Apple has picked Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood as it’s Show of the Week!

Download your free Daniel Tiger episode at iTunes this week.

And you thought it was going to be just an average Tuesday, in your neighborhood, didn’t you?!

Our daughter crawled into our bed last night with uncontrollable tears. Damn math!

After years of practice, I’m pretty good at the pillow wedge (strategically placing a rolled up pillow between me & one of my kids to absorb an involuntary thrust of an elbow or a foot as we lay quietly asleep) but I thought those days were long gone.

I guess with Angela’s birthday approaching this week, my 9 year old was thinking about what her life will be like when she’s her Mom’s age. Since that will be her age now + X amount of years, it naturally got her thinking about Angela & myself at our present age + X

You see where she’s going with this, right?

I’m telling you, tears..uncontrollable.

Especially as a Dad..a guy. We’ve got to fix the problem..most everything can be fixed..should be.

But while verbally stumbling in an awkward attempt to find the right thing to say, I took a cue from my wife.

Sometimes there’s nothing that can be said to fix, you can only hold onto them so they know they’re loved.

Part of what makes Daniel Tiger‘s  Neighborhood of Make-Believe so rich and lively are the voices that bring our character to life!

So, who are the voices?

Meet Jake Beale.  He is an 11 year-old adorable boy with lots of spunk and enthusiasm for Daniel!  He gets to sing, he gets to imagine, and he gets to be friends with millions of preschoolers!

This week, we’re giving you a never before sneak peek, behind the voices that make Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood so special.

Can you feel the love?? 

Hi Jake.  You play a preschool tiger named Daniel but how old are you..really?   

I’m 11.

And you have a teensy bit of an accent, where are you from? 

I’m from Toronto, Canada.

How are you like Daniel Tiger? Are your personalities similar?

I like to learn about new things and teach others new things.We’re both funny and we both love to sing.  I love to sing in the shower and annoy my two older sisters.

If you had to pick one favorite episode, which would it be?

Good Morning, Daniel.

I love that one, too and not just because I wrote it! And you sing so beautifully in that episode! 

If Daniel Tiger could do anything or go anywhere in the next episode, what would you want it to be?

Jamaica!  Because I like to swim and I love the beach.

Maybe we should start a campaign so we could go to Jamaica and write and record an episode from there!  I’m packed and ready to go!

What’s your favorite book?

The Hunger Games.  I’ve read them..twice.

When you’re not in the studio recording, what’s your favorite activity?

Hockey.  Hockey.  Hockey.  And tennis.

What was the funniest moment for you while working on the show?

One time I burped in the recording studio.

Jake has been acting since he was four years old. His adorable raspy voice has helped him land roles in a number of cartoons and currently most of his time acting is spent in voice studios. Jake works very hard at balancing his time on set with his school work and other passions. When he’s not in the studio or at school you can find him playing hockey, spending time with friends and family, or relaxing at sleep-away camp. Share some of your favorite Daniel episodes below with Jake!

Boston marathon

2013 Parents’ Choice Award goes to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Congratulations to The Fred Rogers Company, PBS Kids, 9 Story Entertainment, Out of the Blue Enterprises & Voodoo Highway Music & Post. Lots of little happy faces are in agreement with the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.

Congrats to all who continue the magic in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe!!

Thank you for this wonderful show. I have the honor of being a mom to a brilliant 4 year old with high-functioning Autism. This show is perfect for kids with ASD.

The day after we watched the first show, he wanted to do show & tell. When I told him that he wasn’t supposed to have show & tell until the next day, he immediately said, “I feel disappointed.” He proceeded to sing “When something seems bad, turn it around & find something good” (complete with the choreography of a spin). He then proceeded to tell me that he was excited to see his friends at school that day.

We have seen him be able to quickly translate the lessons from other episodes into real life, as well.  This is the only show he has ever watched that elicits this type of  response.

Thank you!

–ASD Mom

Sincere thanks to you ASD Mom & to learn more about Autism or to help those who are affected by it visit:

My daughter proudly showed me a little, balsa wood purse that she made at school on Friday. It had 2 tiny, decoupage buttons, a stubby wooden latch and a brown, imperfect shoestring handle which, when viewed from the top, formed a face.

 creativity

“I like her smile” I said to my daughter.

“What smile? ” unconcerned about what her arrangement formed when viewed from another angle.

Even though her crafted smile was not intentional, it was there.

There’s something about creativity that allows one to feel content or whole. But when many exit childhood, they often lose this emotional connection because they have drastically slowed down their creativity.

This is not to say that everyone needs to be creative or artistic. BUT if we go about our day without enjoying the work, which is often the case when one’s only concern is the end return/product, we are not much different than machines.

Machines have no need to smile..we do.

I think we can all agree on that  🙂

[For more info on creative projects go to PBS]

On a typical January day up North, one of our many SUPER talented contributors to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood went shopping at Home Depot with his son. And while typical of many that work in preschool TV, he was naturally dressed in a cape.

To be perfectly fair, his son rarely goes out without his cape & upon realizing that his Dad was without, he simply asked,

“Daddy, where’s YOUR cape?” Hence, the matching cape (sans “F”).

The duo’s photo was taken by none other than Mom, and shortly after she posted the photo for friends, it went viral in no time at all. Far be it from us to disclose the secret identities of the fearless crusaders but let this be a lesson to all mortals:

• Super Dad did what he did solely for the enjoyment of his child

• His only incentive was Boy Wonder’s happiness

Take time out of your week to not act your age with your kid, because before you know it, they’ll stop asking you to wear a cape in Home Depot.

And to our Super Talented B–, “Sincere thanks for all you bring to Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood & simply for the record, You ARE the man!!”

“The proof that the little prince existed is..that he laughed and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists.”

– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

 

Is Your Babysitter a Thief?

As my daughter & I spun faster and faster on this metal, corkscrew-ish playground contraption, we chuckled at each others’ inability to control the speed nor eject ourselves from the ride. Our laughter erupted into uncontrollable hilarity. And for a brief second, I stepped outside myself to capture a mental snapshot of that incredibly beautiful image of her happiness, for what I hope will last forever.

She has the deepest, big brown eyes which were looking into me and overflowing with life and pleasure and love. To know that it was something I had done or shared with her to create such joy, caused my eyes to do more than well up.

That’s it..there’s no greater feeling.

Even though I knew this moment was fleeting, I had to get off before I threw up. So I essentially did some fall/jump combination and landed gracelessly on the ground, with my daughter’s butt immediately smacking me right upside my head. Laughter erupted again..transformed into the hiccups for her..resulting in further cackling from us while rolling on the ground holding our stomachs, from a case of laughter induced cramps.

Selfishly, it’s difficult for me to know that someone (aside from my family or close friends) could share similar, intimate moments with my daughter. But some time ago, when I learned that our sitter (of a few years) had been stealing from us, I was insensed.

I spent many years hating her. Not because of the money. That was the easy part..the known part.

I hated her because I let her in..treated her like family. And in return she showed me how careless I was.

The big tough man, I would pretend to be, almost cried when I threw her out of our house. Why? Because I allowed such a stranger the opportunity to spend such time with my child..to say nothing of what my child might have learned from her.

Eventually, my hate turned to pity. And now I’m grateful that the experience forced me to see clearer & straighten out a few priorities.

[info: Babysitter Background checks]