The power of advertising

I knew our little blissful world of children's television sans commercials wouldn't last for ever (but thank you, Noggin, for making that a reality for so many years) - and I will be the first to admit that I ushered in the era of, "Mamma, maybe I will have that!" by letting O watch a few Spongebob episodes here and there...

So, last night, O declares, "Mamma, I like Chuck E. Cheese!" (a little background - we do not have a CEC here in town, thankfully, but there is one in the "big city" down the Interstate a ways. I have never mentioned CEC to O and he's never been to one). My guess is that he saw a commercial for it on Nickelodeon, or one of the kids at his daycare has been there and raved about it recently over a project at the craft table). So I ask O, "Oh really? What is Chuck E. Cheese?" His response was so charming: "It's a fun place with games and food and tables and presents...and you can have a party there!" Uh huh, I think that's the commercial narrative to a T. Very cute of him, but I have no plans to book a birthday party there anytime soon.

The first few times O watched a program with commercials, he was quite offended that someone would interrupt his show with these short, loud and visually mesmerizing things. The he noticed the sugar-laden cereal, race tracks, flying space guys and Sowder Rangers (his term for Power Rangers - ugh) on the screen in front of him and started to change his tune. I think I'm going to start recording Spongebob and Scooby Doo (his two new faves) and put them on DVDs for him without those darn ads!