The phrase "go outside and play" is a popular one in our household, but as any parent knows, sometimes the television can be handy, especially at about five in the afternoon when Mummy has just poured her first
The Little Travellers are enjoying their annual fix of Aussie TV but I'm afraid it's not just about Masterchef, it's the bits in between. It's the commercials.
The Little Travelers live in a relatively commercial free world in Qatar, partly because local TV is in Arabic and mostly because they tend to watch DVD's and downloads. The result in Australia, is I now appear to live in a house full of infomercial wannabes. If you're looking for a slogan or catchphrase, please contact your closest Little Traveller.
As we made our way through the supermarket last week, The Third Traveller made a comment as I looked at the shavers, "you have to get this one, it's revolutionary" he told me earnestly. "It gets closer, it's the blade - revolutionary".
Perhaps I could have just dismissed it, but when The Second Little Traveller squealed with excitement at the discovery of a particular mop "this will be your new best friend, it has a fillable handle, you won't even need a bucket" I knew we were in trouble.
Over dinner I foolishly entered in to a discussion on why we couldn't have cable TV. I was quickly told it would provide "the best entertainment options and would keep the ENTIRE family happy". I mentioned it may also keep the ENTIRE family poor. They said something about affordable monthly installments. I checked behind their ears to see if I could see where the Aliens implanted the chips.
There are six more weeks of holidays left. It's possible, if the infliction continues, you may see them selling exercise equipment on late night television before we go.
This weekend is the annual girls weekend. The Little Travelers will go to Granny's house and a group of women who are old enough to know better will proceed to forget about mortgages, schedules and facial hair and instead will think only of food, wine and friendship. Even though we're not going to Vegas I'm thinking if I show The Little Travelers this commercial they may give me a leave pass, especially if I tell them it's Chin Chilli Day.
After watching this I decided that perhaps some commercials are okay, particularly the ones that aren't about mops, cable TV and shavers.
Do your children have a favourite television show or are you a commercial free zone?
You literally made me laugh out loud. I can almost see the earnest little face talking about the mop.
ReplyDeleteWe are still pretty advert free, but I can't say I've had much of a thought-process about it until now.
Ha! That was me as a child. We lived (commercial-free) in Asia until I was 10 and when we returned to the US, I was mesmerized by commercials, which I'd never seen (I'd never really seen TV until then, anyway, just the odd show here and there.) I know it drove my mother crazy, but I can still sing some of the jingles to the commercials I watched constantly that first summer back. I was actually delighted when we moved here and no longer had US commercials to deal with; Son #2 is a huge reciter of commercials and I always felt that he'd been brainwashed...
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid (back in the olden days) in Alice Springs we only had one channel - the ABC. When we used to go and visit relatives down in country SA where they had two channels I used to be transfixed by the locally made, dodgy ads. Most of them (on GTSBKN) used to be for religious groups. Most memorably for the Church of Latterday Saints so I can't say that they worked on me.
ReplyDeleteOur kids only watched ABC Kids for a very long time and were ad free (apart from all the subtle merchandising links). Now they watch Nick and commercial channels and we all have happy times singing our favourite commercials. We're just like the Simpsons really (did you ever see the episode where Lisa complains that the family only knows how to sing commercials and they pause for a minute and break into 'I feel like chicken tonight'?
I should really record the new series of the Gruen Transfer and get them to watch that so at least they know they're being manipulated as they pester me for the newest, latest movie tie-in piece of plastic crap.
I've had to read through the last few posts you've written to find out when and why you're here in Australia, it's a little while since I've visited! This post is quite an eye opener to see how much your kids have been affected by the ads on tv. It makes me wonder how all the others living here are affected when they are growing up surrounded by ads...what is this culture doing to them and how they are learning to think? It's a bit worrying.
ReplyDeleteKirsty this is hilarious! You'll know you're REALLY in trouble when they start reciting whole Simpsons episodes at you though :)
ReplyDeleteAh yes, there's nothing like a child serenading you with jingles, is there? We have British TV here in Geneva and apart from the execrable 'Confused.Com' sung to YMCA, they're not a patch on the Aussie lot.
ReplyDeleteCherish these hidden talents now before they become teens and Can't. Be. Bothered. If I have insomnia, I'll be looking for them on late night informercials for exercise equipment. Hmmm, I could use an elliptical...would you ask them what revolutionary piece of equipment they recommend that would enhance my exercising experience?!?
ReplyDeleteI remember my once 5 yr old saying she was looking for the 'Clorox-Disinfecting-Wipes' as one word. I big mouthful for a 5 yr old
ReplyDeleteMy 3.5 yr old nephews favourite channel is ABC2 which is commercial free except for all the station promos - instead he is addicted to Octonauts and that crazy one about a garden :(
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