You’ve done it, you know you have.
You’ve put on a television show for your children that looks harmless and slightly educational and used it as an opportunity to clean the house, take a shower or simply drink your coffee while they watch it.
Then, one day, you actually sit down to watch it with them and wonder what on earth is going on in this show. That happened to me awhile back with “Dora The Explorer”. With that in mind, I created a list of five children’s TV shows that confuse and bewilder me on a daily basis.
1. “Dora The Explorer”
How is Dora allowed to travel the countryside, fairytale village and even other countries without her parents? No one thinks it is strange that a young girl is without any adult supervision, as well as in the company of a monkey who wears clothes?
2. “Yo Gabba Gabba”
Are they aliens or monsters? And why is the host stuck in the 70’s with an orange jumpsuit? I can imagine grownups watching this show back in the 1960’s while enjoying “brownies” and swaying to the music.
3. “Team Umizoomi”
Don’t get me wrong, this show does have an educational aspect with its focus on math. However, the thing that I can’t get past is that in a major metropolitan area, the only hope that people have when they forget their lunch is a pair of miniature creatures and their robot with a television belly.
4. “Doodlebops”
One question: What are these things? Are they people? Are they cartoons? And why are they in front of a crowd one minute and then the next minute they aren’t? I’m not going to lie, they creep me out. They do have a good moral lesson on each episode, but I can’t seem to get past the pulled ears and crazy makeup.
5. “Thomas The Tank Engine”
No, the actual stories don’t confuse me, though I do think they can be a bit mean at times. It’s the voices that I can’t get past. Older episodes are narrated by Ringo Starr, George Carlin and then Alec Baldwin. These are not men that I really want ever babysitting my children so the idea that they voice children’s stories seems amusing and slightly disturbing all at the same time.
The funny thing about this list is that I still enjoy watching these shows with my children. Sometimes I like to put down that cup of coffee, cuddle in with them on the couch and laugh at the adventures that Dora gets into, or dance along with those crazy, freaky Doodlebops.
Danielle Herzog is a mom to two children. You can read her blogs every Wednesday on momaha.
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What’s your favorite show to watch with your kids? What do you find funny about it?
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