I love playing games with my family and, in my house, that often includes Wii video games. However, I usually reserve our host of Wii games for older kids and adults. As much as my 3 year old is fascinated by DJ Hero, I don’t necessarily think it’s appropriate for him to find his inner DJ Gregg Gillis just yet! Needless to say, I was especially interested in Disney’s new kid-friendly Wii video games.

Disney has created a whole portfolio of video games designed for the whole family. The family-friendly interactive Wii video games include:

• Disney Guilty Party allows you to investigate mysteries, collect clues and even split into teams to discover the “super sleuths” in your family
• Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales is inspired by Disney/Pixar’s “Car Toons” and offers fast-paced, four-player fun to determine the family daredevil
• Disney Channel All-Star Party brings together Disney Channel shows and characters for the first time in more than 30 games in popular show locations
• Disney Tangled is a hair-raising adventure that’s inspired by the new animated movie and allows you to play as Rapunzel or Flynn
• Disney Sing It Family Hits creates a whole new world of karaoke fun with 30 songs from both classic and contemporary feature films including “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin”
• Club Penguin Game Day! provides the fun and creativity of the popular snow-covered online world of Club Penguin on Wii for the first time with a challenging collection of fun new mini-games for the whole family

All of the games in the Disney Interactive Studios holiday portfolio are Rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). For more information about the Disney Interactive Studios holiday portfolio, go to http://www.disneyfamily.com/makeitdisney.

Give-Away!

As a special treat, I am giving away the Phineas and Ferb Ride Again game for the Nintendo DS! Retail value is $30.  Make sure to leave a comment by Tuesday, November 23rd! To leave an additional comment for extra entries, subscribe to AYMB or follow AYMB on twitter. This give-away is only open for U.S. and Canada residents.

I will select a winner via www.random.org and will announce the winner on Wednesday, November 24th. Good luck!

FTC Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review or give-away from Disney. I was, however, given complimentary products for my personal use and to give-away. My reviews are not influenced by free product or compensation.

(photo from ferretpress.com)

In preparation for an upcoming trip to Disneyland, I sat down with the Monkey to watch some classic Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons on YouTube. I haven’t watched any of these cartoons in at least 25 years, but I remember especially loving Donald Duck. Who didn’t love Donald?!? These cartoons are classics!

Now, before I let the Monkey watch anything, especially on YouTube, I watch it first to make sure it passes the mom-test.  But this was Donald Duck, one of Disney’s most beloved characters. Of course it’s safe for a toddler to watch!

Uh, NO.

We watched a few cartoons that were absolutely enjoyable and fun. Donald playing with sea lions, Donald flirting with Daisy Duck…and then the Monkey pointed to a small clip titled “Toy Tinkers”.

*click*

Here is my thought process as my two year old and I watched the clip together:

Look at those cute little squirrels! And there’s Donald Duck in his house, getting ready for Christmas. Oh look, the squirrels see all the nuts Donald has laying around and are now breaking into his house. Those pesky squirrels! Now Donald sees them and decides to have fun with them. Ha! They’re playing a game with Donald as they each steal back the nuts from one another. Oh, how clever of Donald, he comes down the chimney dressed as Santa and hands one squirrel a small nut and the other squirrel a much bigger nut. Oh, now they’re fighting over it and…uh…they just smacked each other over the bigger nut. Hmmmm, I’m not so sure about this….wait, wha….WTF!!!!!….a squirrel just opened a nut to find a gun aimed in his face! Donald is holding the gun directly at the squirrels and marching them away!!!

Oh.My.God.

*click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

I’ve never turned my computer off faster.

After I settled my toddler back into the very safe world of Elmo and Abby, I started to click around for more old Disney cartoons. I was shocked by what I came across -  WWII propaganda cartoons featuring Donald Duck and Nazis, Daisy Duck contemplating suicide, Donald and Mickey deliberately getting electrocuted by little mice, and Donald mistreating his three nephews very badly. Very, very badly.

Say what!

I grew up on this stuff. I regularly watched old Disney cartoons and Looney Tunes. I definitely remember the very violent antics of the Looney Tunes characters, such as Elmer Fudd and his shotgun and Wile. E. Coyote trying to blow up the Road Runner with TNT…but Disney?!? It never even crossed my mind that there were violent  images in these classic cartoons. Either I’m naive, forgetful, or that’s just my inner desensitized child talking.

There is so much talk about kids being exposed to too much violence in the media today and there is no doubt that’s true. Between adult-themed TV shows, the Internet, and video games, kids today have access to a lot of inappropriate content. But one thing is for sure, you will not find this stuff in the cartoons and TV shows that are geared towards younger kids.  Big Bird never smacks Cookie Monster around, the Man with the Yellow Hat never plays means tricks on George, and Olivia will never be seen holding a gun.

