I caught an episode of the Super Nanny recently in which the children in the episode were watching TV and playing age inappropriate video games all day long.  The children’s behavior didn’t even surprise me when I saw the parents saying “well we didn’t really think TV would have any effect on the them.”  Despite being nominated for a POTY award the couple learned that while it’s not realistic to throw out the TV these days, it is completely necessary to filter.  Our son watches a couple Playhouse Disney cartoons in the mornings while he wakes up and eats breakfast and we watch a few prime-time shows in the evening while he plays and here are a few examples of how commercial advertising sinks into a toddle brain.  

Any ad featuring “TRUCKS!” has Chibby’s attention right away.  Around President’s Day, Chevy owned every commercial break with flashy pictures of trucks and a jazzed up version of “Hail to the the Chief”.   Chibby started doing a little shimmy dance move every time he heard the commercial.  Now whenever he is excited about a seeing a truck he does his little shimmy.   

After seeing a commercial for a reality dance series in which a kid was break dancing, Chib has added his own attempt at breaking to his dance repitroire.  I knew it was over when he saw the commerical and started jabbing his finger toward the screen and shouting dat dat dat!  Now in the middle of bustin’ a move (which he does often) Chibby will stop suddenly and lay on the floor sticking one foot in the air and using the other to turn himself in a circle.    

A 30 second PetCo spot featuring a wagging dog tail (not even a whole dog) was all it took to convince Chib that we need to buy a dog.  First he pointed at the screen saying “dog”, I responded “that’s right it’s a dog.” Just like that he jumps up, grabs my hand, and drags me to the door… “GO”   Lord help me, he’s so stinkin’ cute I almost did.