Whew! Where has February gone?!
I’m a good, attentive parent, but I have no problem admitting that I use my TV to help me parent. It zeroes my kids’ attention in like nothing else, and when I need them to switch off their inner Energizer Bunny, nothing can glue them to the couch quicker than the warm glow of our TV.
It’s maybe sad, but it’s true.
We love playing, but it’s free time, and anyone can wander in or out, change the game or abandon the effort at any given time. Playing is rarely a focused, quiet activity when you have three 3-year-old brains with three constant ideas of fun.
Books are great, but they’re short, and it’s easy to lose interest when one ends, and your pick isn’t what is next. I can’t hold the attention of all three for long.
But Netflix. Oh, Netflix. Not only does the calm last for at least 20 minutes (gold!), but we can easily switch between shows if the majority is displeased. There is no ejecting, loading, required trailers, or any of the other seemingly short hurdles that cause our Blu-ray player to eat time and make my audience drop like flies. I can cook a fast meal in safety and peace. It can distract from too much splashing and jumping around (it’s slippery!) during bathtime. Sitting still is a rare gem at this age, and I’m not about to say I don’t take advantage of those opportunities.
Lately, we’ve been watching a lot of Disney, as we just got back from a quick visit to Disney World. For all things Mickey, we love Mickey and the Beanstalk, The Three Musketeers, The Prince and the Pauper, and, of course, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally.
We are really excited that Netflix added Clifford – both big and puppy versions! I absolutely loved Clifford as a kid, and I’m really excited to share him with my trio.
Two random finds ETC and I were excited about recently were the Aquarium For Your Home episodes. Just like the Fireplace For Your Home, these aren’t shows, per se, but they’re just interesting to put on the TV for background ambiance. We have a lot of fun searching for different fish and colors and anticipating pretend sharks.
Oh, and did you see that Netflix added RENT? I own the DVD and have the Broadway show memorized, but I definitely squeed when I saw I can stream one of my favorite shows anytime without hunting down the DVD. Plus, ETC love the opening scene with the full cast singing Seasons of Love, but not much else is suitable for sharing with my trio … yet.
“To days of inspiration, playing hooky, making something out of nothing!” (La Vie Boheme, of course!)
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