You can tell a lot about the t.v. shows your kids are watching based on the advertising.
I used to love Treehouse and their commercial-free policy. I have no idea how the network agreed to that one but I did find it peculiar that Dora was always drinking Gatorade, wore Reeboks (the kind that lifted and toned your butt) and that pearl bracelet with the heart pendant she never hopped in Tico’s taxi without was clearly from Pandora’s collection that Swiper had stolen the other charms from over the years.
My almost eight year old has moved on from The Backyardigans, Diego and those characters from In The Night Garden that certainly didn’t help a child nod off to sleep, if anything they were the cause for a lot of tossing, turning, questions about ambiguity and perhaps played a key role in her addiction to marshmallows.
She likes Nick Jr. and Disney channels that are obviously happy to accept cash in exchange for prime placement of products in between iCarly episodes.
I was okay being asked if I would buy the girls dollies that peed on command (who didn’t want those when they were young?) make your own ice cream machines and various sugary cereals. The answer of course is always “no” but they wouldn’t be kids if they didn’t ask and yes your marketing departments are doing their jobs, your products are being seen by an extremely captive (albeit penniless) audience.
This morning however, when Hanna snuck down the hall at her usual 6:00am to turn on the t.v. beating me by ten minutes out to the kitchen/family room, I guess I just wasn’t prepared for the conversation that ensued.
Hanna: Mom, what is a yeast infection? Is that from bread?
Me: Ahem.
Hanna: Do we have Canesten? It works on yeast infections. You only have to use it once. There’s an oral kind and another kind…I’m not sure what the other kind is.
Me: Oh.
Hanna: What’s oral?
Me: ?
Hanna: The girl who takes it is really pretty. She has a nice pink dress. I love it. And she smiles all the time. Can we have Canesten? It’s really good for you. I think Taylor Swift uses it (doubtful) because she’s on this commercial for something too. It makes you healthy and I know you like healthy things.
Me: Sure, we’ll pick up some Canesten for you. Anything on Treehouse?
