Raising an addict
Wednesday, May 31 2006
File Under:
Leta, Nubbin, Parenthood
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Monday afternoon after spending several hours with Jon's family we drove 45-minutes to my father's house. During the entire trip Leta whined that she wanted to watch Elmo. "Do you see a television anywhere in this car?" I asked, and she would wait a few seconds and whine again as if to say, "I don't see how that is relevant to this conversation."
By the time we had spent a few hours with my father, Leta had been without television for over nine hours and she couldn't wait to go home to her shows. As we gathered our things she grabbed my hand and sang, "Go home and watch Sesame Street! Orrrrrrrrrrr Teletubbies! Orrrrrrrrrrr Boobah! Orrrrrrrrrrr News!" Each "or" was stretched like a rubber band to emphasize THE POSSIBILITIES, MY GOD.
Jon and I shook our heads at both the tone of her excitement -- the options were blowing her mind -- and the fact that she was so happy to be headed back to the television that it didn't matter what she watched, she'd even settle for a little news. How desperate does a kid have to be that she'd forego Elmo for Brian Williams just so that she can warm herself by the light of a cathode ray? All her veins have collapsed, but she needs the drugs bad enough that she's willing to inject the needle under the nail of her big toe.
As I strapped her into her seat she was still listing off shows when she looked over and saw the bag of emergency goodies we had packed for the day away from home. When she spotted a bag of M&M's her focus shifted instantly, and she shouted, "I eat M&M's! Orrrrrrrrrrr gummy bears! Orrrrrrrrrrr cookies!" Her brain could barely wrap itself around the opportunities.
I climbed into the seat in front of her, craned my head around the neck rest and said with a shrug, "How about nope! Orrrrrrrrrrr nuh-uh! Orrrrrrrrrrr not a chance!"
- Oh noes! Here her goes again!
Thursday, 25 September 2008 - Thoughts I had before 7 AM
Wednesday, 24 September 2008 - Text message conversation with Carol last evening
Tuesday, 23 September 2008 - Two brief anecdotes
Monday, 22 September 2008 - For now her name is Puppy
Friday, 19 September 2008
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1. tarable said:
Thank you for making my day. I thought we were the only ones raising an addict.
2. SueFromOhio said:
You should probably avoid advertising her addiction to the boob tube since all the crazies are going to flog you for allowing it...HAHAHAA And 'they' say Crack is bad for you ;)
3. HDC said:
Brain Williams eh?
My two month old is already on the addict path. How elseam I supposed to get his laundry done?
4. Allbeehive said:
This makes me want to go home, eat a snickers, or popcorn, or an energy bar and rewatch the season finale of whatever I have on Tivo. Oh wait, I'm an adult.
5. Urs said:
brian williams? dear god, if she has to watch the news at least giver her anderson cooper!
6. jacks said:
After reading this post, I think I'm an addict, too.
7. lmmom said:
When my oldest was very young, we were able to keep him from junk food up until about 18 months. We went to a family party and although he had never seen one in his life, he dove headlong into a bowl of Cheetos. Up he comes with a big grin, covered in Cheetle up to the elbows. So much for 'if he doesn't know it, he won't want it'.
The TV had been part of his life from day one. We're all addicts - am I not reading and typing this?????
8. leahpeah said:
make her hold out for the crack and make her say it nicely.
9. Meepers said:
As someone who did not have TV in the house till age three or four - let me tell you - age doesn't matter in the TV addiction or not. In the last six years (since I've been married/had cable) I've made up for lost time. Someday Leta and I can be in TV-Anonymous together maybe, no? Orrrrrrrrr not.
10. SydneyDawn said:
HAHAHA. That last line sounds like something that would come out of my mouth.
Leta's a doll.
11. jolie said:
and yet... she didn't request the dog whisperer. strange.
12. Dr. To You said:
Leta is as bad as my kid. As soon as he gets into the car, he yells for the DVD player to come down.
I'm a David Gregory fan myself. Something about a 6'4" man dancing to Hilary Duff....
13. BabyKEsq said:
I had a run in with a similarly minded two year old on Monday. Her and her parents had been in the mountains without TV for the whole weekend and when I saw her on her way home she was struggling to get out of her car seat desperately chanting, "Dora. Ayuda. Ayuda. Dora! Dora! Ayuda! Doooorraaaaaa!"
14. Heather said:
My kids think that as soon as we enter a store they must have food in their mouths. I have to warn them before we leave that I'm not bringing anything or I risk dealing with a meltdown. And my girls ask me to take a shower in the morning, so they can watch their shows.
15. sweetney said:
TV good. also see my comment here: http://blogher.org/node/5903
your post is timely, woman!
