quote: In the disturbing-news department, a repeat of the bug-eating gross-out show Fear Factor (24th place, 9.3 million viewers overall) was the week's most-watched show among jammie-wearing viewers, aged 2 to 5.
Who the hell let's their 2 year old watch Fear Factor?!?
Not us.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I had a 7 year old boy I tutored in reading who'd keep telling me stuff he saw on Fear Factor. He also said he saw Hannibal. I hope he didn't.
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Fear factor -- never watched it, but isn't that stuff like people eating bugs? Is that really so different from being 2-5 years old?
Posted by Damien (Member # 5611) on :
HAHAHA, I was thinking that, as well...
~¤~Damien~¤~
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
People with Nielson boxes, apparently.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I closely monitored what my children were allowed to watch on TV at that age...and it was mostly PBS - Sesame St, A Reading Rainbow, Mr Rogers, and the like.
Even when they were in elementary school, certain more objectionable cartoons and programs were off-limits, and their TV time was strictly limited. So they had to decide which programs they wanted to watch the most, and plan their TV-viewing accordingly.
Just my 2-cents worth.
**Ela**
[ September 24, 2003, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: Ela ]
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
There's no explaining some parents. I was in a showing of the re-release of The Exorcist. The movie started at 11:00 pm. There was a couple in line ahead of me with a little girl who couldn't have been more than 5 years old. She whined and cried through the whole thing and during one of the scariest parts started crying and saying "Oh daddy, please, daddy can we please go home now?"
This was child abuse, if you ask me. I kept thinking how utterly selfish these people were. Have they never heard of a baby-sitter?
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Well, since you ask...
Blue's Clues (Well, the sun's a hot star...) (I liked Steve, but Joe is kinda scary!) Dora The Explorer Roli Poli Ollie Pokemon Rugrats Scooby Doo
Things that we watch together:
Jackie Chan Adventures The Simpsons Futurama (Boy, I hope he doesn't start talking like Bender in school!)
It's dangerous to watch some things around him, or even listen to things. I was working on a cover of DEVO's Mongaloid a while back, and my wife complained that Tristan started singing it at the grocery store!
They are such little parrots! WATCH OUT!!!
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
VeggieTales Out of the Box Hi-5
Karl, that makes me angry. We don't even let our kids watch PG movies.
Posted by Head Ditch Digger (Member # 5085) on :
My sister let her kids watch simpsons till her oldest daughter, in the middle of the grocery store parking lot, dropped her pants stuck her butt in the air and very bart-like started waving it back and forth say, "nah-nah-nah-nah."
[ September 18, 2003, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Head Ditch Digger ]
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
See what I mean!
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
We hardly watch any TV, and so neither do the girls. Once in a long while I let them watch the afternoon shows on PBS (Clifford and DragonTales and such. I think when they're waiting for me to pick them up they get to watch the Disney Channel cartoons (Proud Family and Kim Possible and Sabrina the Teenaged Witch). It's not a fight. They're not accustomed to a lot of TV, and they don't see us watching TV, so they're not unhappy or jealous. As far as they know, it's normal to hardly watch any. When they were two, we watched Bear in the Big Blue House whenever I could remember to catch it, which wasn't often given that I'm not a TV guy, and we watched Sesame Street as often as I could stand it, which would have been more often than it was if not for the existence of Elmo. We watched Barney when I could make myself (on the advice of a pediatrician); that would be about a half-dozen times. We watched Teletubbies once; I'd rather show my kids Fear Factor followed by Jerry Springer than have them ingest that garbage.
We hardly ever take the girls to the movies, but when we do, I feel perfectly comfortable taking them into a PG movie. After all, I am their parent, and I am there to provide guidance.
Synesthesia: he probably did. I saw The Omen, Halloween, Poltergeist, Jaws and Deathwish II in the theater when I was a pretty little kid. My parents just had no sense that there was a problem with that, or they couldn't afford babysitting. To this day, I absolutely hate horror movies (and haunted houses), and will rarely allow myself to be dragged into one.
