Back off, Barney!

A pet peeve of mine is when children's characters, like Barney and Elmo, look into the camera and tell my kids that they love them. "I love you!" Something in me makes me want to jump through the TV and grab that overstuffed throat with my bare hands and say, "I don't think so, punk." The reality is that they don't love my children, so why misuse the sentiment from the tender age of 2? You, Barney, do not get up in the night when there is puke to be cleaned and a boy to be comforted. You, Elmo, do not lay awake at night agonizing over the latest discipline issue. (You may think I've had a reality break, but it is something that I want to blog.)

I think this lazy use of "love" also can set a kid up for inappropriate situations in the future. I love my dear friends' children, but rarely verbalize it. When I do, I make sure it's in the presence of the parents. Unfortunately, this day and age has twisted and poisoned love, as seen by early sexualization of adolescents and increasing numbers of adult perp crimes. What are the chances of me teaching my son and daughter about the healthy, safe characteristics of parental/familial love when I have imaginary characters spewing it at the end of their 30-minute segments?

(This is one of the reasons I loved Mr. Rogers. He understood the turn of the times and maintained an appropriate distance with children while being warm and kind.)

My mommy spider-sense tingles when I hear someone on the TV trying to engage my children with the language of love. Someday it may be someone online, or a member of the opposite sex who flings the word in their direction as a lure. I want the boundaries I am steaking out now to instill the true values and characteristics of love so they will be wise and safe as they grow.