16. mamaphunk said:
Lady. Seriously.
You've gotta stop posting adorable stuff like this.
I'm engaged, my Mother said she won't pay for the wedding if I'm with child and you posting crap like this makes me really weigh the decision.
17. Tiggerlane said:
Do I sense the Armstrongs shopping soon for an in-car DVD?
For those of us who have now become addicted to Leta videos, you know we're going to expect some audio/visual documentation of the stretched "or" beast.
Orrrrrrrrrr Chuck.
18. Mindola said:
Leta and my husband obviously have some things in common.......
He sounds just like this when I let him off his leash in Home Depot.
19. Faith said:
Dude...I love my addiction to television. Love it, love it, love it. I've been fostering it for a lo-hoooong time now, and am proud to say that no other addictions have been able to conquer my resolve the way t.v. has.
Just a warning, I'm a fat 32-year-old. Not sure if that has anything to do with my love for t.v., but it's a fact. (I watch t.v. while I walk on my treadmill 4 times a week...and in fact I walk more in the evenings now so I can have "better t.v. to watch" while I do it. Yeah, I don't have a problem...)
But I am an otherwise healthy, well-balanced, and well-informed girl, and would encourage any parent to allow their child to watch as much t.v. as possible growing up. How else will they know when things like Brangelina's baby being born occurs?
20. wordnerd said:
it's pretty wild that at her tender age that she'd grasp the concept of choice to this extent. amazing.
21. Thérèse said:
Hee.
Ohhh, you know she's gonna be one of those people who bounces around in her chair when she's excited about anything and everything. Even when she's 25. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
22. wenhaver said:
My kid is an addict too. He goes nuts whenever he hears the Law & Order theme song. I get him to go to bed by saying "you want to watch a movie?". He's 20 months old.
There's a Simpsons quote that goes something like "I watched a lot of TV growing up and I grew up TV". Our son is growing up TV alright...
23. Kristine said:
Xanax orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Excedrin PM orrrrrrrrrrrrr a glass of wine orrrrrrrrrr .... yeah, sounds like my night time routine.
I went to church camp and after a week my mother said, "You know...I think Eddie Murphy's RAW came out last week...wanna go to the video store?"
24. ktjane said:
ahhahaha! you are the coolest mom! leta will appreciate your sense of humor someday. probably not until after the teen years when you'll be so not funny, but like when she is 27.
25. jes said:
I imagine that when you responded to her, she cocked her head to the side and gave you a blank stare.
26. Shooters Station said:
And her response... yes! ooooorrrrrrrrr absolutely! ooooorrrr sure! orrrrrrrrrrrr now!
27. Kristen in Colorado said:
You know, Teletubbies is a pretty bizarre show, but it doesn't even hold a candle to Boobah in the creepy department. I just don't get the appeal. Some night when I'm having trouble sleeping, as if trapped in the Twilight Zone, I hear the warbly, spooky, sing-song, "Booooo - Bahhhhhhhh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahh"
28. Maniacal said:
My daughter is 8 months old and she already like TV. Especially Boobah, orrrrrrrrr Big Big World orrrrrrrr Dragon Tales!
Should we NOT let them watch? They are educational...hey you said it yourself, Leta learned her letters, right?
29. Rbelle said:
I just posted a question to my mom readers about kids and television... my son is also an addict, unfortunately to the Wiggles. I am so happy when he asks to watch "Thomas" (the train) or "SCOOBY DOO!" because it is one more step away from the Wiggles.
30. Meg said:
Oh lord. You sound exactly like my mom. And that's awesome.
31. Karen Rani said:
Once again, reading your blog makes me realize I am not alone in raising my children with high doses of sarcasm. It puts hair on their chest.
32. Annejelynn said:
my personal favorite response to a child's ridiculous request is "sooo not gunna happen."
33. Jon Z. said:
Before my son was born, I remember my saying something to my wife about how I didn't even want him to know what a TV was until he was school age.
BWAHAHAHAHAHHAA!
He turns three in a week and a half, and the only people he knows as well as his mother and I are a little cartoon chick named Dora, her cousin Diego, Elmo, the three freaks from "The Doodlebops," the annoying cast of "Hi 5" (whose insipid jingles he can sing verbatim), the "Little Einsteins" crew, and his latest love, the bizarre, sensory-overload, potentially age-inappropriate "Lazytown."
Incidentally, he can also recite the entire starting lineup for the Boston Red Sox and identify each player on sight, and, no, I swear, I didn't train him, he just kept asking "Who's that? Who's that?"