I understand that the era when these cartoons were made was much different. It was a time when boys were given toy guns so they could play “war”  and “shoot ‘em up” games. It was a time before children brought real guns to school, before explosions became a scar on our national psyche, and when war was clearly drawn between the good guys and the bad guys. We all know how much times have changed since then. So, I’m saying this as someone who is a HUGE fan of the Disney programming we all know and love today – the good ol’ days of Disney isn’t very good for today’s children. I’ll look back at some of these old cartoons with nostalgia but I plan to leave them exactly where they belong: in my past and not in my child’s present. When he’s old enough, I’ll show him old clips. Until then, we’ll stick to the peaceful, loving, and ethical characters we can find in the cartoons and TV shows aimed for young kids today.

(click on the 4:00 mark for the aforementioned scene)

Have an opinion on the matter? Would love to hear from you!

I love outdoor shows, especially on a beautiful summer day or warm evening. Bringing your kids along can be one of the best ways to introduce them to music.  Some of my earliest childhood memories center around music and live shows so, needless to say, music has always been important to me.  Before pregnancy, live shows were something the Dude and I ventured to regularly and would even plan vacations around. That didn’t stop when I got pregnant. The Monkey probably went to about 30 shows in the womb, from bluegrass and classical to jazz and popular rock. My last concert was about two weeks before my due date. I’m still not sure how I waddled my way to that show, but I certainly got plenty of dancing space!

There is no better way to expose children to music than to introduce them to the live creation of it. To actually experience the formation of beautiful and complex melodies is a wonderful way to stimulate the senses of children and help cognitive and physical development. However, as important as it is to expose young ears to the gift of music, it’s even more important to protect those ears. The type of venue, music genre, the type of crowd, and the acoustics are important pieces of information to gather before you buy your tickets.

If you have an infant, a comfortable wearable wrap or carrier is the ideal way to bring your baby along to a show. If your child is walking, running and exploring, it’s best to bring them to shows that have a safe space for them to do those things (with someone watching them, of course). It’s also very important to buy a good pair of headphones for your child.  If the show is acoustic, headphones won’t usually be necessary. However, even local summer shows in the park can be loud. You may not need the headphones, but always make sure you have them handy. Before we go to a show, we practice with the Monkey by putting the headphones on at the house while playing music. Making a game of it or giving your child a sticker or treat when they leave the headphones on is a good way to make sure they keep them on. You can also buy a wax substance to put in their ears, but the Monkey prefers the headphones. So do I. That stuff is hard to use!

When you’re going to a show, make sure to pack like you’re going on a picnic or to the beach. Bring plenty of sunscreen, a hat, a change of clothes, water, and enough food and snacks. There is a chance your toddler or young child will get bored or tired, so make sure to bring them some toys or books. A blanket is also a good idea for them to rest on or use if it gets chilly.

One of the reasons I especially love outdoor summer concerts is because I do not bring the Monkey to indoor shows. In fact, I advise against bringing infants, toddlers, and very young children to indoor shows and concerts (unless they are specifically geared towards children). If the show is a sit-down concert, it will be difficult to keep a child seated and quiet for an entire show. If the music is standing only, it will often be too crowded and overwhelming. The acoustics are much louder indoors and there is also usually smoke in the air. Although you’ll find that at most shows, it’s easier to steer clear of smoke when you’re outdoors.

As fun as outdoor shows can be for the family, just make sure to keep checking in with your kids during the show. If they’re bored, cranky, or simply not into the show, don’t force it. Maybe they’re not comfortable or simply don’t enjoy the music. I’ve had to leave a few shows early or decided against bringing the Monkey to particular concerts.  That’s just a part of parenting and it’s why we have babysitters on speed dial.

When there is an upcoming outdoor show in your area that seems like a fun event for your child, don’t pass up the opportunity. Your infant and toddler probably won’t remember the actual experience, but the impressionable mark of live music will forever be etched into their mind and soul.

Have any live music experiences with children you want to share – good, bad or otherwise? I would also love from those who have concert recommendations, especially for toddlers.

About what, you ask? You, AYMB’s supposedly loyal readers.

See, while you noodle your way through Mental Mondays, feast your eyes on Foodie Fridays, and indulge all things in between, there is one thing you seem to have overlooked: The Yip Yips petition. What gives?

I grew up on Sesame Street, but cannot for the life of me remember the Yip Yips. It seems that Sesame Street ran Yip Yips segments only intermittently and only for a couple select years. Thanks to the intersection of YouTube and copyright infringement, however, I discovered the Yip Yips belatedly in between train-crossing segments on YouTube (search for “five engine train,” “SP4999” or “Minto Brown” to find clips whose conclusions will cause violent tantrums in most male toddlers).

These little alien dudes rock.

