Welcome to The TV Mom.
For as young as he is, my son (a.k.a. TV Boy) has done lots of things many might not think are "appropriate" for kids his age. He has attended five live concerts: Ben Folds, The Imagination Movers, Sister Hazel, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Counting Crows. He has gone camping in a tent, several times over. He has pets, including a lizard. He's had soda pop (although, to be fair, that was not my doing initially). He has been to the movies (and seen things rated PG13). He eats pizza and candy and chocolate, and loves every bite.
My worst parenting transgression of all? Television. He has watched almost every program that is out there for preschoolers and much of what is out there in general. Nick Jr., PBS, Sprout, Hub Network, Disney Junior... you name it, he's seen it. And just like any other human, he has preferences. Preferences that change almost monthly, but preferences nonetheless.
This blog is going to be a different kind of "mommy blog". I'm not here to judge parents for their choices, and I hope you feel the same way. Everyone does what is best for their own family. Period. However, for those parents that are looking for guidance on children's programming from the point of view of one of their own, I intend to provide that insight. I've seen a LOT of kids programming in the last few years (what else was I supposed to watch during my 8 weeks of bed rest?). Some of it I didn't even know existed until we left the television on a certain channel longer than we usually did. Some shows are better than others, some more educational than others, and some achieve their lessons in more entertaining ways than others. I'm here to break it down for you.
I will tell you how I enjoy the shows as a hapless bystander. I will tell you how my son enjoys the shows as a member of the demographic. I will also admit that there are some shows out there that I like better than my son does. There are some he adores that I would rather dig my eyes out with a rusty spoon rather than watch with him.
Also, I'm the Topic Writer for About.com's site about Kids' Cartoons. However, my writing there focuses more on a demographic of ages 5 to 12, and more specifically, just animated television for that age range. That spills over here. A lot. I use this blog to promote my work at About.com frequently, and I hope that you enjoy what you read there just as much as what you read here. And yes, my son will get to watch the shows right along with me, and he will likely have opinions about what we watch. I will gladly share those with you as well.
I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or certified early childhood expert of any kind. I can't tell you which shows will make your kid smarter, nicer, or a more productive member of society. I also can't tell you which shows will make your kids fatter, lazier, dumber, or more obnoxious. So, take what I say with those grains of salt in your pocket, and we'll all be happier for it.
Kids' entertainment includes all forms of "screen time": video games, iPad apps, movies, streaming, and so on. Kids today have access to so many more screens than we grew up with, and I wanted to be sure to cover the full gamut of entertaining things they might watch, regardless of where they watch it. The About.com page will continue to focus on specifically kids' cartoons, but here I want to branch out.
The latest update to the blog has been the addition of "Geek Culture" mentions. This is something that is near and dear to the TV Household, and it's time I start letting that side of our family be reflected in the blog. So... Star Wars, Doctor Who, Firefly, and more will permeate into the world of The TV Mom. I hope you enjoy!
Thanks for reading and I hope you feel that my posts are both entertaining and informative. I hope to be the Jon Stewart of the mommy blogging world!