These are all programs he graduated to after months of "Baby Einstein" videos ... and if it were not for the availability of the television as a distraction during those wee hours of the morning when he first wakes up (like, 5 a.m., daily), or as a way to wind him down before story time (a ritual known as "last show"), or for those moments when mommy and/or daddy woud like to do something exotic, such as evacuate our bladders or bowels without an audience, well, we'd have probably been institutionalized by now.
I'm pretty sure Madonna has said that she doesn't let her kid watch TV. Well, give me a half-billion dollars and a full-time staff to manage my life (to include a team of nannies) and I could probably keep ours away from the boob tube, too. Until then, I say, "Viva el Nickelodeon!"
34. Lynnlaw said:
Ahhh...to be a kid again! When everything is new and exciting. I adore that she mentioned THE NEWS! That is hysterical. I grew up addicted to TV and I live a pretty productive life, good family and tons of friends. I think she'll be fine.
35. Jennifer Schutz said:
When I was little we were allowed to watch 1 show per day. To make it worse, that 1 show was always ninja turtles (and later, sports) because I have two brothers and 2 outnumbers 1.
Now that I have my own house and TV, the first thing I do when I get home is turn it on, even if I'm not watching. To me, the sound of a silent house is depressing. The sound of a TV on in the background is my symbol of freedom, and Oh, how I celebrate it.
So, you're probably doing Leta a huge favor by letting her get her TV indulgence out of the way early! Especially if she will watch news... that's a win-win situation, because everyone knows that news is educational.
36. KatsMom said:
I was just struggling to get my daughter away from the tube. So we came up to the office and I'm surfing for a moment and she's drawing. We're headed outside after this. But it won't be long before she is asking me "Did we miss Lazytown?" Nevermind that we've seen every episode 9 times...doesn't matter. Knowing if we have or have not missed Lazytown is the way we gauge if we have had a good day.
Love your blog. I'm trying to decide if we are going to have number 2 also. I too feel as though I am just getting the hang of this mothering thing. I have a feeling that two little ones will throw me for a loop. But who could have predicted I would love my daughter the way I do...Ahhhh.. And so we keep contemplating.
37. Pioneer Woman said:
My oldest learned her alphabet from Barney. She could read before her two cousins, whose snooty parents used to berate me for allowing such garbage into my child's brain. Their two kids, by the way, STILL can't read!!!
Ha! Joke's on them.
38. Jennifer in Kansas City said:
I can't wait for the "Hi! We're Nuts!" letters to start, telling you that it's only proper to feed Leta homemade wheat germ and carob trail mix with organic flax seed, or instead of TV (news! So funny!), why aren't you building your own small theater and giving her marionette and puppet shows. With handmade costumes. And expertly designed programmes.
Because, REALLY. It's the least you can do.
39. Cauri said:
i LOVE that she listed news!! Haha that poor deprived child!
40. rivetergirl said:
Yes, the enthusiasm of the addict. It warms a mama's heart.
There is a lot of debate over whether kids should watch TV ... and eat candy for that matter.I'm firmly of the camp that whatever the parents want and can live with works for me.
I grew up watching TV (lots of TV) and my kid watches TV ... and she's reading exponentially beyond her grade.
41. CartwheelsAtMidnight said:
Life has such promise when you're two! Now I'm working on... I can watch Ellen... Orrrrr... do laundry! Orrrrrrr... clean the attic! Orrrrr... go to the gym! I am so jealous!
BTW - Great photo for today. I love her expression.
42. MelanieinOrygun said:
Gotta love these years. I always used to chant "Ooooooh the selection! Ooooooh the variety!" at my girls when they'd get into these little monologues about their options.
I take it you are using the ol' "offer a choice rather than a yes/no scenario" method? Or is Leta already past the "NO to everything" stage?
43. anagrama said:
you are evil.
i'm sorry, i don't mean that...
it's just...
i'm very hungry, and have lived without a tv for 6 months.
so my empathy has been compromised
¡love the blg!
44. Les said:
As parents we do anything for a little peace and quiet now and again. My twins are only 18 months and aren't into TV yet. But Evan who is 3 on the 11th June loves watching it.
In the UK the big children's programs are 'Fireman Sam', 'Bob the builder' and the old classic 'Postman pat'. Do you have any of these in the US?
I wrote a little on my Blog about this last week here http://www.blog.lessharma.com/?p=15
Keep up the good work - I'm reading everyday now!
Les
45. GeekDaddy said:
LOL! I thought my family was the only one who packed like you :) Reminds me of a trip we took long ago, detailed here: http://marksonger.blogspot.com/2006/05/travels-with-dad.html
When my family drove down to Orlando, we took the middle seat out of the minivan and put in a TV/VCR combination. My three year old thought he had died and gone to heaven. Between that and playing with his older brother's old GameBoy (He didn't care that he didn't know how to play the game. He pushed buttons and it made noises and did stuff on the screen) it was the quietest road trip we've taken in a long time.