[ September 18, 2003, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: Icarus ]
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Oh, and when I watch football they will often sit down and watch it with me, though they don't really understand it yet.
I will count it as such a victory if I bring them up to be fans! Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
Karl - Oh, man. That makes me want to weep for that kid and the nightmares she must have had. Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Icarus - you're not teaching them to be Dolphins fans, are you? Where's that vomit smilie?
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
GO FINNS!!!
**Ela**
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Miami will be laid to burnination this weekend by the Bills.
It's not good to mess up your trash talking.
[ September 18, 2003, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: TheTick ]
Posted by Youth ap Orem (Member # 5582) on :
What kind of shows did everyone watch when they were 2-5? I remember watching TMNT, He-Man, Transformers, reading rainbow, and Lamb chops play along.
Posted by Head Ditch Digger (Member # 5085) on :
How about them cardinals. Posted by Youth ap Orem (Member # 5582) on :
Cleveland Browns! Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
I'm predicting that after this weekend, the Panthers will remain undefeated.
(Hey, you've got to make the most of a bye week!)
Go Carolina!
Posted by dangermom (Member # 1676) on :
DangerGirl, age 3, is allowed to watch (if anything) 20 minutes a day of Oobi, which I love. That show cracks me up. Every so often I let her watch part of a video like The Secret of Roan Inish or The Nutcracker. And when I watch my quilt show during the day, she sometimes looks at it. That's pretty much it; the more TV she watches, the whinier she gets, so I limit it as much as I can. She'd watch all day if I didn't.
I love TiVo for her. When her show's over, it goes back to a menu screen and she happily goes and turns it off. No "I just wanna watch this part!"
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
quote: It's dangerous to watch some things around him, or even listen to things. I was working on a cover of DEVO's Mongaloid a while back, and my wife complained that Tristan started singing it at the grocery store!
Micropook (3 yr boy) has a sense for what is really going to annoy me. During the summer I was letting them watch "Between the Lions" provided they turned off the Dr. Ruth segments. This show is on PBS but I usually avoid it but I had just had a baby and was living in my in-laws basement. Anyway, Micropook recalls that "Dr. Ruth" is for some reason unpleasant to me and starts chanting it over and over the other night when there were other kids visiting.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
My four year old sister watches:
(American)
Blues Clues (taped)
(British)
Tots TV (taped) Blue Peter (taped)
As far as I know, she watches no regularily scheduled shows... if anything is the slightest bit scary, she won't watch it.
And I agree, it is cruel taking children into see any movie that a) goes late or b) is unsuitable.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
Watch out Erik - your kids will start saying, "Bite my shiney metal a$$" Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
No, but I've been saying it all week!
Posted by dangermom (Member # 1676) on :
Ooo! Teshi, please explain what Blue Peter is to me. I've seen it many times in books and stuff, but have no idea what kind of show it is.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Blue Peter is basically a children's (ages 2-14) show featuring three or four presenters. They either bring people into the BBC studio to do stuff (like groups of dancers, cars, crazy new inventions etc.) or go out into England and the rest of the world and do stuff (sky diving, raising money for third world countries, skating, historical things, new places opening around the country, blueberry farming, learning to ski/drive racing cars, gardening, dog shows, festivals, whatever.)
My mother grew up with it and I grew up with it. I've never seen a show like it here (in North America) and it's by far the best informative childrens show ever. (In my opinion)
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
My 18 mo old watches the Baby Einstein videos, Baby Beethoven and Baby Mozart. They are wonderful! Lots of fun spinny toys, bright colors, other little ones in random scenes with Beethoven and Mozart as background.
Occasionally he will watch Slam Dunk Ernest or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with his 8 yr old brother Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Why is it called Blue Peter?
Posted by jexx (Member # 3450) on :
quote: Why is it called Blue Peter?
