Parenting 101 factoid: Consistency is important for kids.
I’m not just talking about the daily routines or similar
caregivers – this apparently goes much deeper than I ever realized or
experienced with my oldest child.
I was laid up on Monday with a case of the Mondays paired
with a massive allergy attack, it was far from a pretty day at our house. My
oldest is visiting his dad this week and the youngest headed off to daycare so
I could attempt to rest (she’s teething and I feel like I have newborn again at
night on top of all this).
When she arrived home, she wanted to read some books.
Normally I love it, but Monday all I wanted to do was continue laying on the
couch with my eyes closed. Everyone sit down for a minute and get your judging
hats on: so I offered to the 18 month old that she could pick out a movie to
watch instead.
This is rare. She’s actually never watched a movie before.
She knows where they are and she’s seen her big brother pop one on as she’s
heading down to bed in the evenings before but its never been her chance
before. She ran like a crazed lady down the hall and picked out a Sesame Street
DVD she’d been eyeballing titled “Being Green”.
Let me fill you in on the premise in case you’re not
familiar with this blockbuster film. Elmo and Abby are hosting a telethon with
the usual cast of characters manning the phone bank. They’re raising money and
awareness for “Being Green” and taking care of the earth by reusing, reducing,
and recycling. Now you’re up to speed.
I was impressed when she sat with me on the couch and was
paying attention. She pointed out all her favorites “Melmo!” (Elmo), “Abby!”, “Coo-ee!”
(Cookie Monster), “Eh-nee!” (Ernie) and was really enjoying her big girl movie
time. That is, until Elmo asked Abby to cast a spell to allow him to be Green
and take care of the Earth all the time.
If you’ve seen Sesame Street you know two things. First,
Abby is not very good with a wand. Second, her parents should demand a tuition
refund from that Fairy School – it’s not helping. Needless to say, the furry
red monster was suddenly completely green from head to toe. My daughter took
one look at me, her face filled with concern, and clasped her hands at her
chest as she watched Elmo running across the screen yelling “ELMO IS GREEN!!!”
in a panicked fashion.
She screamed at the top of her lungs “Melmo geeeen!” and
looked near tears. She hopped off the couch and ran to my husband – screaming and
panicking that Melmo was geen. We started to console her and tried to “explain”
he was ok and he’d be all better in just a few minutes – but before we could
fully console her Cookie Monster snapped, and ate his phone at the phone bank
since no one was answering his requests for cookies.
This lead to a tearful child begging him to stop “No
Cooo-eee…No!!”. Again, hands clasped at her chest and a concerned look on her
face.
At this point, I shut the movie off. I don’t need years of
therapy bills for her down the road thanks to “Being Green”. She was concerned
for Melmo and Cooo-eee as I put it away and walked her back into the movies and
told her to find something else. She chose “Elmo in Grouchland”, and when Elmo
and Cookie Monster appeared in normal fashion, she smiled broadly and seemed relieved
as she informed us “Melmo better.”
My recommendation to parents? In addition to a consistent
daily routine, keep their Muppets the right color. You’ll thank me later.
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