We have an ongoing debate about how much television Lu should watch, which is an extension of the debate about our own TV watching. Which is not a debate, so much as ongoing internal muttering ("There are so many thing I should be doing instead of this. Wow, Patrick Dempsey never stops being hot to me. I should really find something to read."), punctuated by the occasional hysterical outburst ("Jason, fold while you watch!")
We never watch "regular" TV in front of Lu, unless you count professional sports and whatever soap/talk show my mom wants to have on while she is here. And, speaking as the only person in this organization who cares about her TV diet, this is good. She mostly watches good stuff: non-commercial toddler TV with numbers and letters and life lessons and affirming messages! So you can imagine how it breaks my wannabe ascetic intellectual heart that she thinks Tivo is a character like Elmo. She kisses his little legged icon on the remote. "I love Tivo, Mama." I love Tivo too, but it is a secret, shameful affair.
Then, "The Little Mermaid" arrived. It was part of a funny care package from Baga and Opa that included a disposable camera and some delicious cookies, which Lu has wanted to eat for every meal. "The Little Mermaid," a seemingly simple Disney film. It's for kids — what's not to like? I won't go on a diatribe about the anti-feminist themes at the heart of "The Little Mermaid." I won't give an overly intellectual analysis of the stereotypical portrayal of people of Caribbean origin. The real problem with "The Little Mermaid" is that it's delightful, it's magnetic. You can't tear your eyes away (even if you're two and Ursula is too scaredy for you). You want to watch and watch and watch.
"The Little Mermaid" is like cookies. Once it shows up, you want to have it for every meal. We are currently trying to refocus her interest on worthwhile things like vegetables, which she hates, and photography, which she loves. (Thanks, Baga and Opa — she's quite an artiste, although of the 15 exposures on the camera, 13 are of the ground and 2 are of boogers).
I am not sure what would happen if Ariel and Tivo were to reproduce, but I am pretty sure Lu would start a new religion to worship their offspring.