Exceptional Parenting, I Swear

I'm a Mom who spends her days working outside of the home, and as much as I'd like to say that each day I come home fresh and ready to spend hours with my children on educational play, fine and gross motor skill development, and emotional nurturing, that just isn't the truth.

Some days I come home and head right back out into a sprinkler or a hose fight.

But sometimes I come home exhausted and I sneak a quick nap before I need to think about dinner.

Some days I come home and lavish my boys with kisses and tickles that turn into a mommy wrestling match on the living room rug.

And sometimes, I come home, we eat, and then...

Wait for it...

Keep waiting...

I watch television with my children.

Not even going to apologize.

Here are a few shows that we love to watch with the boys.

Electric Company: Hey you g-uys!!!  The original Electric Company was a little before my time, and belongs a bit more to people my husband's age.  However, I love the new version, and our 6 year old is an equally big fan.  The hip hop beats and silly lyrics really get him thinking about how letters interact and work together to make sounds, and he'll be the first to tell you that "silent e is a ninja."  Actually, he won't tell you.  He'll sing you the song.

Wipeout: Seriously, this show gets the wiggles out of our kids.  They laugh hysterically at people taking massive spills into the pool, and then they jump from ottoman to chair to floor like they are conquering the big balls themselves.  With a summer to play and a slip and slide at the ready, we're all dreaming up plans for our own backyard obstacle course Wipeout style.

America's Got Talent: I love talent shows, they always make me cry.  Something about people realizing a dream gets me every time.  While I'm especially fond of the musicians featured on the show, our boys love the more physical acts.  They love to watch the magicians, the jugglers and the martial artists, and the hip hop dancers never fail to inspire j into showing us his moves, slip sliding around on the hardwood floors.

Minute to Win it: Have you caught an episode of this game show yet?  Not only is it hosted by the huge personality of the Food Network's Guy Fieri, it is crazy cool.  The idea is that each challenge has to be completed in a minute, and each uses things you probably have in your house, which means you can watch it on the show and then make your own attempt.  Our boys were especially entertaining as they tried to slide nuts (nuts and bolts kind of nuts) off of a pencil and into a stack.  Even the 3 year old got into the act, concentrating with the tip of his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth just like his mama.  This is another show that will probably translate into our own family games this summer.

So, I fully admit to watching the boob tube with my kids.  (Why do people call it that???)  Will you admit it?  What are your favorite shows to watch with yours?