In the Night Garden ...

As an adult watching children shows on a regular basis I have developed favourites. I've also developed disdain for some of these children's shows (I'm looking at you Mr. Moon) for a host of varying reasons. But let's stay positive and stick with just why I like shows like Timmy, Shaun the Sheep, Waybuloo, and my special favourite In the Night Garden...

When I watch them, I try to imagine what it must be like from a child's perspective. Is it colour? Shapes? Music? Snappy dialogue? Intriguing plots? What lesson does it teach?

I find I hate it when a show is too preachy. I've raised a child once and I know that preaching really doesn't work, they do what they want anyway. In the Night Garden... does not preach any moral position. It's just a story where things happen, they just happen and everything remains as it was at the start and end of each episode. Oh alright, at a stretch you can feel that washing one's face, brushing one's teeth, and getting to bed are 'encouraged' - subtly.

I also hate it when shows, children's or otherwise, are predictable. In the Night Garden is mostly predictable, but they so cleverly insert tiny deviations in an otherwise simple plot. Take for example the two vehicles. the Ninky Nonk train and the Pinky Ponk airship. Both are masters of merchandising design genius, yet beyond that they are so filled with details that will keep you watching. The train has one engine and four carriages, not all the carriages are used all the time and I found it a pleasant surprise when Iggle Piggle climbs into the single seat carriage for the first time (he usually rides in the tall carriage with Upsy Daisy); or on the Pinky Ponk where tables are set with little refreshments and you may sometimes catch the Tomliboos sipping away. Or noticing that the Pontipines live in a semi-detached house and wondering if we'll ever meet the neighbours the Wottingers. I would have loved to sit in on the production meetings for these episodes and hear how these ideas are pitched.

I also love shows that are amusing for their own sake like Timmy and Shaun the Sheep. I like the character design for Roary the Racing Car because I used to be a car nut, and I get a kick seeing how the various racing categories are represented like Nascar, F1, Rally, Drifting, and now even Aussie V8 Supercars. This is a brilliant show for ocker dads to share with their kids and build up and bond in a very masculine way that  cannot be accomplished with say Angelina Ballerina hahaha.

I can keep going with this little treatise on my fave kids TV shows but I can see I'm starting to lose the audience here. So thanks for your time, that's it.

Parenting 2.0

I've got a decent excuse for not much blogging. I've been so preoccupied with parenting duties that writing has sadly become a lower priority. Today I've made a conscious effort to use the precious relatively uninterrupted alone time I get to tap out a few keystrokes while baby Saffira has her morning nap.

It's been a good 90 minutes so far. I took care of some paperwork, cooked baby food (sweet potato, cabbage, carrot, chicken), and now this blog.

I feel like my brain is slowly turning to mush with a steady diet of kids television and just playing with a 13 month old girl. I can grab snippets of time about 5-15 minute blocks when she entertains herself. But what can I accomplish in 15 minutes? Get a load of washing on the machine -stop. Hang them on the clothesline -stop. Make a sandwich -stop. Read a news article / watch a youtube video / comment and like my friends' Facebook updates -STOP!

However, it does all accumulate. It's just not in one long contiguous block. Is this what it's like to have ADHD? I can't stay focused on a single thing for too long and it takes ages for the gray matter to warm up to a new task or thought.

What I can say is that Parenting 2.0 has allowed me to enjoy Saffira's development so much more. I no longer fret why she is taking so long to develop a particular motor skill, confident that it will all come in time. I get to enjoy her just as she is and just where she is, because once she's moved on, it's gone for good. All that's left is a memory and whatever we've uploaded to youtube. Oh drats, she's awake now, gotta go...