The Third Parent? – Part of a team.

The Third Parent? – Part of a team.


We all know the dangers of exposing our children to too much television. It's important that we recognise that what we all see on the box enters our mind and adds to who we are, in some way or other. When we are adults, the pile of stuff in our memory, conscious and subconscious, is large enough for the relative effect to not matter so much. But when we are very young, what we have absorbed in life is significantly less. Pre-school is an especially vulnerable age, we learn a great deal about the very basics of life, our fundamental learning occurs in the early years.  
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Tone and input both matter a lot, the addition of both information and emotion makes things stick, and they stick at the given perspective. Altering these views on particulars once pinned down with strong emotions is a very challenging task for anyone. Only with continual experience in the contrary can we slowly adjust to the reality, if we need to.


We all tend to watch the television. Some of us don't and that's not a problem, in fact many people believe that it is an entirely negative thing. I accept this as possible, but the intentions behind many program makers are far from negative. I have been humbled by the work of some personalities when it comes to helping me parent my children. Justin Fletcher A.K.A. Mr. Tumble has been a literal angel, teaching my little girl to communicate. Of course she had staff at hand also, but when we look further, we see they also used Mr Tumble DVDs to do their teaching with.  

Justin Fletcher A.K.A. Mr. Tumble

Katy Ashworth, another big name on the British children's television scene, is responsible for encouraging hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of children and their families to eat healthy and easy to cook food. Her show, “I Can Cook” is made in a simple way, involving a basic recipe and children helping her to make the dishes. Growing up with this kind of input is bound to maximize the number of future healthy eaters, improving quality of life, reducing medical bills, and improving the quality of what we're offered in the cafes and eateries of tomorrow.  

Katy Ashworth - TV Chef from I Can Cook

There are plenty of people on this wonder channel that connect with the children all over the land in productive and educational ways. The 'slot presenters' who make scenes to introduce the shows are especially talented, but there's one more name I want to mention who is doing a great job for the world of arts and crafts. Phil Gallagher or Mr. Maker, as we fondly know him, has been producing pre-school art media and education for many years. His explosive and fun personality makes him an ideal candidate for TV, plus his natural ability to be creative gives children everywhere that art bug that we know is what drives the innovation of progress and cultural evolution.


My point, is that when we know what we're giving them, and we moderate it to decent portions, the TV is capable of providing an extra helping hand in the world of parenting. It won't replace us, and it won't make the dinner or the bed, but it can do a bit of baby sitting while we make them.  

Phil Gallagher as Mr. Maker

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