Quality Saturday Morning Cartoons

As a mom, I went through the wringer of conscience. Should I let my impressionable six year old watch TV or not? If she is going to watch TV, what shows are going to stimulate her imagination and which ones are going to turn her young mind to pudding? What about all of the advertisements that our kids, and ourselves, are bombarded with at maximum decibel level? I don't believe in television as babysitter and I firmly believe the research that has shown that babies under two should watch no television at all. I also know, as an educator, that television interferes with a child's ability to learn to read, as well as their love of reading. And no single thing in our culture enhances one's quality of life the way that books do. So, the wringer.

I also didn't want to eliminate the television completely, turning it into a mysterious, forbidden, adults-only zone. Fortunately, there are some good options besides the endless rounds of Sesame Street. I found a couple of cartoons sure to please your child and you. Heck, I watch them even when there are no kids around!

Qubo

Yes, Qubo. There a block of cartoons on Saturday morning on NBC called Qubo. They include Barbar, Jane and the Dragon, Jacob Two-Two and others. I am particularly fond of Jane and the Dragon and Jacob Two-Two.

Jane and the Dragon is a cartoon from New Zealand about a young girl who longs to be a knight, not a lady-in-waiting. She struggles with other people's perceptions about what it means to be a knight and she struggles with her own dreams. She is sent to slay a dragon, but instead becomes friends with him. Together they go on quests, have adventures and live their lives within the castle walls. It is a wonderful story and the art work is incredible. The overall look of the piece is watercolour and charcoal shading. It is all done by computers, but it looks like art work from some of the old children's books that many of us loved to tatters. The stories are gentle and the friendship between the different characters is heartwarming and often laugh out loud funny. The dragon, in particular, has a very funny sense of humour.

Jacob Two-Two is from Canada and the cartoon is set in Montreal. Jacob is the youngest son of a large family and he has sibling issues. He also has adventures and solves mysteries. He has a wonderful relationship with his parents and comes from a loving family. Without being saccharin or phoney, it manages to show a family life that is funny, irritating, humourous and warm. The art work is amazing. It is done in the style of old French ink and watercolour drawings, somewhat like the Madeleine stories.

The art work in both of these shows is a good starting point for you to explore art with your child. Both of these styles would lead one easily into Impressionism and an exploration of Manet, Monet and others.

The other thing that I can say as a recommendation is that Qubo really doesn't have a whole lot of commercials, and the ones that they do show tend to be lower key and not as aggressive or annoying as any of the other commercials that I have stumbled onto on Saturday morning. So, for parents and for kids, this is a win-win situation.

It is not often that I can honestly say to another parent that I would recommend Saturday morning cartoons, but in this instance, I can. The advertisements are low on the obnoxious scale, the writing is witty and smart, the characters are likeable and intelligent, the family lives that are portrayed are functional without being saccharin, and the art work is beautiful. There is also minimal violence, if any. Your children will love these cartoons, and so will you.