I am decidedly uncool. Like, not even remotely close to hip. I’ve tried on the cool shoes; they never fit. And because of my terminal uncoolness, I just can’t seem to get into this guy:
This is DJ Lance. He hosts ‘Yo Gabba Gabba!’, a show on Nick Jr. that is, well, it’s…well…you really just have to see it:
That’s a pool party. And holy guacamole, we got chips.
Being a parent, I’m exposed to a lot of children’s programming. Exposed like in the way you’re exposed if there happens to be a radiation leak nearby. It’s not always a healthy thing. Growing up in the 80’s, there were a lot of great cartoons. There were awesome shows in the morning before school, after school, Saturday mornings, etc. You had:
Heathcliff
Woody Woodpecker
Garfield
Fraggle Rock
GI Joe
Transformers
GO-Bots
He-Man
The Snorks
The Smurfs
Muppet Babies
To name a few. Two things about these shows – you didn’t have to have cable to catch these (good luck finding anything other than “Law and Order” or “CSI: Lake Wobegon” for your kids to watch if you’re just getting over-the-air broadcasts. PBS is the exception but their children’s programming is sporadic) AND these shows weren’t out to grow your brain. You weren’t going to learn a second language or get to skip AP calculus by watching these shows. They were just fun. And that’s what being a kid is all about right?
Today’s children’s programming seems way too self-aware (see above. How many hipster 80’s clichés can we cram into a half hour? Analog…is…AWESOME!), and entirely too concerned with breeding geniuses. It’s fashionable though, I guess. Parents want smart kids. I want smart kids. But there’s a part of me that wants my son to watch a cartoon where robots crash and smash into each, and that tries to be nothing more than a cartoon where robots crash and smash into each other. He doesn’t need to learn how to say “destroy the evil robots” in Spanish. Not yet, anyway.
There is one exception to this discussion: “Phineas and Ferb”.
Phineas, Ferb, I love you guys.
I’m sure it won’t be long until Nick Jr. is outgrown. Until then I guess I’m stuck with DJ Lance and his magical ghetto blaster.
What shows do you watch with your kids? Which ones bring you to the brink of madness?
The Fine Line 
Adam, this site is AMAZING!!!! You are very talented and funny! My husband and I have had this discussion before too. Where are all of the great cartoons we grew up with? However, we both LOVE to watch Phineas and ferb with Anna….it’s our favorite TV show! Thanks for sharing your stories, it reminds me that I am not alone when I feel exhausted, annoyed or like I’m losing my mind!
Thanks Jessica. Phineas and Ferb are pretty great. I wish they’d put the seasons on dvd
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