The Adventures of Blueberry: Well, I may not be mother of the year...

I am going to have to confess that I went into this motherhood thing all high-and-mighty, thinking that "I won't stoop" to the level of allowing my kid to do ___________________ (fill in the blank).

One of those "I will not" thoughts was about watching TV. Truthfully, my husband and I are pretty much addicted, both being raised on popular kids' television shows like Sesame Street and Thundercats (Hey! They are equally educational, really) so really it was dumb of me to think this was a realistic expectation.

I have secretly (guess not so secretly anymore) judged some others, friends and strangers, who seemed to use the electronic device as a distraction in just about any situation (sorry guys, I still love you, though). The only reason for this being that my husband is an absolute addict, seldom seen without his tablet, IPad, and phone in hand. In public, at home, on the pot, in the car--he earns an allowance from me if he can successfully make it through a movie or dinner without looking at the screen. So really, my judgement was not based on my friends' actions at all, but based on the fear that my own children would turn out like their father.

Alas, reality is here and present. There are just times when I know that I won't get anything done, like going pee, or showering, or sleeping, unless I utilize this most powerful of all forms of distraction and entertainment. Sure, the good ol' outdoors and a stroller ride does the trick, but the last time I checked it was impossible to do dishes without a source of water, and even more so illegal to urinate in public. So, I tried it out. Emerson's chair is in our TV room. When I know I need a good solid 15 minutes to do something, I can pretty much count on his full attention being given to the TV if it is on and he is sitting in his chair. Sure, recently he has been pretty good about playing on his play mats, so this is rapidly becoming a solid alternative. But, there are just times when the flashing lights and wicked soundtracks are all I need for some mommy time.

Emerson's favorites include football or basketball, as there is a lot of movement and a ton of faces, and commercials with jingles. He also does pretty well with shows that contain musical numbers, like The Sing Off. However, nothing has proven as effective as animated features, from Bubble Guppies to Finding Nemo. At one point, during one of these animated shows, he actually started to coo and talk to the TV characters as if they were speaking his language.

Just like his papa, Emerson's eyes get so wide when he is watching the TV. He zones out, and no matter what I do, from snapping my fingers and calling his name, to picking him up, he maintains eye contact and concentration. This has proven helpful at restaurants, too.

So there you have it, I have learned the true reason why others' have utilized the electronic device, and I am now a proud member of that group. Trust me, I know how important it is to brush your teeth everyday, and I have the TV to thank for that.