Sometimes, in the midst of rewatching an episode of Thomas the Tank Engine for the fourth time in two weeks, I like to pause and contemplate the great mysteries of life–like, for instance, how sweet sleepy little babies transform into inexhaustible little tyrants, a.k.a toddlers. This contemplative pause is fleeting, however–twelve seconds if we’re being exact, which is the precise time it takes for a new episode of Thomas and Friends to autoload on our TV.
These days, I do my best thinking in the momentary silence between episodes of whatever my toddler is binge watching. For instance, during the last twelve-second break between episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine, I devised a complete overhaul of our justice system that would reduce crime to all time lows and alleviate overcrowding in prisons. As this blog is not about serious matters, like criminal justice reform, I’ll spare you the details, but here is the gist: it would merely require any violent offender to listen to the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song on repeat, uninterrupted, until they transform into a placid drooling vegetable. And if you think that is cruel and unusual punishment, just remember that’s what toddlers do to their peaceful law-abiding parents all the time–plus, if I really wanted to be cruel, I could have suggested the old theme song for Barney (I love you. You love me…).
The real problem with toddlers is pretty simple: they don’t toddle. They ramble, run, climb, crawl, roll, wallow, and wail, unless, that is, they’re mesmerized by God’s gift to parents, a talking train from the Isle of Sodor. If you take twelve seconds to think about it, solving the world’s energy crisis ought to be as simple as harnessing the unlimited energy source that powers your average toddler. I mean, when toddlers meltdown, at least they’re not radioactive. And though some diapers come pretty close to toxic waste, a diaper blow out doesn’t have nearly the environmental impact that a blown out coal ash pond would have.
Anyway, I could go on solving life’s most pressing problems, but my toddler has suddenly tired of Thomas the Tank Engine and was last spotted moving southward bound toward the kitchen. Judging by the clanging sounds emanating from that direction, he is currently spelunking through the kitchen cabinets, and I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be providing parental oversight of his exploration. Wish me luck.
It’s Daniel Tiger or Sesame Street in our house. Steven prefers Daniel; I prefer Sesame Street–that Cookie Monster, can’t get enough of him.
Good luck?!?
I don’t know how to tell you this, but I still know all the lyrics to “The Little Mermaid” and just about every Barney the Dinosaur song. It will never leave you.
The Little Mermaid at least had some respectable songs, but those Barney songs just make you want to lay down in the road
Lucky duck… My toddler smacked the TV screen with something while I was making dinner. Couldn’t get anyone to fess up, so it’s been a lot of audio books or sending the little gremlins outside (if it’s not raining) I kinda miss Thomas.
We’re trying to break our toddler of the habit of standing a foot from the TV screen and trying to touch the different characters on TV. Thankfully he hasn’t tried smacking it yet.
Out of all the different kids programs, so far Thomas has been my favorite. It is more low key and slow paced compared to all the newer computer animated stuff out there.