46. The Bold Soul said:
As long as she doesn't start begging to watch Pat Robertson, I guess it's OK if she's addicted enough to TV to prefer watching the news to NOT having TV.
I distinctly recall as a child being told to get out of the house and go play outdoors... but then again in those days, TV was limited to what, 8 or 9 channels in the pre-cable/satellite/Ninentdo/Playstation/VCR/DVD days? TV was something special we got to do in the evenings after homework or on weekends or when something special like the "Wizard of Oz" was being broadcast -- just once a year! Somehow we all managed to survive without 24x7 television access. And something tells me we were a lot thinner, then, too.
47. Logan said:
I'm loving how "Raising an Addict" coincides with a daily photo that looks like Leta could have just smoked a bowl.
48. Fireflower said:
Love this, the tv thing is starting to become of greater interest here because the kidlet's paying attention. Oh, for the infant days when the DoinkDoink on Law & Order would instantly soothe the colic and send her to sleep. She's now watching lots of sitcoms and lots and lots of morning news shows. Without the tv, I'd go completely bugfuck.
49. Erin said:
HAHAHA you are hilarious. What Leta was doing sounds a lot like what I do when I get home from work and am thinking about all the junk food and bad TV possibilities set before me for the rest of the evening. Funny stuff.
50. kidsmom said:
Before TiVo, we had resorted to taping 6 hour tapes of Barney for my teething two year old. BK (Before kid) I despised Barney. AK, he saved my kid's life, I'm sure.
51. Jonniker said:
What's fucked up is that our kids will grow up in the Age of TiVo, where, when she gets home, she *will* have the option of watching Elmo! orrrrr Boohbah! orrrrrrrr Carnie Wilson's gastric bypass, even though it was years ago because TiVo, it is forever.
I distinctly remember my sister informing me that the Magic Garden was on, so I'd better hurry. I attacked the TV with fervor, then promptly changed my mind and said, "Hm. I'll watch it later," and turned off the TV. I couldn't understand that the Magic Garden wasn't conjured at my beck and call.
And what's annoying, and magical and weird all at once is that Leta will never have to learn that lesson. And people think we've made NO PROGRESS!
52. flytrixie said:
Heather, I see are now vocally prepped for 'Talk Like a Pirate Day', which is September 19. AAAAAAAAARGH!
53. Billygean.co.uk said:
Wow everyone's plugging their blog so you link to them and their stats go through the roof!!
Ah, TV. I just finished my finals so am relishing its cathode-ray goodness. I watched the final of American Idol (i'm in UK). How fucking long can they drag the result out for? I counted an hour without commercials, including singing appearances of celebrities who I thought were dead, and performances from people WHO WERE KICKED OFF FOR A REASON.
Yet I watched the whole thing, hm... Cocaine indeed.
Billygean
54. battybeyond said:
They just want the world at that age, and they want it right now. It's just a coincidence that their world consists entirely of four cartoon shows, six toys and a handfull of junk foods :)
55. wasagooze said:
Heehee - it doesn't end. My 5 year old will ask to watch The Simpsons if he knows that his father and I have gotten tired of kiddie shows, but he isn't willing to turn it off! This is especially true whjen we are eating dinner (yes, on the couch) after he has already eaten!
The other day he told me that we could "play Simpsons"
I coyuld be the mom, he could be Bart, Daddy coulkd be Homer and Daisy could be Lisa. Daisy is our greyhound - who actually looks like Santa's Little Helper, so I guess he was casting against type!
56. BrendaInToronto said:
how about recording Leta the next time she makes her list?
57. Samantha Y. said:
"... Orrrrrrrrrrr News!â€
A child after my own heart!
Don't take it as a sign of addiction; I loved watching the news as little girl and ended up getting a degree in journalism. It's when she twitches at possessive apostrophes that make it through the AP wire or is given to yelling, "Damn privileged Anderson Cooper!" that you might want to start worrying.
58. anna nic said:
Don't worry. My son just started walking the other day. But he'll only walk towards Jimmy Neutron. How fucked up is that?
59. Angella said:
Hey - my mom credits Sesame Street for me being able to read anything by the age of 3. And thanks to Dors & Diego, my 3 year old uses Spanish words in his daily vocab.
He also says "Hey, Mommy! Eat Fresh!" whenever we drive by Subway.
:)
60. Mrs Ca said:
That is just too incredibly cute! There are some days when I know how she feels though.
