Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
My brother has an appointment with his editor this afternoon. My father and I will be babysitting--right during my shift. If we're lucky, Leo will nap like a little lamb. If we're unlucky, Leo, who is already missing his Mommy, will freak because he'll get confused and think Daddy left to join Mommy in Africa without him. If Leo is inconsolable, my father will freak because Leo's freaking. Then I'll have to talk them both down. In this event, I'll need your help.
Now, I don't want any moralizing from anyone about sedating children with cartoons: In this household, we use Dora the Explorer, like all people with real contact with toddlers do, and we believe it much safer than the alternative, which is vodka with a Xanax chaser. (Doesn't matter who gets it, so long as at least one person in the family's really calm.) I just want good suggestions for cartoons that might entertain both Leo and my father.
More in this vein would be especially useful, given Leo's major concerns these days. And ours.
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Jan '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
My mother would've just used Jack Daniels; we were too poor to afford such fineries as Xanax.
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Ajax Telamônios
My mother would've just used Jack Daniels; we were too poor to afford such fineries as Xanax. · Dec 20 at 2:10am
The horror, the horror of laissez-faire economics applied to medical services ... see what happens? Parents who can't afford Xanax!
Oct '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Ajax Telamônios
My mother would've just used Jack Daniels; we were too poor to afford such fineries as Xanax. · Dec 20 at 2:10am
The horror, the horror of laissez-faire economics applied to medical services ... see what happens? Parents who can't afford Xanax! · Dec 20 at 2:28am
Xanax or Uncle Jack … the point is to go straight for the psychotropic chemicals and supplement them with the pixel version. The application of psychoactive drugs is a life-skill best learned by Leo when tenderly aged, and reinforced through steady application throughout the life cycle. Leo’s parents will beg you for it, but for legal reasons it’s best to keep this Auntie’s little secret … believe it or not there are still some that resist the all-encompassing rationale of modern science. Take Gramps for instance … BTW you're right to hootch him up when he stresses over little Leo's separation anxiety. Luckily for Leo, your babysitting instincts are thoroughly up-to-date and well-founded.
Oct '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Claire, are using the Dora in French with French-accented English as the foreign language, or the English version with (for all I know English-accented) Spanish as the foreign language?
There is a bunch of Richard Scarry on Youtube, over which your father can contemplate the interesting mix of mid-50's Americana and alpine Swiss influences...
Nov '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
My boys loved a cartoon called George Shrinks, about a kid who is five inches tall living in a normal-sized family. The adults are annoyingly eccentric, but George's unfailingly fearless good old-fashioned American can-do attitude, with the help of good gadgets, makes this one worth it. You can find several episodes on YouTube.
Dec '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
When my father is looking after my son, The Bluenose II, they enjoy Bob the Builder. My favorite to watch with him are the Backyardigans and Caillou. However, when I just need 24 minutes of confidence that he can be safely given minimal supervision, nothing beats Toopey and Binoo.
Sep '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Power Puff Girls. Bright colors, fast action, subversive sub-plots.
Dec '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
My paternal Grandmother advocated whisky on the gums to sooth teething toddlers. My mother was, of course, appalled.
Jan '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Well, Elmo Potty Time is the gold standard of the genre, Claire. So if you've got that one, you've got your bodily functions video needs covered. Personally I am a fan of Yo Gabba Gabba! A lot of people find it too strange, though. I believe Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo is involved with it, somehow.
Mar '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
You mentioned Africa? Combine the locale with the soothing music of Mendelssohn and you have a great choice. Diversity consultants are given fair warning.
May '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
The Octonauts... exceedingly popular with under fives and their care givers. Even our 10 year old watches it. Cute beyond belief and adorable looking marine creatures.
And there's always Spongebob Squarepants...
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Two suggestions:
Cars and Trucks:
and The Elephant Song:
Apr '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse -- a good math show for the little ones. Your Dad will perceive the math/problem-solving lesson plans, while Leo will fall in love with at least one of the traditional characters, probably Goofy, but you never know. My older daughter's (2+) first crush was on Donald Duck, particularly after he threw a tantrum that defeated a severe case of hiccups. The trick is that you need to DVR the show ... NOW! It's on once this morning and that's it ... or you can pull up two or three free full episodes (commercial free) at the disney junior web site. My littler one (9mos) is also a huge fan: she dances right along with Mickey and Minnie throughout the show.
I'm a math teacher, and I approve this TV show (it's a very, very, very short list -- TV is for news or sports, IMNSHO).
Jan '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Phineas and Ferb on Disney is also hilarius.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
You need an emergency dose of the Muppet Show. Or Animaniacs. Either have moments that all ages tend to find laugh out loud funny. This time of year a Muppet Family Christmas will do the trick. Maybe settle for the Muppet Christmas Carol. For mine, we added Batman Adventures to the mix, but we are hard core and these were like finding a missing vault of Fleischer Batmans to go with the Fleischer Superman on the shelf. In a dire emergency, there is always the Chuck Jones. Bugs, Road Runner, Pepe LePew, Marvin the Martian, that crowd.
Looking at Netflix right now for the emergency fix: Anything VeggieTales. Lord of the Beans, Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, the Old Testament stuff is awesome.
I tend to avoid WWF, but that is a personal choice.
Edited on Dec 20, 2011 at 5:50amRe: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Mollie is now Ricochet's Official Babysitter. It's almost like you have some practice or something, Mollie. I'm impressed:
(Worth watching to the end, Mollie.)
Apr '11
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Phineas and Ferb get my vote. Also, as the parent of a little boy of similar age I have to recommend Little Einsteins. They get old after a while but are pretty good (classical music, rockets, jets, they have everything). Finally, if you're looking for longer term ways to entertain him go for Pixar movies. They turn your kid into a zombie and touch on the kinds of eternal themes that will keep an adult engaged. The Incredibles is a favorite around this house (deep stuff). And, as someone once said, eternal themes are inherently conservative.
Aug '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Two words: "Adventure Time". Enjoyable on multiple levels, it is both visually interesting and deeply twisted.
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Those Japanese potty training videos are pretty awesome in a gruesome way, too. Especially when they have the English subtitles for adults--except we're worried that he may be getting the hang of reading. He's definitely got the alphabet song down.
Jul '10
Re: Ricochet: We're Babysitting This Afternoon, Live
Be warned. Phineas and Ferb incorporates musical bits. People spontaneously breaking out in song and dancing. If this is a concern, either version of Sabrina (with Bogie or Han Solo) may be a better choice.