I thought we\u2019d avoid it, but it\u2019s simply unavoidable. The animated allure of talking dogs is just too strong for preschoolers to resist.<\/p>\n
Yes, I\u2019m talking about Marshall, Rubble, Chase, Rocky, Zuma and Skye \u2014 the Paw Patrol<\/em>. My 2-year-old is hooked on the hijinks of this Nickelodeon cartoon, while I\u2019m stuck with the theme song in my head at all hours of the day and night.<\/p>\n I called it junk food television. Because unlike Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood<\/em> and other kids\u2019 shows that offer important life lessons, Paw Patrol<\/em> is a loud and glossy franchise with far-fetched plots (pun intended).<\/p>\n But I was wrong. I mean, yes, it\u2019s still a loud and glossy franchise with far-fetched plots. But it also ignites my toddler\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n Some background for the folks not yet indoctrinated by this canine cult: Ryder, a 10-year-old boy with no parent or guardian supervision in sight, has a team of problem-solving pups who save the day in Adventure Bay with gear and gadgets that get more elaborate as the show\u2019s seven seasons go on.<\/p>\n As hollow as some kids\u2019 shows can feel to an adult, it has been heartwarming to see my son\u2019s young imagination spring into action after watching this troop of pooches.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Each dog has career-centric skills. For example, Marshall, a clumsy Dalmatian, is the crew\u2019s firefighter and paramedic; Chase, a German shepherd, is a police officer; and Skye, a cockapoo, is an expert aviator who jets around with a winged backpack (or \u201cpup-pack\u201d if you want to get technical).<\/p>\n How does Ryder afford all these pups and James Bond-like devices? My husband jokes that he\u2019s funded by the Illuminati. My theory is that the taxes in Adventure Bay are absolutely exorbitant. How else would all the public services \u2014 from construction and recycling to underwater rescue missions \u2014 be handled by a squad of dogs with high-tech tools?<\/p>\n While stopped in traffic recently, my son asked what the towering object was near our car. \u201cIt\u2019s a billboard,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n \u201cMommy go up there?\u201d he asked in his cute and curious toddler voice.<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d I replied. \u201cIt\u2019s very tall, so we\u2019d need a ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n I thought that was a sufficient answer, but his silence was actually a pause. It turns out he was devising a solution to this height hindrance, and he knew exactly what we needed to do.<\/p>\n \u201cMommy, call Marshall?\u201d he asked. You know, Paw Patrol<\/em>\u2019s resident firefighter who has fast access to a ladder.<\/p>\n I was impressed. This show I had chalked up to being a bit mindless is actually educational in its own way. It teaches my son that different skills can help in different situations. In this instance, it was Marshall\u2019s ladder that was coming to our aid.<\/p>\n Since then, we\u2019ve had to call the Paw Patrol countless times to save us from sticky situations. When a toy was perched precariously on a table\u2019s edge, only a safety net from a responsible police pup would do \u2014 \u201cChase is on the case!\u201d When there was a pile-up of pillows on the floor, we needed the strength of a bulldozing bulldog to clear a path \u2014 \u201cRubble on the double!\u201d And whenever a bath toy floats out of reach, you better believe we\u2019re quick to call Zuma, a chocolate lab with scuba skills and a buoy launcher \u2014 \u201cLet\u2019s dive in!\u201d<\/p>\n As hollow as some kids\u2019 shows can feel to an adult, it has been heartwarming to see my son\u2019s young imagination spring into action after watching this troop of pooches. And while I do my best to limit his screen time, I will always encourage his creativity. Even if it means watching the same episode over and over and over again.<\/p>\n