61. momma 2 angels said:
Ah c'mon! Give the kid her dope. Grown-ups can be so phooey.
62. Pascha said:
As a child that was raised by a single father that was also a Jehovah's Witness, I was rarely allowed candy, soda, or television.
Now I'm 27 and I have a stash of candy that fills an etire drawer in the kitchen--and I won't share with my husband. :)
I'm also a TV addict. Give Leta sugar and TV now, and maybe she'll grow up learning to not have doritos and candy bars for dinner while watching 5 straight hours of TV. Not like I do that or anything...
63. louisa said:
how addictive is the talking box to a kid ? This is how addictive :
When I was a kid, think aged 12, and my little sister and brother we were tv addicts. Our parents read the riot act and said the usual ' homework first then TV but only a little' one small problem we were proper latch key kids. So parents not being home we thought screw it watch the TV. Turns out the parents were smart. When they came home they felt the TV and well golly shock and awe it was warm.
At this point they decided no more telly and actually cut the cord !!!! we were without telly for over a year .... or so the parentals thought. Being the smart kid I was ( or just stubborn ) I went the the library got a book out on how to re-wire a tv plug . Then bought all the electrical goods required, and i re-wired that bad boy !! for a year my kid sister, brother and I watched ilict telly and they never knew !! eventually in my adulthood whilst drunk and a family bbq i let it slip ... they were throroughly impressed. THAT IS CHILDHOOD ADDICTION AT ITS WORST !! :-)
love the writing Heather from fans in the UK
64. Catizhere said:
The other day it was 93 degrees and humid so being the good mommy that I'm trying to be, I suggested a run through the sprinkler...
Mag says, "Outside??"
I of course reply, "Well, duh! YES outside."
Mag: "I'm watching Monsters, Inc right now, maybe later"
She's not even 3 yet.
65. Stefanie said:
My 2 year old is also generous enough to allow options. Evidently, I have the word VENDING MACHINE written somewhere on my person.
p.s. Having advanced children sucks, doesn't it?
66. William said:
I am sure you will be getting hate mail from all of the people that have TV's in their cars.
"Heather,
How could you not have a TV in your car. That is outrageous. You are depriving your child of entertainment and educational programing."
67. Shubka said:
Recently we (my husband and our two girls, 5 & 7) had a great family weekend - the zoo, the park, ice cream, movies. We were driving home from dinner on Sunday night, and I asked them what their favorite part of the weekend was. My older daughter said it was the zoo. The younger one said, "I don't know, but I know that I haven't watched ANY TV in two days. TWO DAYS!"
We're all raising addicts.
68. Coralie Lynch said:
lolol at the image of leta cracking out to Brian Williams.
Just wait til Katie comes on the evening news, its almost like Sesame Street and the news combined into one!
69. kerri said:
So, wait does "addict" inherently have a negative connotation? ; )
I think my mom must have been so! happy the day we learned how to use the VCR for ourselves. Disney movies were definitely our crack. Come to think of it, not much has changed with my sister and I. We have just replaced the Disney crack with other "more sophisticated" crack. Like sex, and booze, and classic rock. KIDDING. Well, sort of.
70. Carli said:
God, I am so glad I'm not the only one who mocks her children. Bless you Heather, you're are my rock! I know that if more than one of us does it, there's a chance I won't end up alone on the news, and rather the story will be something like "surge of mothers" rather than "one really crappy mom", because they always persecute the ONE. :)
71. trevordlb said:
Crack is, indeed, wack, but snacks, snacks are great... It's like, enjoy them while you can, since your baby teeth will fall out soon, and then you'll really have to whoa down on the snacks, but that's when crack comes in really handy... Just kidding, of course...
72. sasha said:
I was once one of those moms who was NEVER NEVER going to let my kids watch T.V. Or play with plastic toys. Or eat sugar. But that realization that hits all parents eventually got to me: having kids is different than thinking about having kids. And sometimes, you need to shower. At least if they're in front of the tube I know they're not going ANYWHERE. And although my two-year-old is largely incomprehensible, I understand him perfectly when he says "Elmo" or "doobydoobydoo."
73. Candice said:
Rock on, Leta! There is absolutely nothing wrong with a TV Addiction. My nieces watch TV all. the. time. And they're turning out okay. Well, the oldest one can quote the entire informercial for The Bedazzler, but I'm not really sure that that's a negative thing.
74. rebecki said:
"Warm herself by the light of a cathode ray?" I LOVE IT!!
75. Bird Lover said:
Sorry to break it to you but the trips don't get any easier as they get older.
