Sesame Street is my Snooze Button

cross-posted at Straight From the Bottle...

I'm not a big TV person. I have my four* shows: Big Love, Entourage, Lost and Project Runway and the occasional bad reality moment: Sons of Hollywood for instance, which I have decided is the greatest reality TV show of all-time. Randy Spelling kissing his father's star on the Walk of Fame in memoriam? Sean Stewart calling himself "A Ferrari Body with Jetta Brain...?" These are two moments in a million best-of-hits. But anyway...

I would gladly delete every single one of my shows from TIVO to insure we have an infinite amount of Sesame Street(s) and Play With me Sesame(s) ready to rock at all time. Those are Archer's shows. His ONLY shows. And they have become my only salvation after anything less than four hours of sleep.

I realize I have publicly claimed to have become a morning person since becoming a mom but I totally lied. (Sorry, Babycenter.) I suck at getting up before 8am, especially because I'm usually not asleep until after 3. And anytime before 7:00? Forget about it, which is why, now that Archer is getting up at 6:30, I have had to make some "arrangements."

Four hours isn't that bad, I know, and I realize there are people who have it far worse than I do and if I could go to sleep at 10pm and live with myself I would, but I can't. There's not enough time to get it all done unless I wait for Archer to fall asleep, and then work through the night. Especially right now, with a nanny on a two-week vacation and a book deadline in two weeks and two days.

Fortunately for my career and unfortuantely for my state of mind, I never got the "but there's no time!" thing. If you really want to do something, you make time. Period. Whatever that something may be, Because there IS time. There is always time. It just depends what you are willing to sacrifice. Favorite TV shows for instance. Well-being. Happiness, Social Life... And of course, sleep. Except I need my six hours, or at the very least, five. So Sesame Street at 7:00 am it is and will stay for a while.

I realize in the world of by-the-book parenting, waking up at 6:30, turning on the TV and going back to bed is frowned upon a big, big way which is why I don't subscribe to by-the-book parenting. By-the-book parenting is for by-the-book parents and by-the-book kids, which is sad for them because HELLOOOO... Sesame Street is the ULTIMATE snooze button. Sesame Street IS THE ANSWER: One full hour of commercial free toddler-crack and I can rest easy knowing he's in the hands of Mr. Noodle and Supergrover: a jet-setting klutz and a fifty-year-old toddler. (Perfect!)

So I guess I am a TV person and Goddamnit, now everybody knows the truth! Sesame Street is my salvation, the difference between doing it all and doing it all badly.

Viva Los Oscar El Groucho y Trash Gordon y Todos Los Amigos de Sesame
!...

GGC

*
Five, actually. Add Flight of the Conchords to that list. Show keeps getting betta and betta.

21 comments:

PunditMom | 1:10 PM

Yes, you have discovered the secret to mothering salvation! Praise be to Elmo! And are you also counting the days to Project Runway, Season 4?!

Gina | 7:18 PM

I am right there with you... I get a couple more hours of sleep than you do, but alas, you have bigger, scarier deadlines. I applaud you.

Baby Einstein has been the "crack" at our house.

Kat Ogden | 9:47 PM

OOoh sing a song of television!
Praise it to the sky-
Those of us with toddlers
Sing of it on high.

It gives us precious potty time
it allots the sleeping in-
It soothes the aches and early breaks
It isn't just giving in...

It is the peace of the writer mama
the loving, talking box.
I will ascribe to televison-
I admit I think it rocks.


Basically...a bit "ME TOO" on the "not enough time" thing, the "need five hours" thing and the praise of Sesame Street.


I'm not a by the book person, either. I used to read them. But the problem was my kid never did so he didn't know that he was supposed to be following them. So I gave up. I've been much happier ever since.

I love reading your blog. It validates my parenting style. :) I don't get a lot of that from the world at large.

Anonymous | 7:17 AM

you beat me to it: "Fortunately for my career and unfortuantely for my state of mind, I never got the "but there's no time!" thing. If you really want to do something, you make time. Period. Whatever that something may be, Because there IS time. There is always time. It just depends what you are willing to sacrifice."

i am about to blog off on my personal "life is like an orgasm" tirade later today, i think. should time permit. heh.

