Curly was being particularly crazy at the dinner table the other night so we tried a little experiment to see if we could keep him at the table for another 10 minutes while we finished eating. I brought the laptop over, placed it just out of his reach and queued up the Sesame Street YouTube channel. And from the very first minute, he was transfixed. A slow grin on his face, his eyes glued. it was adorable. Then he ate a few more pieces of food from his tray that he’d rejected moments before. It is so easy to see how TV time contributes to childhood obesity. He even let me plug in my head phones and place them on his head, though they are too big and fell off quickly.
We don’t have any intention of TV watching becoming a habit, but it’s nice to know that at 18 months it can work as a distraction when needed. And that the portable DVD player his grandparents are giving him for Hanukkah will hopefully give us some longer, calmer meals on the cruise.
Here’s one of the short clips he enjoyed. As annoying as Elmo’s voice is to adults, I guess kids find it irresistable.
1 In Vermillion 
Sadly, it can work for someone even younger… from about 5 months old, Connor has loved Handy Manny, and I think TIff loves it too. We don’t let him watch often, but in similar style, it is nice to know it is available in a pinch. Sesame Street and Handy Manny are better than COPS and South Park, right? 😉
Try youtube ‘sesame street uncensored’. Totally immature, yet funny. Puts a new spin on sesame street… and totally for adults.
isn’t it crazy how they zone right in on a tv? we never have ours on when bird is awake because the few times she’s seen it, she stops dead in her tracks and stares open-mouthed at it. scary! but a great idea to keep in our back pocket for travel, as you’ve suggested!
A little distraction and peace are always a good thing. Sesame Street never hurt anyone 🙂
You are SO going to love having that on the cruise, I predict.
Erm, excuse me, Elmo’s voice is NOT annoying. Or maybe I’m not an adult! 😛