Wilbur is MOOOOO-velous

I got home from vacation this summer to find my mailbox overflowing with DVDs from various and sundry television stations.

Armed with my booty, I doled them out to The Poo one-by-one over a series of weeks, whipping out a never-seen-before television show whenever the girl needed a serious dose of bribery.

When I popped in Wilbur - a new show aimed at young preschoolers that can be seen on Discovery Kids Channel that The Parent Bloggers Network sent us - she was instantly mesmerized.

The show is a combination of puppetry and live-action scenes featuring real kids, and promotes pre-literacy skills by featuring two original storybooks each episode. Books, as Wilbur the cow likes to say, are "MOOVELOUS!"

Wilbur, set against the sweet back-drop of an old-fashioned farm, is one in a long esteemed line - beginning with Sesames Street - of shows that shares a love of reading and books with young kids.

I'm the kind of parent who doesn't mind if her child watches TV, but I do understand why folks out there object to toddlers and preschoolers parked in front of the boob tube in lieu of a babysitter.

But I think we all know that sometimes, you need to get stuff done. And sometimes, a little dose of television is required to finish that phone call or clean the toilet.

I like Wilbur because it isn't one of those cartoons that purports to educate children, but is really an excuse to merchandise plastic toys doused in lead paint. There is no screaming, no repetitive, annoying sounds, and no shouting (sorry Dora, but you drive me freaking crazy).

Instead, this series created by mothers Jill Luedtke, Kim Anton and Tracey Hornbuckle, aims to instill in kids a lifelong love of books, and plants the seed in very young children that reading is pleasurable.

And let's face it - sometimes you don't have the time to read 18 library books to your child. That is a sad fact in this day of 24-hour work schedules and dual-income families.

So don't feel guilty anymore. Let your child watch a couple episodes of Wilbur, and build on its message by modeling the same sentiment in your own home.

Reading is fun, and you should do it often. And when you can't, tune in to the the Discovery Kids Channel at 11:00 am EST and The Learning Channel at 7:30 am (EST/PST).