What Candace was saying: "Now this is the way to zip up your coat. It's so very easy. Watch how I tread the zipper into the channel and then pull it up! You can do it!!"What Grace was hearing:
Blah, blah, blah . . . Dragon Tales, Dragon Tales. Blah, blah. It’s almost time for Dragon Tales. Blah. Come along and take my hand, Blah, blah, blah, Let’s all go to Dragon Land.
Blah. Blah. Blah!
I've noticed that all eyes and attention go toward the TV when it's on, regardless of the content. Grace is hypnotized and in a trance. There's no bringing her back unless the TV is clicked off.
Because television has such a strong grip on our culture some recommend we kill our TV. How much intelligence is drained off of a four year old by watching television? I wonder. That considered, it's probably worthwhile to kill your television.
How do you kill a television? Axe? Shotgun? 357 it Dirty Harry style? Throw it over a cliff? Push it off of a high bridge? Sounds pretty easy to me. And it's legal! Except the part of littering the environment with a piece of electronics.
Grace spends 4-5 hours a day at our home. We limit television to PBS programs. Even then the TV is on for only a half an hour in the afternoon. Once in a while I fudge, turn off PBS and hit the Cartoon Network. Both Grace and I delight in watching Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry.
Friends of ours raised their two children without nary a television in the house. They both have turned out to be bright, high achieving kids.
I was 11 when television found its way into our home.
Maybe that's why I turned out to be a blooming genius. Ha. That's a good one!
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