No Joiner, He

Harrison has never been one of those kids who enjoys participatory television. I mean, he’ll watch it well enough—he’s not got any problem with that, but if someone asks a question and expects the audience from home to answer, he’s just not down with it. Never has been. Blue’s Clues,  Sesame Street, anything with a problem to solve and an audience to ask questions to. I’d always try to encourage him to participate—ask him what the answer to the question was, that kind of thing—but he’d never want to do it.

Which brings us to this evening. Robert had gone to get groceries and I had both kids at home while I was trying to get some laundry done. I decided to put Little Einsteins on for them to watch. We had watched it yesterday and both kids were pretty entranced with it, so I figured it was a no-brainer.

If you’ve ever seen Little Einsteins, you know that there are participatory events in it. “Pat-pat-pat!” “Clap-clap-clap” “Sing along!” That kind of stuff.

So we’re watching it, Laura from the floor where she’s looking up with big, solemn eyes at the magic box hanging from the wall, Harrison from the couch where he’s sipping his milk and eating his cheese sticks while never removing his eyes from the screen and me standing behind the couch, sorting and folding laundry.

The first “Pat pat pat!” comes up and I try to get him to do it. I pat-pat-pat my own legs and he just looks at me, then turns back to the TV.

The “Clap-clap-clap!” comes up and I clap along while he gives me the stink eye.

Another “Pat-pat-pat!” happens and as I begin patting enthusiastically, he looks at me with narrowed eyes and says, “Don’t you have some work you need to be doing?”

He’s already ready for management. I guess if I’ve got time to lean, I’ve got time to clean. :)

As a side note, later on in the show I was away from the couch, reloading the washing machine and I heard him “Pat-pat-pat” and raise his arms, screaming for the Rocket to take off. I guess maybe he just didn’t want an audience. Psychologically, there’s a lot there that I understand.

Goofy kid.