It's true. I clear the decks for ten minutes at 4.50pm every day now. No, I cannot help locate AWOL homework books/answer the phone/make tea. Not for ten minutes.
I am glued to the television because Dirtgirlworld is on. We all watch it. The big ones find her "scary looking" while the little two sit transfixed. And me? I learn something new (nearly, it's only been on twice at time of writing) every day. Which either says something about my intelligence or tells you how brilliant DGW is.
I admit her face is a little....strange. Those proper eyes and mouth, which sort of talks funny. And the real faces on Grubby and Ken the Weevil are a bit odd. But it all works for me.
Being very into the visual, I loved the way real objects are mixed with animation - it reminds me a bit of Charlie and Lola design-wise.
On Tuesday I learned that all carrots used to be purple (and we love us a purple carrot in the Carrots house) and the largest one grown was as big as a canoe! Imagine! Of course, DG could be making this all up but I think not.
The music is catchy too, I have "I'm going outside and I'm gonna get grubby" whizzing round my head. Really, what is there not to love? It's informative, colourful and positive without being patronising.
It doesn't show children how to grow cress heads, or how to make this or that. Even the Green Thumbs (real kids in real gardens) are ok, being as they're on for a minute and silent.
My only gripe is why did the BBC put it on at this time of year? By the time it's finished, it's getting dark and any child who might be inspired to go outside and get grubby probably won't. Spring would have been better.
Even boys are included with Scrap Boy (but I have no problems with it being based on a girl. Heaven knows girls need positive, powerful role models that have nothing to do with body size, the colour pink or waiting for a man to rescue them. Oops, appeared to go off on a rant there...).
As I was doing the Brownie run (really, it feels worse in the rain, dark and cold) I started to think about DGW (I know, I'm worried I've become a bit obsessed too...). I thought how I'd lost my gardening mojo a bit (but with winter fast approaching and life being busy I hadn't really noticed or worried). Then I thought about DGW and her lovely garden (I know, I know, it's not real) and I started to feel excited about growing stuff again.
And if it has that effect on me, goodness knows what it's doing to the children.
