don't have time. Secondly, it's because we really don't want H to WANT to watch tv much. In fact, we never watch a television show with him. However, sometime last fall, we decided (on a trip to Sam's - H's favorite place - the place he took me to in his imaginary giant dump truck this morning in fact - as it was showing on their tv's) to purchase Cars. I think I have now watched Cars at least 4 dozen times. Did you know if you turn on the subtext, you can catch a lot of the humor aimed at the adults that you might otherwise miss??? We have watched Cars from beginning to end, from certain scenes to the end, and from the beginning to only to certain points in the movie. He knows the movie. I usually try to engage him through out the movie so we can talk about what's happening or who is doing what. It's rarely just sitting slack jawed in front of the tv. I have to say fortunately the only thing he quotes is "I am speed." Cars has given us the opportunity to have a little down time while I fix dinner. I fix and he "chills out" after a busy day at school. This kid never stops. He's not ADD; he's just active. So, some days he just really needs that down time and I'm ok with watching a bit of tv for that. Fortunately, we haven't watched it as much lately so the interest is there but it seems the obsession is subsiding.

We now watch five DVDs: Cars, one Little People, one Trucks Trucks Trucks, one Bob the Builder, and the latest edition, Chugginton. While we have a few other kid themed options, these are the only ones we feel are appropriate at this age. Oh, and Cars 2? H doesn't get who all these new cars are and has no interest in watching it. Just another example of a movie sequel that would have been better never made :  )

Chugginton is a BBC kids show that has only recently been available on DVD. I read a review about it the other night that had a warning "BEWARE THE THEME SONG!" They weren't kidding it's playing in my head now. It's not a bad song, it's just one of those that gets stuck in your head and takes a looooooooooooonnnnnngggggggggg time to go away and just when you think it has, it suddenly replays over and over.

Anyhow, it was the one I felt most comfortable with when I was looking for something new and readily available last Tuesday when I purchased a car portable DVD player....

Yes, I have become one of THOSE parents. WHY? Well, unfortunately, best laid plans for a babysitter while I spent three hours on the road going to and from the bigger city in LA fell through. H is now to the age where he is getting antsy when we have to drive more than a 1/2 hour in the car. Living here, there's nothing within 1/2 hour. If we leave town it's going to be for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours one way. In addition, it was just the two of us. We usually do well if I can sit in the back and keep H occupied but that wasn't an option this time.

So, I tried Target first - easy to get into, easy to get out of, but no luck. I began to think maybe they didn't make them anymore (so not up on the latest technology.) Next on the way - Best Buy - you know the store that all the news is saying won't be around much longer. Well, thank goodness for BB.I was in and out of there in 10 minutes with new DVD player and DVD in hand.

It turned out to be a really good thing. It kept him occupied but not too occupied. He still had the presence of mind to interact with me every so often. He could even work the buttons on his own if it did something funky. The downside? Now H thinks he should get to watch movies every time we get into my car (for the 6 mile trip to "school", to the 2 mile trip to Sam's, etc.)

So, all in all we are ok with this purchase. Next time we have a road trip, we'll be ready to ride and maybe, just maybe, I can get some reading done or even take a nap.