*rolls on floor laughing*
I have to admit, shamefully, that my brain went there, too.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Aforementioned "Between the Lions" is very much into slipping really questionable material in under the assumption that parents park their kids in front of PBS with some feeling of security. The even have a skit that mocks that fact.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Hmm . . . I watched it a couple of times with my kids and didn't see anything objectionable. In fact, it seemed like a very good show. But then I read something in this thread about a Dr. Ruth segment, which seems odd for that age range. Maybe I just caught them on a couple of quiet days.
Posted by jexx (Member # 3450) on :
Dr. Ruth does a lot of stuff for kids nowadays, like books on CD. Not about private parts, just fairy tales and whatnot. I think kids just like her funny voice.
I just read her autobiography not too long ago, I recommend it. It's fascinating. And again, not all about private parts. *grin*
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I've watched Between the Lions many times, and never saw anything objectionable. Actually, I've always found it very well done.
Dr. Ruth was one of many guest readers. I don't much care for her either, but all she did was read a kids' book!
And I guess I missed the skit pooka referred to. Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
So why'd Pooka say she made her kid turn off the Dr. Ruth Segments?
Or is it just a personal sense that Dr. Ruth is objectionable on principal, even when not talking about sex?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Either that or I missed an objectionable Dr. Ruth segment too.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Between the Lions was one of the things that helped Tristan to read.
This is signifigant in that he is now in kindergarten and reading at a third grade level.The teachers are tickled.
And a little bit scared too....
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Elaine! Welcome back! Where did you go?
psst . . . you should know . . . this creepy guy has been going around claiming to be you . . . word to the wise.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Well, I doubt they would let Dr. Ruth do anything outrightly objectionable, but when my son starts chanting her name, it would raise questions. He's young enough I can just pretend that it's the other person imputing that to his jabbering. "Why is your son saying Dr. Ruth?" "Is that what he's saying?" "Well that's what it sounds like..." "Yeah, but why would a 3 year old be saying that?"
The skit I keep referring to shows the kid saying: "Mom, there's a talking potato on the TV" "That's fine, dear, it's educational programming."
And my daughter learned to read above grade level despite me preventing her from watching this show as much as possible. She watched it a few times when it first came out, then I avoided it, then after a couple of years I forgot about Dr. Ruth. Then they started seeing it this summer. They always say superior reading comes from reading at home with the parents anyway.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
So if it's okay for Dr. Ruth to leave behind what made her famous and work with children, is it also okay for Dr. Laura to do that? Or wouldn't you always want to keep a close eye on everything both of them says?
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Can't you just be honest and tell them that Dr. Ruth does a kids show on PBS? Do you think they will think you are sex pervert or something?
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
I have a 2-5 year old?! Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
You're fear of this program seems irrational.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Actually, I taught myself to read. With a reading primer that a previous tenant left in the apartment we stayed in the summer I was 4.
As far as Dr. Ruth -- or Dr. Laura, for that matter -- if she is being objectionable, I object. If she's not -- when she sold Triscuits, for example -- then I don't really care.
Now, my kids almost never watch TV. But if one of them saw Dr. Ruth on BtL, and repeated her name to someone, I'd simply say, "Oh yeah, she does PBS kids shows now, didn't you know?" Why does it have to be a bigger deal than that?
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Look surprised and say "Dr. Ruth is the host of a kids show," then add, "why, where do you know her from?" And raise an eyebrow like they have have something to hide. The fact that [they know who the sex doctor is should embarrass them. Or, at the very least, prove your naiveté and innocence. Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
<Hadn't been reading the thread and missed the name of the show, so thought rivka was worried about one of her kids seeing Dr. Ruth on Bob the Lawyer. Still trying to get the image out of my mind.>
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
Wasn't Papa Moose on Captain Kangaroo? Like, with ping-pong balls?
--------------------
I actually learned to read watching the Electric Company.
HEYYYY YOUUUUU GUYYYYYYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Between the Lions is the closest thing to that on TV now.
---------------------
My two year old watches a lot of Kim Possible, and that other show on Disney Channel, Boy Meets Raven McStevens.
