I’ll set the scene; I was having a bad day, came home from work and all I wanted to do was crawl into bed, all my son wanted was to play, not with his toys only with me, I needed a break, I’d had it.

Now in my house we have a no TV rule when Riley’s awake as everything you read tells you it’s bad and it does distracts him so. I’ve trained my husband well on this matter and he cooperates.

So Riley doesn’t see much TV, only if he’s with his grandparents or at the bank where they them up on all the walls. Hence because he doesn’t see it very often it tends to mesmerise him when it’s on.

So I was cranky and stuffed, angry at the world I turned on the TV and let Riley watch Dora the explorer and of cause he loved it, flashing lights, colour, a singing little senorita – he bounced up and down and ‘talked’ back to the TV. I let the Dora watching go on for about an hour while I sat down and had a cup of tea and a rest on the couch.

Now you can’t tell me that an hour of Dora is going to destroy my son’s brain. I can see the connection between too much TV and learning and behavioral problems. As a parent you get so much ‘don’t do this’ ‘don’t do that’ bull crap shoved down your throat. I mean kids shows where created to teach, right? If you pick the correct ones. Although I noticed that Dora teaches kids to play with wild animals and go run amuck in a forest without parental supervision, but I think I’m being to adult with my interpretation there. I think if I was to go and have a bottle of wine I’d be screaming Swiper no swiping! At the TV myself.

Now I know nothing compares to the parent teaching and playing, but if every now and then when I’m not coping and he’s in a super foul mood, if I have to put on Dora on to catch a break, I don’t think anyone can be mad at me.

Do-do-do-do-do-dora!

Do-do-do-do-do-dora!

Do-do-do-do-do-dora!

Do-do-do-do-do-dora!

Dora dora dora the explorer!

Boots, that super cool exploradora!

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