I noticed that some of the other commenters had also thought about putting a TV/VCR in their vehicles. Not me. I figure I can use what I've got. Two years ago I took a seven hour car trip with my daughter. I brought along my lap top to keep her busy with computer games. Instead of "Thanks Mom" all I heard was "Mom the computer is really hot on my legs" and "Mom this is starting to burn". Some kids are so ungrateful.
76. Jannie Funster said:
Swore before Kelly was born she wouldn't see t.v. 'til she was 7 or 8. Yeah right - at 13 months she was punching in Nick Jr. on the remote...
77. TeenSleuth said:
So. Cruel. No TV and no sweets? It's like taking away her cigarettes after she's been locked in the rehab center.
78. TiffyWiffyPooPooWanna said:
First time commenter, long time reader...
I believe Jack Handey had something to say on the subject: "When I think of all the hours and hours of my life I have spent watching television, it makes me realize, man, I am really rich with television!"
May all of our children be so wealthy. Yours, mine, and Madonna's too.
79. sistieugler said:
i say, as long as she's not yipping for that fucking purple dinosaur... let her watch! you could *also* do a lot worse that Brian Williams (Bill O'Reilly comes to mind...)!
80. Heather said:
Once again mom has ruined all the fun for the day. What you didn't want to listen to her name off TV shows at 100 times the speed of light after all of that sugar? No fun, just no fun at all!!
81. kookaloo said:
The hat in the photo- FABU! Where might I find one?!
82. The Mighty Jimbo said:
can she work the tivo yet? she's probably smarter than me.
83. gez said:
all television in our house is referred to as "rewind" by the the three year old Pollyanna (or pollyester or polyurethene or pollycarbonate depending on what mood I'm in)....Rewind is anything that is substandard viewing as she usually has a small fit when we are adjusting the DVD or video and the news or something similiar is on...as in "darling just relax it's rewinding." So now we refer to all television affectionately as "rewind". So I would say to husband.."Oh My God I am stuffed...lets go home and watch some rewind."
84. Vaguely Urban said:
Won't be long before she goes all gramma on you and insists that you be home in time for her to catch her "stories."
85. melissa said:
I would like to note that we've been watching TV with her since we brought her home. The TV was on for 5 weeks straight..i'm not kidding. We (parents and grandparents) took shifts watching tv and cuddling her for those first 5 weeks. While i admit the huge mistake that was, her TV experience has been awesome. She's learned her alphabet, story telling, some spanish words, plots and understands that every Tom & Jerry comes with a title screen. 'What's this one mommy?' - repeat until said title appears and you can quench her curiousity.
-Melissa
Sophie's site needs a u/p for a personal reason. Email me if you want it.
86. Kassi Gilbert said:
It doesn't get better. My 4 year old is the same way. As a matter of fact so is my 9 year old...and my 13 year old. Dear God will it ever end????
87. barbie2be said:
hey leta, want to come over for the season finale of Lost and some dirty martinis? we could share with your mom, if you like. but we won't tell the avon world sales leader... that would get us into trouble.
88. Shelli said:
how about I giggle a LOT, orrrrrrrrrrrr embarrass myself at work, orrrrrrrrrrrrrr picture Malka doing this in 1.5 years...
thanks for the grin.
89. Wendy Mac said:
Even better would be eating the m&ms WHILE watching Sesame Street.
Just wait til she figures that one out :-)
Adorable!
90. HalfwayCrucified said:
Consider yourself lucky. My kid, who is just a little older than Leta, has taken it upon himself to correct our word usage.
Dad: Don't write on the table with that pencil.
Kid: It's not a table. It's a desk.
Dad: Let me cook you some food.
Kid: You are warming up the food, not cooking it.
Dad: I'll go whip you up a bubba (bottle).
Kid: MAKE a bubba, not 'whip up' a bubba.
Kristen in CO: Amen! to your comment regarding Teletubbies and Boobahs. Ragdoll were probably smoking doobies when they came up with the Tubbies, and no doubt dropping acid when they created Boobahs.
My boy likes Tubbies in small doses, but he's not into the Boobahs at all. His uncle--the bastard--gave him a Barney video which he played unceasingly for about four days and then, thank god, he decided enough was enough and hasn't watched it since.
91. Liz said:
It is time to invest in a portable DVD :)
92. SurprisingWoman said:
The picture today is the CUTEST thing ever. I am so in love with that. I would have to have at least an 8x10 if I were her Nana. I bet the biggest and best Avon Sales Leader would also appreciate at least an 8x10.
So damn cute.
Brenda
93. Velma said:
I used to hide my secret shame: we watch T.V. all the time. ALL THE TIME.
But, as the years progressed and the kids grew more capable of entertaining themselves, guess what? They did!
