You know you're too old to be watching cartoons with your kids . . .

Kari

You know you're too old to be watching cartoons with your kids when you completely ignore the plot line to focus on:

1. Why cartoon characters always have 4 fingers, including the thumb
2. Why cartoon characters always wear the same outfit
3. Why the kid is playing outside in shorts and a t-shirt while the dad is wearing a turtleneck, sweater, and pants while pushing the lawn mower
4. Why the mom swiped the baby's tray with a dish cloth but didn't wash her hands after the baby touched raw meat
5. If the lyrics to the songs are intentionally meant to not make sense, or if that's just because there are only so many 1-syllable words out there that rhyme
6. If Barney's really just a figment of our imagination, why is he always well-mannered and proper? Seriously, my imaginary friends got into way more trouble than Barney does
7. If Jeff of the Wiggles is making fun of narcolepsy when he falls asleep all the time
8. Why it doesn't bother any of the other adults in the show that Handy Manny's tools TALK
9. If Kipper the dog lives in a house by himself, what line of work does he do to pay the mortgage
10. If there's a condition that makes Caillou bald while the rest of his family has an abundance of hair

And probably my favorite that I never realized . . . how six minutes of any of these shows makes me ready for a nap!

I grew up in the era of H.R. Puff'n'Stuff, so I suppose today's shows can't be any worse, but does anyone else find themselves focusing on the oddities in children's programming?

Jeba

LOL!

I would like to know where Max and Ruby's parents are..

Goobie

LOL how very true - I giggled while reading the list because I think the same thing! Luckily my kids are older, so we don't do the cartoons so much, but I do let my daycare dude watch half an hour in the morning and again half an hour before his parents pick him up, and we try to mix up what shows we watch.... some of them just sort of creep me out!

coryandamanda

Too funny. And I think it is hilarious that you mention HR Puff n stuff. I loved that show as a kid and when I saw it on some random channel once as an adult I was so excited. Then I watched it and I was like OMG this show is weirdddddd. Can't believe I once loved it so much. It is kinda creepy!

Zen

I always wonder how the Little Einsteins can make it from India to Antarctica and back home to the US in 1 minute hops.

3. Why the kid is playing outside in shorts and a t-shirt while the dad is wearing a turtleneck, sweater, and pants while pushing the lawn mower

I immediately thought "Cailloo!" when I read that one!

Kari

Zen, yes that was Caillou! As for Little Einsteins, how on earth does the plane speed up just because they're tapping their hands on their laps faster? If only we could do that in cars, we'd save a lot on gas!

yfnr

I have thought all of those...and so much more!!

One that really bugs me though...is on Back to the Barnyard why does the male cow Otis have udders? Not only is it annoying, but might confuse kids!

Shaeley Mae

My beef is ...... what the heck happened to Big Bird's voice?!!
He sounds like a total dork now.

texas4

Kari, our guys watch Sprout, and I thought that about Calliou ALL the time! And why does Angelina cry on EVERY SINGLE EPISODE?

The cartoons I watched made even less sense, SpaceGhost, Herculoids, etc. Sorry, but Barney creeps me out, that show takes me straight to Stepford Wives, ewww.

Side note, we were watching an old Miami Ink a few weeks ago, and my jaw dropped when a young actress named Michelle came in to get a tattoo (of a flower) and I was like, "Lori, that's Nina from Sprout!"

mel

Who decided that Muno on Yo Gabba Gabba should look so much like a dildo, and how did that get past a whole line of people for approval?

Nikkidm

Funny! I've always wondered about Caillou.

K&H

Here's the one I stick on. Isn't goofy a dog? So how come he gets person status and Pluto gets dog status? And goofy can own a dog? And Minnie is afraid of mice? And Donald duck has ducks swimming in his pond? What the heck?!?

mamamia

HAHA I love this--I wondered if I was the only one! Calliou has always baffled me the no hair thing--Max & Ruby only have a grandma? Phineas and Ferb - are they brothers or step brothers and how do they get money to do all these projects and what mom is gone that much? and has anyone seen Pingu?? My neighbor watches it - I watched it one time and almost lost my mind! Our boys are obsessed with Scooby Doo right now and I wonder why they never ever change clothes?

Kari

I will never view Nina the same again.

I DVR episodes from Sprout for Justin, and I hate that she comes on and says, "Sproutlets, if it's your bedtime, goodnight. But if it's not, who's joining us next, Luci?" and I'm thinking that it's freaking 1 am. What toddlers are still up????

Zen

Um. I know of one sproutlet that has seen more than her share of the good night show. But speaking of Nina, do you think she only owns one pair of pajamas? I almost want to take up a collection for her!

annerbones

We watched the Smurfs this morning and I realized it is based on Snow White & the 7 dwarfs. You know your to mature to watch cartoons when you can make these connections.

Kari

But speaking of Nina, do you think she only owns one pair of pajamas? I almost want to take up a collection for her!

I thought she had a few but they're just variations on the same style. Like I think one shirt is red and another is orange. Now I'm going to have to pay attention and see if it's really the same pair over and over.