Toddlers eat up the Yip Yips because they make funny sounds; parents love them because they’re super clever and, at bottom, educational. Leave it to Sesame Street to bridge that generation gap better than almost any other show. But, alas, the Yip Yips went the way of Dynasty, only without any of the “Who shot JR?” fanfare.

At launch, Aimee took it upon herself to draw readers’ attention back to the daily Yip Yips deprivation that Sesame Street works on kids today. She wrote this article embedding the above fun video clip, started this petition, commissioned me to hack-up a sidebar button encouraging folks to read/watch the former and sign their name to the latter, and even reached out to this Facebook user and this Facebook group, which, together, boast almost 8,000 members.

Only 27 33 people have signed the petition so far. What gives? While AYMB ain’t TMZ, it certainly has magnitudes more readers than that single score of signatories.

So, for the love of God, people. For the children. For the future. For all things holy. Sign the petition, would you?

Please forward, retweet, beg, borrow, steal, cajole…whatever it takes. Future generations will thank you.

P.S. What do you think of the new Mental Monday and Foodie Friday header “buttons”?

My favorite kind of mail

I know that billions of parents were (and are) able to live without DVR’s and Netflix…but I’m just glad I’m not one of them. Just like anyone else, I need a break from reality for a few minutes every day. Rather than rely on psychotropic hallucinogens or a few glasses of wine, I’d rather just escape through the TV or a good book. I hate to say it, but TV usually wins. Hey, to give me some credit, I’m in the middle of a 750 page book on Lincoln. Wouldn’t you rather watch Rock of Love, too? Er, actually…me neither.

I hate scheduling my life around TV programs and I always hated that growing up. If you missed Saturday morning cartoons or an episode of The Wonder Years or Full House, you were screwed until the following week.  Missed that one episode of Friends or Melrose Place? Bummer. You would find out what Ross and Rachel were up to from your real friends. I remember actually taping shows off the VCR, which never seemed to work well for me. I would usually either record way too early or stop taping way too soon. I don’t even know how many times I would attempt to record off an already full tape. It all seems so ancient in these TIVO’d times. We had it so rough, didn’t we?

One of my favorite things to do after putting the Monkey to bed is get an hour or so every night to unwind with the Dude and watch a great show together. Rather than wait for a new episode of some show every week, we rely on Netflix to enjoy entire seasons at a time. We tend to like shows that incite a discussion or even a debate. In other words, shows that tend to be on HBO or Showtime. Wondering what shows couples can enjoy watching together? Here’s our list of must-watch TV:

1. Mad Men – this show is perfection. The acting, the writing, and the overall 60′s aesthetic. The cast actually can act as well as they look. And that’s saying a lot. Hellooooo, Mr. Draper.
2. The Wire – BEST.SHOW.EVER. I have yet to see another show this brilliant. It’s so realistic it’s scary.
3. Dexter – gory? Somewhat. But Dexter is simply the most lovable murderer ever. Just look away when you hear the chainsaw.
4. West Wing – one of the best network shows of all time. One thing to note is that if you compare last year’s Presidential election and the last season of West Wing,  you will quickly realize that creator Aaron Sorkin is a psychic.
5. Six Feet Under – the drama and the writing are impeccable, as is the cast. The series finale is not only the best series finale of all time but some of the best TV ever, period.
6. The Sopranos – let’s not talk about the series finale (yes, I’m still bitter). Everything about the rest of the show is fantastic.

Not necessarily must-watch, but very enjoyable:

1. Entourage – it’s the male version of Sex and the City, just with less fashion sense.
2. Curb Your Enthusiasm – the shtick can get redundant but if you’re a fan of Seinfeld like me, you’ll enjoy this more edgy version of a show about nothing.
3. 24 – action packed entertainment starring Keifer Sutherland? Can’t go wrong there.
4. Heroes - Very unique concept, a great cast, and cool special effects. Love it.
5. Lost – I have to be honest, I’ve only seen the first season. But I thought it was a great show and I plan on watching the entire series soon.
6. The Office - love the dialogue and humor. I have yet to meet someone that doesn’t think this show is funny.

The Dude refuses to watch reality shows, with good reason. I admit I sneak in an episode of Real Housewives every week now and then, but there are a few reality shows that we can enjoy together:

1. Iron Chef – if you and your partner are foodies or foodies-in-training, Iron Chef is must-watch TV. Love the kitchen-action, the different cooking styles, and the judging. I actually prefer the original Iron Chef from Japan, but Alton Brown makes this show worth watching.
2. Top Chef – again, another great show for food-lovers.
3. Project Runway – I know what you’re thinking, but this show can be just as entertaining for straight men as it is for anyone else. It’s much more about the fashion and the drama between the designers – it’s about the process of creating something out of nothing. Anyone can appreciate that!

What shows, if any, do you and your significant other enjoy watching together?