My co-blogger, Andrea, recently wrote about her kids’ interest in and fun with Animal Planet. Andrea mentioned that she doesn’t feel the need to limit her kids’ access to this channel, or to its parent channel, the Discovery Network. Julie chimed in and said that her family loves Animal Planet as well. When I mentioned in Andrea’s comment box that I had a post planned about another favorite educational channel, Valorie jumped in. Many of us homeschoolers are often on the same page (cue the scary music … cut to commercial for “The Stepford Homeschoolers” ….)
Nah, it isn’t quite that bad. We aren’t really cookie-cutter copies of one another. We just know a good thing when we see it. And learning that comes naturally from watching engaging, entertaining and educational programs is definitely a good thing.
My kids and I love Animal Planet, too. If it’s all about animals, my kids are all there. (As a matter of fact, we might actually fall into the “geek” category here … how did we whoop it up as a family on New Year’s Eve? I have to confess that “Animal Planet” was involved.)
There’s another educational network that we love and that we thoroughly enjoy watching together as a family. The Food Network is a mainstay of TV viewing at our house. Our all-time favorite is Alton Brown. (Last night, my four-year-old heard his voice from the other room and cried, “Alton’s on! Hurry!”) We love the “science of cooking” that is the real meat of “Good Eats.” And, Alton’s recent special series, “Feasting on Asphalt,” was a fun, if informal, geography lesson, as we accompanied Alton across the highways of America, peeking into diners, and experiencing “road food” and colorful characters along the way.
Food Network, like most things at our house, is the fodder for continuing conversations. We talk about the food, the recipes, the ideas. We laugh at Alton’s wit and wisdom. We spend time marveling over some people’s definition of gingerbread houses and wedding cakes. We discuss the when obsessions with food might cross the line from “fun” to “problem.” We talk about everything from nutrition to modesty (“Mommy, don’t you think that lady could wear a top that covers up a little more?”) and in the process, we are learning.
When you advocate a “living is learning” lifestyle, you can’t deny that Food Network is a taste of homework heaven.