Red, Furry Baby Crack

Yes, Elmo, I’m talking about you.

What is it about that red, furry Muppet who speaks in the third person? Is it his high pitched, feathery voice? Is it his red fuzzy body? What the heck is it about Elmo that babies find so amazing?? I mean, he looks just like Grover, only Grover is blue. But poor Grover never reached the astonishing level of fame Elmo has. Grover doesn’t seem to stop babies in their tracks the way Elmo does. What is it, I ask you?? How did Elmo become the Hannah Montana of the baby demographic?

Elmo is Ava’s latest fascination. I allow her to watch small amounts of certain television programs, mostly PBS, and Sesame Street is one of them. Every time Elmo comes on the screen she stops what she is doing, screeches at the top of her lungs, and starts dancing, smiling and laughing. The rest of the Muppets do not hold her attention the way Elmo does. Sorry, Grover. (Although Ernie is becoming a close second)

Elmo has also leaped off of the television. If we see Elmo’s happy red face when we are out and about, the same squealing, laughing, dancing commences. She's totally hooked. According to Ava, Elmo is the best thing ever. It’s actually pretty cute watching her reaction. And because of her happy squeals, the power of Elmo is growing on me - even if that laugh of his is subliminally hypnotizing small children.

This weekend our relationship with Elmo took a serious turn. We were at a party for a two-year old and out came a Singing Elmo doll.  This Elmo sings the E-L-M-O version of YMCA.  Great. Ava went nuts.  She wanted that Elmo and would not put him down.  She hugged him, she kissed him, she laughed every time Elmo did his dance.  Every single time. Over and over... E-L-M-O... She was in Elmo heaven and there was no prying him away from her little hands - or stopping the madness. Needless to say, guess who came home with a Singing Elmo?  Yep. You guessed it.  And for some reason our friends were more than happy to pass him on to us...

I guess Elmo isn't all bad. There are times when parents need a few moments to make something, to clean something, to do something that doesn’t involve catering to a child. This is where Elmo comes in. I know for a few minutes she is entertained. She is happy and having fun. And old family classic, Sesame Street, does try and teach a lesson. That’s a good thing. Maybe she’s learning something too? I won’t push it, but a parent can hope. And best of all, it makes her smile. So, to end this tale, I give that red, furry, hypnotic Muppet my thumbs up (but if any of you reading this - and you know who you are – buy her a Tickle Me Elmo for her birthday you will be painfully tortured).

www.sesameworkshop.org