Okay, this next review may be controversial to some but I have a soft spot for the Teletubbies because it comforted Drew at literally the worst time of his (and my) life. When he was thirteen months old, Drew had RSV and pneumonia and the doctors told me that he could literally stop breathing at any moment. He was strapped to multiple boards with IVs and lines running through him yet he was wide awake and distressed. The doctors told us to do whatever it took to try to comfort him. Other than Baby Mozart, Drew had watched almost zero television at that point so we had to rely on whatever VHS tapes were in the little shelf at the hospital. So Teletubbies it was. I was highly skeptical but the colors and the soothing voices and the silliness appealed to him and I am forever fond of Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po.
Some people call it creepy and a televangelist who shall not be named cast all sorts of bigoted aspersions against it but I advise you to decide for yourself. For those of you who are trivia-minded, urban legend credits acerbic former American Idol host Simon Cowell with creating or producing the Teletubbies but actually his company just produced one of their albums, A Teletubbie Christmas.
Let’s take a look at what Common Sense Media has to say about the Teletubbies:
What parents need to know: Parents need to know that this show out of Great Britain is a big hit with toddlers and preschoolers. It's never explained exactly what the Teletubbies are, but they're ultimately cute and benign. But the question comes down to this: How old should children be before they are introduced to television? The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend any TV time for kids under 2; that said, there are no content concerns within this show for the youngest viewers.
Teletubbies, though gentle and mild in tone, might be confusing to the youngest viewers: It appeals to non-order just when kids most require order to organize their formative mind. On the other hand, the show is non-violent, multicultural, and curious. It embraces love and play. It's slow and gentle -- though its emphasis on watching the videos that play on the Tubbies' tummies is a bit redundant.In the end, although Teletubbies is unique and fascinating, it's not necessarily educational or important. You may want to decide whether it serves as a treat -- or a distraction -- before letting your child watch more than twice a week.
Back to me. So as I suspected, it is not educational but it is not harmful either. So there is no need to look for the Teletubbies on television but nor is there any need to beat yourself up if your kids watch it every now and then.
When my twelve year old son was 3 or 4 years old, he loved this show. I hated it, but learned to tolerate it. He like to dance around in circles like them and go around saying "uh-oh". It was awfully cute and funny to watch him try to immitate some of the their dance moves.
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