Zayne and his favorite TV programs

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

Television has become such a part of our lives that it cannot be ignored as a teaching tool for kids at home. There's no doubt that kids learn a lot from TV programs, about how they speak and act towards people. 

There's no telling how the TV programs that are supposed to be for kids have evolved from casual entertainment to ones that actually teach a thing or two about character and knowledge. 

Many programs incorporated the values of being respectful, honest, team building and politeness. Today I am going to mention some of these TV programs watched by my ward Zayne Mojica which really stand for me for reasons I've mentioned.

Zayne watching TV with an Amazon Kindle tablet on the side

Even me as an adult is reminded of these values that we first learned from our parents and were reinforced in school. 

Max and Ruby: When Zayne was two, I think he loved watching the siblings Max and Ruby. The characters are actually bunny rabbits. 

Max is a toddler who like any other toddler would do mischievous things while Ruby is the adorable sister who always cares for Max first before herself.

It's so fun watching their adventures with bunny friends. I remember that series where Ruby was with her scout master and they had a problem with a boat and and it was Max who solved the problem and at the end of the show Ruby was pinned with the star award. 

It was a simple gesture of helping and at the end of the show both Max and Ruby would resolve their petty squabbles. In actual life any elder brother or sister would always attend to their younger siblings.

Sometimes the elder sister acts as a little mother and would teach her younger siblings what's best for them. I learned that this animated series is designed for pre-schoolers and is based on the best-selling children's books by Rosemary.

Zayne had outgrown Max and Ruby since then and I don't know  if it's still in the Nickelodeon channel or is moved to another time slot.

The Octonauts: Oh, how Zayne loved this series that he doesn't want to turn off the TV the whole day if I do give in to his wants every once in a while. Aside from “Daddy”, the words “explore, rescue and protect” were the other words Zayne first learned and spoke in his first year or so. 

Zayne watches entranched an episode of "The Octonauts."

The Octonauts are on a mission to rescue sea creatures at risk and I am amazed by the underground sea photography and what lies underneath it. It is beautiful and I see firsthand how people damage the sea with their carelessness.

Zayne likes the character of Captain Barnacles because he's a leader and Quincy as well. 

The program also teaches team work to achieve a goal as shown by the challenges the Octonauts always solve together. For me, it's the program's emphasis on caring for the environment that I love. 

Children and even jaded adults do learn a lot about TV at home. As I write this, I have to fetch Zayne in school at 12 pm and since it's a Friday, his class would be dismissed early today. More stories to follow.