What I’ve learned from Treehouse

When I was a kid cartoon programming was reserved for Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings.   I would not have exactly called it “quality” kids programming either.  I mean the Sunday evening Disney shows were more or less appropriate but the Saturday morning cartoon extravaganza consisted mainly of a little man with a speech impediment trying to hunt down a rascally rabbit (wrong on so many levels) or an ongoing, violent feud between a seemingly flightless bird and a wild canine.  Now, well, it’s a completely different world.  There are entire TV stations dedicated to entertaining kids.  In our house its Treehouse TV.  My daughter is two and it is the one station that I can turn on and not be concerned about what sort of images or messages she is being exposed to.  There are only two shows on Treehouse that I prefer she doesn’t watch.  One is the Waybuloos and the other, believe it or not, is the Care Bears. I can’t stand all the baby talk on the Waybuloos and I don’t think anyone over the age of say six months should be exposed to it. As for the Care Bears, well that show can be down right scarey.  I think we’ve watched maybe 2 episodes and both times I had to turn it off because of the “scare” factor.  It’s certainly not the Care Bears that I remember years ago when my little brother watched it and I don’t quite understand why they need to inject fear into a kid’s show with the word “Care” in it.  Otherwise I’m a big fan of Treehouse. But this post isn’t really about a TV station, it’s about what valuable life lessons I have gleaned from those perky little animated creations that flitter across the screen.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

• You do not need any sort of formal training or certification to become an animal rescuer.  In fact, you don’t even need a 6th grade education.  Now I’m no expert on this matter but I’m pegging Diego’s age to be about 10ish and he is a bona fide animal rescuer.
• Kids love ambiguous rats.   This is the magic of Toopy, the giant rodent that one day is a brave knight and the next day a lipstick wearing princess.
• Give a girl a magical backpack and a boot wearing monkey and she can save the world, in 15 minutes, without any parental supervision.
• Speaking of parents, why is it that all the other bunnies have some and Max and Ruby don’t?  Why don’t they move in with Grandma?  Why hasn’t anyone called Social Services? I worry about those two.
• In the Night Garden gets less and less creepy the more you watch it.  Wine helps.
• Sometimes I just wish Caillou would shut up. Seriously.
• I know I’ve already mentioned it but it’s worth repeating – Care Bears are scarey.
• If you think any of the cast of the Wiggles is cute you need to turn off the TV right this moment and get out of the house.
• The Cat in the Hat really does know a lot about that.
• Sesame Street has not lost its appeal (and I suspect it never will).
• Once you get one of those ridiculous cartoon songs or jingles in your head you are stuck with it.  Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble guppies…..