T.V. Does Not Rot Your Brain

Open any parenting book or magazine and it will tell you how t.v. is not good for kids. Personally I think that it is a conspiracy of parents who did not have the luxury of t.v. to occupy their kids. Sorry, but sometimes it is a lifesaver. But trying to be a good stay at home mom I try to limit t.v. to morning and night. I think that everything is okay in moderation. Although, now Regan watches t.v. for rest time because she doesn't nap anymore (and if she does she is up until 9 and 10 at night) and I need a break. However, I have been reminded over and over that kids can learn from t.v. (Matt always says that t.v. is what made him smart and I believe it because he has taught himself how to cook mostly from watching food t.v.). Today was no exception. We went to chik fi le for lunch and Regan got a little shark card toy. You put the shark card in this plastic thing and it has a question about the shark on the front and the answer is decoded on the back. So, Regan says about one of the cards "Mommy, is that a whale shark?" I looked on the back and it was a whale shark. So, I thought for a minute. Did I already read it to her, but we had just put it in the decoder. I knew I had never told her about them, because I have never heard of a whale shark. Then I realized that she had probably seen it on Go Diego Go (her new favorite show for rest time). I asked her and she said yes, that they have spots and lines on them. Apparently it was the "mystery fish" one day.