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My kids have been very happy with all the shows that are on TV here.  We got Sky TV, which is the only alternative to the standard 5 channels that everybody gets.  Sky has about two dozen or so kids channels, so usually there is a show they like.  They are currently very into Scooby Doo.

There is, however, no channel like Noggin in the States - a channel for kids that has no advertising.  Every time they watch a show they see the same commericals over and over for all kinds of fun things.  When we went shoe shopping for new trainers (sneakers), Susanna quickly spotted the ones with the toy inside.  After we bought them, a little friend noticed them as well and asked if she had a dolly in her shoe.  Kids pick this up very quickly!  We constantly see a commercial for another brand of shoes, and if you buy them you get a make-up cell phone.  The advertisement shows details of this make-up cell phone and its case and doesn't say much about the shoes you have to buy to get the prize.  Brad didn't even realize it was a shoe commerical!

Ben also sees many things he would like to get, especially a car racer for younger children.  I tell him he is too old but of course he doesn't care.  Not like we need any more toys in this house anyway!

So I'm missing my commercial-free childrens programming.  At least we have lots of DVDs!