And my daughter did great in school this year, despite having an early vocablulary consisting entirely of malapropisms misheard from Scooby Doo and Thomas. And my son, who converses almost entirely in "SpongeBob" phrases? Well, we're hoping that will stop, but honestly, I'm more concerned about poisoning them with bug spray these days than I am about poisoning their minds with evil television.
There, I said it: I fear Lyme Disease more than Brain Rot.
94. Cyberdave said:
An addict?!?! That's it I'm calling the police! Not to mention leaving her alone in a room filled with tv, porn, vodka and the wood stove turned on I am telling The Police! Ok so I went over and spoke to them and they shrugged and said yea they know and that Homeland Security was already handling the case. Which means nothing will be done. So you're scott free to feed her habit and handle potty training anyway you see fit! Tivo baby all the way! Nintendo and portable dvd players! Shocking.
95. anam_kihaku said:
perfect - glad to know my kid is nto a weirdo :) i honestly could not parent without a TV.
96. Jeff, the film prof said:
Addcited to the Cathode Ray? This is SO Videodrome! Long live the new flesh!!
Does this mean, however, that Leta will grow up to be Debbie Harry? Hmmm.
97. Karihun said:
I have a little addict of my own...my 10 month old needs to join Cheerios Anon.
98. Steph And The City said:
I'm with Leta. TV + Candy = Perfection.
99. madge said:
Sadly, my daughter has figured out that we can fast forward the DVR'd Sesame Street right to Elmo. Now she's lost all patience for all the crazy learning they make her do during Sesame proper and shrieks for ELMO! ELMO! ELMO! ELMO!
I'll suggest other shows, "How 'bout Koala Brothers?"
She says, "Or Elmo."
"How about Maisy?"
"Or Elmo."
What IS it about that guy?
100. Snickrsnack Katie said:
Gummy Bears! Teletubbies! How can life be more complete? Okay, take out the teletubbies, and I am happy. They freak me the fuck out.
101. Piglet said:
My daughter is also a TV addict. While shopping at BJ's or Costco (can't remember which one) she will go into her comatose state watching the infomercials. Just to mess with her, my husband will watch golf or something equally as boring and she'll just sit there and watch.
My son isn't as much of a TV addict, but once he discovered candy he indeed is a sugar addict.
Great post!
102. Nat W. said:
I love it!! I grew up on TV, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that--I still got into a top 10 university and have thus far been successful in life. Yay for TV addicts! (Surprisingly, I limit myself to 5 shows now: Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, ER, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report...I actually haven't watched TV in months now--damn Spanish television with their awful shows that don't inspire one to sit around for hours staring at the TV.)
Anyway. I really only commented to say that the pic of the day? Oh, dear God, does it get cuter than that? And the one of Chuck the other day was pretty good, too--the things that dog goes through! I think it's time to call the SPCA. ;)
103. Stacitee said:
Heather,
Thanks for writing the "Healthy Sleep Habits, Grumpy Baby" post. My husband and I used the same method with our first daughter (who is a great sleeper, thank you very much). Now we have a second daughter who is waking up every 2 hours to eat (at 6 months! and she is a healthy chubby baby!). We are going nuts. Time to do the "cry it out" again which fills me with dread. Reading your post somehow makes it easier... knowing we aren't alone. Anyway, thanks for sharing your story.
104. minxlj said:
I've never really been huge on the idea of having kids, although I'm 27 so there's still some time for me to change my mind I guess! However, my fiance has recently mentioned the idea of having kids in the next few years (EEK!!) to which my brain resolutely says "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAY HOSAY!"...but then I visit this site, see cutiepie Leta and it is almost changing my mind. Do you realise what you're doing to me woman???? Argh!!!!!! ;-p
105. meredith said:
Naughty Elmo has been addicting kids for years now. About 7 years ago, my girl was hysterical with wanting something and I couldn't figure out what it was, and the more wrong suggestions I made, the more hysterical she got.
I finally said "Elmo" and the hysterics toned down into appeased sobs, and we all watched Elmo at 2AM.
I cursed Elmo for lost sleep, but we had just drug our child half way around the world, so her jet lag and need for something familiar was understandable.
106. DravenStele said:
I love it.
My little 2-year-old darling had worried me for a while that my wife had cheated on me with a luddite. She refused to sit still and watch T.V. We'd coax her to sit down for two minutes or so to watch some shows' theme songs (She loooooooooves the Teen Titans theme song, both English and Japanese versions. She also has this weird shaking head dance for the King of the Hill theme), but that's all she'd sit down for. She'd listen to the song and then wander off to do her own thing in her room.
