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Save the teletubbies

Save the Teletubbies By Alison van Diggelen How long has it been since the Teletubbies first invaded Silicon Valley? I vaguely remember they arrived one hectic morning in the late 1990’s with their subversive message of surreal magic and pure fun for small kids. Quite frankly, I’m amazed they weren’t parceled up in one enormous diaper and thrown back to Britain. The show suffered a deluge of criticism from every flank; from the Academy of Pediatrics to local vocal mothers’ groups. Let’s face it, all this focus on fun for fun’s sake goes against the grain of your typical hard-working Siliconian. But against all odds, they have survived. Even before the Teletubbies arrived on our local KQED Public Television station, there were rumblings in my mother’s group that some imported show was going to bump the hallowed half hour of Barney and Friends in the morning. When it did arrive, the disgust was loud and vehement- from the mums. But almost every kid I know liked it and my own kids (three and one at the time) loved it. Where did that leave me? Well, I’ll be honest with you; I’m actually a huge Teletubbies fan. The week after it first aired, I listened like a mole as the mothers in the park discussed how much their children missed Barney and how much they’d learned from him. However, I couldn’t help feeling it was the mothers who missed their Barney fix. I’ve always had reservations about the P.C. diet of kid’s TV that involves drumming in the ABC’s and 123’s ad infinitum. When kids are wee, they are only just mastering the big physical milestones, this wonderful walking business, being vertical, running and jumping. It’s a tough job, learning all this new stuff. Every body needs a break. I say, let them have a little entertainment. I’m not advocating hours three hours straight of Teletubbies. I firmly believe in limiting TV viewing. But what’s wrong with the odd half hour of pure diversion, pure fun for your little kids? Several mums said how alien they found the Teletubbies, but I must say I find an oversized stuffed dinosaur and his ingratiatingly smiley and fake-enthusiastic friends far from endearing. To me the Teletubbies are cute and cuddly, especially when they dance around in their tutus. When the happy smiling sun first rose, I could have sworn it was my daughter. She gurgled and laughed just like the sun. One criticism was based on it being imported. It comes from the BBC in Britain, that bastion of suspiciously non-commercial programming. The brooding skies are sobering (especially here in clear blue-sky California), the British accents are cute and the typically British sense of humor is rich. Did you see the one where the whole family is washing the car and getting completely soaked in the process? They introduce themselves: “Hi, I’m Trevor, I’m six, I’m Sarah and I’m five, etc., etc. (four under eights) until daddy gets a turn, “Hi, I’m daddy and I’m a hundred.” I hear you, old man! Frank, my husband recently came back from an out of state conference. During a speech about the power of marketing, the speaker said, “ I’ll give ten dollars to the first person who can list the four Teletubbies. The guy sitting next to Frank jumped up and screamed: “La-La, Tinky-Winky, Dipsy and Po” before Frank could even say “Naughty Noo-Noo”. The smart guy got a standing ovation and sat down with a happy but gradually reddening face, perhaps realizing that he was now “outed”. Yet another closet Teletubbies fan, and a daddy at that. Life should be fun when you’re a kid. I think it’s easy to forget that when you’ve been in the business world and take time to be with your children. It’s all too easy to feel you must turn every experience into an educational one. To be fully rounded individuals and not simply Silicon Valley workaholics, I think it’s important that our children learn to switch off, kick back.... and get a dose of fun, whether it’s Teletubbies magic or some other diversion. It’s not yet time for Teletubbies-Bye-Bye. This diversion from the Silicon Valley 24/7 work ethic appears here to stay. ©Alison van Diggelen welcomes your comments. She is the editor of siliconmom.com. 2001 Siliconmom

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