Not long after our daughter, Emma, was born 14 years ago, I discovered that almost all of the so-called child experts — whom my wife insisted we pay attention to — were morons.
Well, they were either morons or they didn’t have kids. Either way, it didn’t take me long to understand that my best bet was to ignore pretty much everything the “experts” told me I should or shouldn’t do.
For example, many “experts” said I shouldn’t let our television baby-sit Emma. The “experts” said that if Emma had to watch TV, she should do so only in the presence of an adult. Clearly, the “experts” who said that never tried to get ready for work at the same time they were getting an infant ready for day care.
One morning, as I was trying placate a fussy Emma, the two of us were sitting in a rocking chair in Emma’s nursery. I was holding a crying Emma while zipping through the TV channels trying to find something I could watch when I happened onto KOZJ, our local PBS station. It just so happened that the children’s program “Teletubbies” was beginning. Emma took one look at a giggling little baby’s face inside the rising sun and immediately stopped crying. And when the Teletubbies themselves were introduced, Emma sat forward, riveted to the TV.
Knowing that I was onto something important, I safely secured Emma in her baby seat in front of the TV and ran to the next room so I could get dressed for work. Sure, I checked in on Emma every two or three minutes, but unless you have children, you don’t understand what even a minute or two can mean.
From “Teletubbies,” Emma would move on to another PBS show called “Caillou.” Then it was on to “Clifford the Big Red Dog” and “Dragon Tales,” and finally to the gold standard of children’s TV programs, “Sesame Street.” Norma Scott, development director for KOZJ, said the great thing about children’s programming on PBS is that as a parent, you don’t have to worry much about what your kids might be exposed to.
“You know that when a commercial comes on that it won’t be something your child shouldn’t watch,” she said.
On Sunday, Oct. 7, the folks with Ozarks Public Television are putting on WineFeast 2012 at the Joplin Holiday Inn. The annual event, now in its 23rd year, raises money that allows the station to continue running quality children’s programming.
WineFeast allows participants the opportunity to sample wines from around the world and to enjoy foods prepared by some of the area’s finest restaurants. For $25 ($35 if you pay at the door), beginning at 2:30 p.m. and running until 5 p.m., folks can choose from more than 100 wines. Norma said Macadoodles Fine Wine, Beer and Spirits, 3105 E. 17th St., has agreed to make all 100 wines served at WineFeast available at the Joplin store. That way, if you run across a wine you really like, you can be confident that it is available locally.
For $60 a person, you can take part in a reservation-only pre-WineFeast event. Beginning at 12:15 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, you will be given a complimentary WineFeast 2012 wine glass and a chance to sample a champagne and at least six other wines.
Each wine sampled will be paired with a dish created by chef Scott Teal, and cognac also will be served at the end of the sampling. Your $60 ticket also gains you early admission to the open wine tasting that begins at 2:30 p.m.
For tickets and more information about WineFeast 2012, people may call Ozarks Public Television KOZJ at 417-782-1226.
Local News
Mike Pound: WineFeast supports great PBS programs
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