That all changed after her second birthday. Nana and Papa gave her three DVDs of old Disney cartoons. Now, whenever our little angel gets home from daycare oooorrr from the store oooorrr from anywhere else, we hear an incessant chant/scream, "DUCK! DUCK! DUUUUUUCK!" Nothing like a cigar smoking, cursing under his breath, naval water fowl to entertain our dainty little girl.
She has also started the morning ritual of watching "Breakfast with Bear" on Disney, but again, only for the songs. The Morning Mambo is much more important than a balanced breakfast... at least if we want to get out of the house tantrum free.
107. Magellan said:
My grandmother was in a nursing home with severe rheumatoid arthritis. We used to visit her a few times a week, and she would tell us what was going on in her soaps. We would sit on the edge of the bed, and she would be in her wheelchair, and we would be scandalized at the behavior of this cad or that slut or whatever crazy plot twist there was. The good twin and the bad twin, the guy with amnesia, the kidnapped baby, the long-lost sister, the woman with the crazy hair... I used to love those stories.
108. Kit said:
I watched tv all the time when I was a young'n. I chose to watch game shows instead of cartoons, but whatever, I could read before everyone else my age. I was quite scared when I started kindergarten because I couldn't watch The Price is Right anymore. My daily line-up included, in addition to TPIS: Wheel of Fortune (the daytime version, sans Pat Sajak), Jeopardy, Scrabble, & Classic Concentration. I also watched classic sitcoms like Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie. I'm scared to think of what I would watch on daytime tv if I were a child now.
109. Dan said:
This is the exact same way I feel when I come home at the end of the day after TiVo has recorded an array of "Cold Case Files," "American Justice," and "City Confidential" from daytime TV.
"A double homicide! Orrrrrr a disappearing spouse! Orrrrrr sex crimes plaguing a small town just outside Detroit!"
110. Stacey said:
Oh man does THAT sound familiar.
"Elmo?"
"Tele Tubs?"
"Elmo?"
111. Becky..Absent Minded Housewife said:
Someday it will be cheetos during Taxi Cab Confessions.
They grow up so fast.
112. Clairebell said:
Well, she's got good sugar priorities if I do say so myself. But only if she like Haribo gummies.
113. fred said:
the mobile dvd player is the best invention ever (next to google)... no more "are we there yet?" "Im hungry" "I have to use the bathroom" "Stop Listening to show tunes. I want to hear punk rock"
114. painterly1 said:
I don't see how enjoying some TV shows is a bad thing. I believe all of history, wars, every brilliant invention, the Renaissance, and philisophical and industrial revolutions serve our basic need for seeing people talk to dogs, hand puppets in garbage cans, and desperate human beings humiliating themselves for a chance to be on TV.
115. tk said:
Man, I can just hear that voice in my head... Orrrrrrrr.... too cute!
Love the new masthead and I have to say Heather that your haircut is absolutely FABULOUS (today's daily photo). You look stunning...
TK
116. crimini7403 said:
Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr crack?
117. Mary Frances said:
A DVD player was the only thing I was adamant about when we purchased our last vehicle. Because we live in close proximity to pretty much NOTHING, I couldn't stand the whining whenever we drove anywhere. After I had seen a public service add where parents and their children are sitting in the same room without talking and the voice over says, "It's never too late to talk to your children about drugs," I did feel a little bit guilty at the lost opportunities, but then the next trip came and when I turned around to see two sets of beautiful blue eyes staring upward and the silence that comes with wireless headsets, I suddenly realized that this DVD player was the reason that I'm not on drugs.
118. monkey said:
I couldn't get Connor to watch something if I wanted him to. He just doesn't have the patience for TV and would much rather be hiding remotes & phones, and rearranging the furniture.
119. Wicked H said:
Oooooo, spiffy new masthead.
Thumbs up!!
120. Jill Murray said:
Sounds like she's out of her "NO!" phase and into her "OR"s.
So really, it's like you're showing that TV and junk food are JUST as important as reading.
Conjunctions are very important. You should be proud.
121. Amblus said:
Louisa, I just cried a happy little tear while reading your re-wiring story. That's some serious dedication.
122. Adh0621 said:
I'm dismayed that you have allowed your child to become addicted to television at such a tender age simply to make time for housework or hygenine.
Honestly, isnt that that what Children's Benedryll is for?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Good night, sleepy baby.
123. Vie said:
This is completely unrelated to this post. I've been reading your archives and stumbled upon everyone's FFF lists. I noticed that many of the guys listed Katie Holmes. (Now Kate Holmes, I guess.) I'm curious as to whether she would still make so many lists. I think that post was from 2002 so who knows if any of the guys that commented will see this, but if so let me know. Is Kate still on your list?