What if I told you there was a way to stop your toddler saying "no, no, no" and start saying "yes, yes, yes"? You might think the only answer is to wave a magic wand, but the real solution is a toddler’s TV show.
'CoComelon' has been around in one form or another (it was originally called 'Checkgate' and then became 'ABC Kid TV') since 2006. We only came across it this year when we were searching Netflix for something new to watch and noticed that this animated show was consistently in the Popular on Netflix section.
Given the fact that my son was about to start preschool, I thought it would be helpful to show him the song where the central character J.J is getting ready for school and in subsequent songs, happily singing in the classroom with his teacher and his friends.
It worked a treat and my son happily bounced into school (with me with my fingers firmly crossed behind my back hoping that there would be as many causes for giggles as there is in the show).
After his successful induction at pre-school (obviously, it wasn’t all down to the show, I did have a few additional non-screentime tricks up my sleeve), I wondered if J.J and friends could put a positive spin on bath time too!
As it turns out, 'Bath Song' was his favourite - and he’s not the only one. Before I knew the show originated on YouTube, I used to forget which episode it appeared in and used to spend ages fast-forwarding through them in search of bubbles. To say he’s "not the only one" is an understatement; a quick glance at the stats shows you that 'Bath Song' has been viewed 4.7 billion times!
And if stats are your thing, you might be interested to know that 'CoComelon' is somewhat of a phenomenon. The YouTube channel has 122 million subscribers and is the most-viewed YouTube channel in the U.S and the second most viewed in the world.
So back to the bath and to what makes it more fun, and the answer is the songs! While giving out orders to kids does not go down well, if you start singing a song (with a few brainwashing lyrics thrown in for good measure), it really does help go from them refusing to get in, to refusing to get out. And just to warn you, once the lyrics are in your head (which is easy as pie thanks to them rolling continuously across the bottom of the screen), they’re tricky to get out.
I’ve even noticed that they enter my head when I’m about to have a soak myself… "Bath, bath, it's time to take a bath/ Yes, yes, yes, I want to take a bath/ Good, good, a bath is good for you/ Yay, yay, yay, I like it ooh."
Now I know a TV show like 'CoComelon' isn’t and shouldn’t be the answer to all your problems, but if for a limited time each day, your toddler does indulge, it’s reassuring to know that they’re watching something that’s going to help rather than hinder them (and you) with everyday life. When you’re a busy parent, every little helps.
