We are a PBS Kids 13 family; in fact for anyone who asks (and even those who don’t) I’m quick toclue them in on the fact that without PBS, I’m not quite sure I could’ve gotten through both the infancies and toddlerhoods of both of my kids. PBS Kids was my salvation in so many ways. Aside from the fact, that Sesame Street is responsible for teaching both both my kids the alphabet and their counting skills- it’s programming is like a soft, warm blanket we can always wrap ourselves up in– even at 1 am in the morning (thank goodness for their 24-hour commercial free PBS kids station- which we get on our rabbit ears and converter box) when my son wakes up from a nightmare, it’s Emme and Max from Dragon Tales, with their fanciful Dragon Land that can soothe him (and me) back to dreamland.
Before you go ahead and judge me and tell me that I should be ashamed of myself for letting a television station raise my children, this is my response; no I did not leave my kids in front of the TV set 24/7– rather I used its Kids 13 programs strategically; aka when I needed to fold laundry, clean the kitchen or take a time-out from Sippy cups and Cheerios. ( Now isn’t that better than swilling back a glass of Chardonnay at 11am ?!)
And since we will never be one of those TV-free households- at least PBS Kids cartoons and live action shows have concepts I can actually understand (as opposed to all those robots, weapons firing and supernatural power type of programming) and ones that were quick to teach my kids not just remedial school skills, but also helped break down harder to comprehend topics like; compassion for others, the importance of friendship and tolerance for those different than them.
So when Kids Club 13 approached me about being an ambassador for their brand spanking new club– well of course my answer was a RESOUNDING YES!! So, just what is this new club I speak of ? Here are all the deets…
–Kids Club Thirteen is the new family membership for the local PBS station, Channel Thirteen and as a founding member this is what you’ll get for signing up:
-Free events with your kids each month
-Discounts to places you’re already going, or get new ideas of outings for your family
-Your kids birthday announced on TV
-Kids will get to meet their favorite PBS characters
-Connect with your community and like-minded parents who trust their kids with PBS programming
A couple more factlets:-Appropriate for families with kids 3-11
-Membership is good for 2 adults and up to 3 kids
They’re on Facebook and Twitter and they’ve got a REALLY cool event coming up March 27th…
WHAT: The Cottage, originally constructed as a model schoolhouse in the 1800s,
is hosting a special Kids Club day, just for members: featuring a pre-performance workshop with Swedish Cottage puppeteers, followed by a free and just for Kids Club! performance by Swedish Cottage.
WHERE: 79th Street and the West Drive, Central Park
WHEN: Sunday, March 27. 2:00pm – 4:00pm
RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197812573562901
Really enjoyed reading this PBS Kids was such a comforting part of so many childhood routines, and your memories made me smile. When it’s time to unwind with something fun, I’ve been playing Stickman Hook lately, and it’s such a simple, relaxing game to pass a few free minutes.