Have They No Shame?

Wonder Pets. Nickelodeon Jr.'s newest preschool-targeted creation. Three little "pets", a turtle, chick and hamster, who "rescue" other animals from their preschool home base (they get the distress calls over a tin can telephone). Off they go in their makeshift boat that doubles as a car if need be, and "save the day". I have let Katie watch this on occassion and had no problem doing so, until today. "Wonder Pets save puppy that wants to go pee pee". Did I just hear that correctly?

Thankfully, it's a beautiful sunny day in these parts, and Katie is more interested in going outside to play with her new ball, but I am sickly drawn to the tv to see what this show is really going to do with a subject like this. Between laundry out-takes, I learn that the pets like to call using the loo "pee pee, wee wee and tinkle". Oh, thanks wonderpets, I usually say "go potty", which is juvenile enough, but now you are going to provide more silly ways to say taking a leak?

Why do these obviously bored preschool pets need to save a puppy with bladder control issues?

Couldn't the puppy just need to find his chewtoy?

The pets help the puppy find the doggie door and (as they are all doing the "potty dance" and saying "I can't hold it any longer") help him through it. From there, they all relieve themselves (you can see in in live animation and hear it too - lovely). "Aaah, what a relief", the chick states. They at least wash their paws, webs and hands in the water faucet and the show is over.

Now, Nickelodeon, what were you thinking? It is bad enough that there are shows like Spongebob (which comes and goes in our house) which is chalkfull of adult humor, Fairly Oddparents (uses the word "sexy" a lot) and a big, long list of others that have turned cartoon-viewing into a lesson in human anatomy, foul language and bad manners. Parents have to be diligent tv cops to keep up on all of the horrible programming that is out there. It is not safe to assume that just because it is a cartoon, that it is safe and innocent. I learned this the hard way when my oldest watched "Adult Swim" (think Striperella here) at a friend's house "by accident".

"It was a cartoon, I thought it was okay" said the parent.

Hello, it's waaaaay past bedtime and it is on Comedy Central!

So now back to Nick Jr. and the quality shows that are infiltrating the preschool-to-be market. Must cute, little, seemingly harmless animals be educating our kiddos in the finer art of urinating? Must we SEE it? Must we HEAR it? Guess I should just turn it off and pop in a Barney DVD, or Teletubbies; because I'd so much rather she watch that! (not).

Thanks Nickelodeon. I am glad summer is upon us and the tv will be a long forgotten friend.