Why the Girls Don't Watch Regular Television

We are all aware of how thoroughly saturated we are with advertisements. Even with this awareness, we all still fall prey to the newest marketing, the most up-to-date pomegranate-antioxidant juice combo or the newest kitchen gadget or that crazy new reality show we have to check out.


This effect is magnified exponentially on children. Does that snack have Dora's face on it? I WANT it! Is that Sponge Bob soap? I WANT it! A Princess t-shirt? Tinkerbell juice boxes? It all drives them into a frenzy, even when they never, never watch actual commercials. Franchise-based product labels are enough marketing for a four-year-old.

And this weekend, Maya demonstrated just how deeply these advertisements move her. We took a short road trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house where Nickelodeon is allowed an occasional appearance, complete with commercials.

Maya suddenly called me over to the television during a commercial break. "Mama, mama look at this. Just look!"

Can you guess what I saw? Not a new sugar cereal featuring pineapple-flavored square pants. Not a My Little Pony hair salon. No, the advert that piqued her interest was none other than that most alluring of products, a manual drain cleaner.

Clearly, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be looking at, so I asked her. Maya responded with the same enthusiasm she reserves for her best knock, knock jokes. With a little squeal of excitement, she said, "That spring thing gets hair out of the sink. See? It really works?" She was eagerly pointing at the odd little man in a lab coat (why a lab coat, I'm not sure) demonstrating the product.


Considering I still remember commercial jingles from my five-year-old commercial-watching days, I should not be so surprised. But seriously, we'll be working hard to stay away from any avoidable marketing!