And Disney movies. Especially Tarzan. Over and over and over.
And all the Fear Factor we can pack into a day.
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I guess I'm not the only one that sees Between the Lions as the second coming of Electric Company.
I watched Electric Company as a kid, and my Mom swears it was a major contributor to my early reading. I don't know about that. I wasn't keeping track at the time. But when I had my own kids, I was a little wistful for that show, and wishing it was still around so I could have them watch it. Until they found Between the Lions. Yay!
And you gotta love Cliff Hanger and Chicken Jane. Or, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking."
My kids' favorite show right now it Zaboomafoo (sp?). Every day when I come home, my four year old spends dinnertime telling me about elephants, or tarantulas, or ostriches. Or he tells me a joke. When he was still three, my jaw just dropped when out of nowhere he asked, "What did one egg say to the other egg?" It took me the longest time to figure out where he learned about jokes. He thinks he's hilarious.
UofUlawguy
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I loved Electric Company! Wow, hadn't thought of that show in years. Never really compared BtL (hey, it's not my fault the abbreviation is the same!) to it, but yeah, I see what you mean.
Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :
quote:So if it's okay for Dr. Ruth to leave behind what made her famous and work with children, is it also okay for Dr. Laura to do that? Or wouldn't you always want to keep a close eye on everything both of them says?
I assume the producers of the childrens' television show would do that for you, pooka. Posted by Ayelar (Member # 183) on :
What's wrong with Dr. Ruth? I've seen her column a few times, and it's not nearly as bad as some of the misinformation some people are spreading around. I saw a show on late-night cable a month ago where some old, old lady was sort of doing the same thing, taking calls and dispensing advice... but the advice was just awful!
[guy] "Um, I'm thinking that I might be attracted to guys, and I have a girlfriend. What should I tell her?" [old lady] "Well, if you only *think* you might be attracted to guys, there's no reason to tell her yet. You should go have a sexual encounter with a guy, see how you feel about it, then tell the girlfriend if you end up deciding you prefer guys. That way, you don't have to lose her if this is a temporary thing!" [guy] "Uh.... okay."
Every call was like that, with just infuriating advice. Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
quote:Miami will be laid to burnination this weekend by the Bills.
It's not good to mess up your trash talking.
Final score, Finns 17, Bills 7 *gloat*
Hey Tick:
**Ela**
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
I just noticed that too, moose.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Gotta hand it to the Dolphins, that was painful to watch. Although it was more stupid play calling than anything. That's two weeks in a row with a goofy stunt play. I still feel that the Bills did well defensively though, Ricky had to grind out his yards, not much in the big play department. Just you wait until they come up here in the dead of winter. Posted by ladyday (Member # 1069) on :
So what -did- the egg say to the other egg?
Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :
"Between the Lions" is wonderful. It teaches reading skills in context, and it even explores literary concepts. Also, it has in-jokes for the grownups (like Dr. Ruth's segment). I love it. I enjoy "Gawaine's Word", a takeoff of Wayne's World, "Cliff Hanger"...(insert music)Cliff Hanger, hanging from a cliff, and that's why he's called Cliff Hanger!, and "Chicken Jane", a very hilarious takeoff of Dick and Jane.
Abby also enjoys Zoboomafoo, Dragon Tales, Caillou, Sagwa, and Dora the Explorer.
And for a while, she absolutely adored Monster Garage!!!!!
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
Okay, imagine a (barely) four year old, who can't say his r's, l's, or th's (probably at least in part because of a thumb-sucking problem), who comes up to you as you're washing your hands for dinner, and asks
"What did the egg say to the other egg?"
"What?"
"What did the egg say to the other egg?"
"I don't know."
"You crack me up! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha" etc.
So, it's one of those things where the joke isn't funny, but it's the source. I had never told him a joke before that I can remember, and I had never heard him tell one. But the guys on Zaboomafoo apparently tell one of these cheesy little jokes every day, so he has started repeating them. He really did crack me up.
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