Thursday, October 30, 2008

Dusting Off My Soapbox


Am I the only one disturbed by this ad? Never mind the adult dressed as a condescending frog.

Why shouldn't kids want to look at and actually READ the book about frogs?

And why do kids need a little electronic pen to read a book to them? Isn't that what parents are for? Will we now need an electronic device just to READ for Pete's sake?

I have nothing against Spongebob personally. I'm sure he's a really nice sponge and all, other than that laugh that makes my brain feel like it's just been rubbed against a metal cheese grater. But can't my kids (and my poor shredded brain) have a break from him for a nanosecond? Could we possibly just read Goodnight Moon? Or Guess How Much I Love You? Or even Harry Potter? Does it ALWAYS have to be about television, even when it's not television?

Excuse me while I go read Where's Spot by Eric Hill for the bajillionth time today.

I'll never get sick of it.

4 comments:

Kim said...

Amen!

Colleen said...

I totally agree. Reading together with your child is interactive enough!

Boo said...

Totally agree! And are kids REALLY learning because the pen reads the word to them?? Are they actualy looking at the word and taking it in?

Norkio said...

Last night Melody and I were reading Peedie (the book about the gosling and his red hat). At 20.5 months, she was able to tell me that Peedie lost his hat, looked in the grass, the pond and the flower pot for it, and that he found it on the egg. I don't think she'd get the same amount of recall and comprehension from holding a talking pen.