The righteous, by-the-book parent in me regularly tells me that it is wrong to subject babies to too much television at a young age. Remember, he stresses, The Lancet has no doubt published countless studies in to the detremental effect of allowing little ones to sit infront of the box. So, Mr B, make sure you don't do it, reach for a good book instead, or take the screaming bundle in your arms outside for a breath of fresh air. These are good things...TV, remember, is bad.
Yes, well, the based-in-reality parent within me thinks that's a load of cack for starters!
I am the first person to champion the importance of reading to children and giving them plenty of outdoor time. However, when certain situations arise, and even at four months old, I must admit that television can prove to be the ultimate pacifier for a crabby infant. And one programme in particular does the trick for our tiny telly addict. Ladies and gents, I give you....Waybuloo!
What's more, I am addicted too. Indeed, I have often caught my wife smirking uncontrollably at the sight of her husband and firstborn transfixed to the CBeebies show.
The programme is, essentially, total nonsense. Four computer animated creatures ("Piplings"), float around a staged landscape pretending to be various animals, playing hide and seek ("Peeka") with real children ("Cheebies") and performing a kind of animated yoga ("YoGo"). Plot lines stretch as far as the amazing discovery of a stone, or perhaps the joy of being a caterpillar for an afternoon. This is not Poirot for children. But it's utterly enchanting, and my son and I love it.
So set your Sky+ Box today. In the meantime, let the debate begin, what is/was the best children's TV programme of all time?
Got to go...it's time for YoGo!
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