Also: "By-the-book parenting is for by-the-book parents and by-the-book kids, which is sad for them because HELLOOOO" -- it's not just sad for them that they're missing out on the ultimate snooze button. it's sad for them because they are missing out on NOT HAVING boring, by-the-book kids, and the only way to do that is to get your nose out of those stupid books.

Jen | 7:18 AM

This is from Popsugar...



OK, so "Sesame Street" has always been pretty great, what with the lovable characters that made it your favorite educational program (not to mention its multiple Daytime Emmy Awards). But this announcement about the upcoming season of "Sesame Street" is both cracking me up and making me wish I had an excuse to watch this show every day.

Maybe I just missed it when I was a kid just trying to figure out my letters and numbers, but I had no idea "Sesame Street" was so darn clever. In addition to guest appearances by Tina Fey, Jon Stewart and Ellen DeGeneres, the new season will apparently be full of pop-culture spoofs, including:

* "Meal or No Meal"
* "A's Anatomy"
* "GNN," a news network with grumpy co-anchors Walter Cranky and Dan Rather-Not

Hmm, maybe the "Saturday Night Live" writers could learn a thing or two from Big Bird and friends ...

I can't wait for Project Runway either. I don't know which I like better, the actual show or fourfour's recaps!

Anonymous | 7:35 AM

I completely agree and do the same thing in the morning to snooze until 8. I don't feel guilty at all. My dd loves it and has learned tons from it. Also, I love the diversity. Well written! - Missy

mrsgreen | 8:33 AM

My Stella watches Sesame Street EVERY morning. My husband and I work out of our home, and need as much uninterrupted time as possible to be productive. That show is a godsend - one that I am really not embarrassed by.

Anonymous | 8:36 AM

you have to be addicted to John from Cincinatti too! I was hooked after the second episode even though I am constantly saying WTF throughout it

Elissa L. | 9:22 AM

oh flight of the conchords. Brilliant stuff.

Anonymous | 10:06 AM

Have you seen this?
http://www.slate.com/id/2151538/

Kate | 12:35 PM

Sesame Street is the best thing to happen to this world! And you've mentioned one more reason why!

Anonymous | 12:41 PM

I don't do mornings at all. My biological clock is stuck from my college day. Up half the night and sleep in. I thank all that is holy for PBS Kids in the mornings.

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 1:28 PM

Paulita-- haven't been able to get into John From Cincinatti, then again, I have only seen the first episode as the others pile up on TIVO... will give it another change because you said so.

Anonymous 10:06, passive-aggression causes ulcers.

barbara | 1:47 PM

sesame street is on that early for a reason! enjoy.

p.s. which mr. noodle do you like best?

Mom101 | 1:50 PM

DVDs! DVDs!

They start at any time, day or night.

Tracy | 2:50 PM

When I first started Tivo-ing Sesame Street for my baby, I remember wondering, "Why is it on SO EARLY?"

For the past couple of months my kid has been watching her Sesame Street on live TV, at the perfect hour of 7:00, and I know when Elmo comes on I have to start waking up. Glad to know I'm not the only one!

BOSSY | 4:30 PM

Bossy's high school honor student was reared on early morning Sesame Street (alone). Enough said.

Heather | 5:39 PM

Thank god I tossed out my by-the-book parenting book long long ago.

I heart Sesame Street. I long for the days before my boys grew old enough for that square, pants-wearing sponge.

Felicia | 8:12 PM

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I don't feel so alone. You rock!!!

Bobita | 8:40 PM

Ah, Baby Einstein was THE thing, the ONLY thing that kept me from jumping out a window on at least one of those 4:30am Awakenings. My third baby was on Eastern Standard time, apparently. Thank God for those damn Einstein DVDs with the almighty "repeat play" option!!

kittenpie | 9:26 PM

Yeah, mornings enough we wake up, Rolie Polie Olie or Clifford or Dora go on, and I doze on the couch next to my girl. After a show or two, I rouse myself to go get her some milk and a banana while I get dressed, and then we have breakfast. It works.