To TV or not to TV

Ok, so this motherhood lark is all about the guilt.  We are constantly bombarded with messages, even pre conception, on what and what not to do to raise the brainiest, healthiest uber baby in the block.  Eat this, drink that, don’t go near them, read this, watch that, or rather don’t watch that…

So I’d like to put my hand up and say, I let my toddler watch TV. He doesn’t watch CSI, or Survivor, not interested in Home and Away. His tastes run a lot nosier and repetitive than that, he’s a fan of The Playhouse Disney Channel - Mickey Mouse and The Wiggles in particular.

TV was one of “The Great Evils” to be avoided, when I was pregnant first time around.  No TV for us, and I made sure he couldn’t even see it in his line of vision if I was watching it when he was a baby.  I would position his play mat, with the baby genius flash cards and all the learning toys in front of our huge solid coffee table, so he got all brainy while I watched Dr Phil or Oprah.

Then I had another baby. 

I often found it difficult to have a shower before tea time once we got past that sleep all day party all night newborn stage.

So he was the grand old age of 22 months, and out of sheer desperation, I popped the Playhouse channel on to see what would happen…. It was the Wiggles, and he was hooked. Colourful, catchy (read annoying and loud) and unfailingly happy, Murray, Geoff, Anthony and Greg/Sam soon became welcome guests in my home.

At a meeting I attended over  the winter, we were talking about what we could do with the children over the v-e-r-y long wet days of winter, when one brave soul piped up that the Disney Channel had been a real lifesaver, and, after that (shock) admission, about 90% of the mums admitted to using the TV to get much needed time out (or showers and a hot cuppa), and it made me realise that even super mum sometimes needs 4 insanely smiling men in brightly coloured skivvies to help out with the kids!