A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Halloween Store
It started in the fall of 2010 when my nephew asked who I would dress up as for Halloween. I told him I had a few options from my costume collection but that I was leaning towards Zorro.
“What’s a zorro?” he asked.
I gasped “Don’t you watch any reruns after school?” Shaking my head, I insisted, “You know Zorro, he usually comes on before or after the Lone Ranger.”
He simply shrugged. It hit me like a ton of bricks. My cohort grew up watching reruns of Boomer television shows because there was nothing better on TV yet. Those shows were in black-and-white and boring but they allowed us some cultural currency. If our teacher or boss cracked a joke asking “who was that masked man?” we would get the Lone Ranger reference.
Yes, I’m sitting within two feet of the TV.
But repetitive storytelling isn’t as prevalent today because there are too many new, exciting and more relevant stories to tell. Even if my nephew’s parents let him watch TV after school, with 500 cable channels to scroll, he has a much better selection of reruns that are actually in color.
Still, I can’t help but worry a little for my nephew. There are four generations converging in our culture today and how can I help ensure he is intergenerationally fluent?
Introducing Aunty Kathy’s Pop Culture Primer Vol. 1
Download your free PDF copy of my homemade music-inspired activity book for kids. Volume 1 includes 50 questions, and 10 pages of picture clues, all based on a two disc set of songs to sing-a-long or sleep to, depending on your little one’s mood.
Consider presenting the activity book in a three-ring binder with binder tabs to separate the sections for easy reference. Include a pencil case with a kazoo or a harmonica for the musically inclined.
The two track listings are included in the activity book. You can also listen to them on Spotify: Kids Sing-A-Long Songs and Kids Sleepy Time Songs.
Download the PDF now or see page 2 for sample questions…
Kat | Kathy | Kathryn Ferreira 