Spring Break has been filled so far with lots of sugar, naps, baby food, and a very sweet helper. Grace and Carsyn have been staying with me during the day. That is complete and total justification for the fact that my laundry is behind, my dishes are piling up, and the living room floor looks like a daycare explosion. We are all much happier on the golf cart, on the swing, playing with toys, or cheering/dancing/singing (Carsyn and I are a rapt audience for Grace's performances.) So fun.
For years (6 to be exact) we have subscribed to Noggin because it is "preschool on tv." Their shows are adorable. Some of the kids' favorites have been Handy Manny, Franklin, Olivia, Oswald, and the Spanish-speaking adventursome duo of Dora and Diego. But now the "older" Grace feels that she has outgrown some of these shows -- even though I, an adult, still learn from them. We do not allow shows like Spongebob or others that are disrespectful or condone bad behavior. Grace agrees that if we say "No" to a show, it's automatically off limits.
So Monday, in the midst of feeding Carsyn and changing diapers and chasing down pacifiers, Grace asked if she could find something else to watch. She hit the guide button and scrolled down. Reaching one channel, she said, "What about this one, ZiZi?" It was King of the Hill. "I don't know, Grace. Do you get to watch that at home?" She couldn't remember, so I told her to press Select and let me see for a second. Oh. My. Goodness...my thoughts about cartoon shows changed in the next 8 seconds.
The show was cast with animated cartoon characters. Remember that we clicked on it in mid show. A couple walked into the view, the woman in the pair talking about how getting married was really just an attempt not to make the preacher and God mad with their actions.
In the next scene, a woman emerges from her baptism in the river. She's all excited about the "change" in herself.
The onlooker doubts her change and says it "takes more than a few preachy words and a dunk in the river to change some things."
Of course we changed the channel. However, the feeling of complete disgust and an overwhelmingly sickening feeling stayed behind long after.
Who do these writers think would be watching cartoons at 10:00 in the morning? I can't think of a good reason that any adult should even have the time to waste in such a way. Imagine the damage done to the minds of young children by having this garbage fed to them through the brain drain.
I am not totally against television--as I am not against the internet or cellphones or facebook or video games. Any of these things can be a wonderful way to learn new information, research topics, keep up with the people in our world and family, and entertain ourselves. But this seconds-long clip made me sure of this: adults MUST monitor what is playing on the home television. It is no less important than making sure internet time is supervised and monitored or that video games and movies are suitable for the player/watcher.
How in the world can we know what to watch/do? This is the answer that comes to my mind:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
Yep, that'll do it.
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