May 30 2007
Sound It Out For Me
When Ben was 1.5 years old, the only TV shows he watched were “Sesame Street” and the Baby Einstein videos (not “Little Einsteins,” which is totally different).
Shannon found a talking Elmo that allowed the parent to customize it with the child’s name. Working within a web browser, she carefully typed in his first name, and soon the “He Knows Your Name” Elmo was on its way. We couldn’t wait to see Benjamin react to hearing Elmo address him directly.
When we got it and squeezed Elmo’s little red hand, however, it seemed he was talking to someone else entirely. Without hesitation, I grabbed my video camera.
For those who cannot see the video, below is a player to hear the audio.
Naturally I called the place that sold us this confused doll.
“I don’t understand that. We don’t even have a Spanish option,” the very nice lady told me.
“I don’t know whether it’s Spanish or Hebrew or whatever. I just know it won’t have the right effect when our boy hears it.” We weren’t going to change our child’s name to fit some toy. Not unless it cost a lot of money.
We sent it back and they replaced it with one that pronounces, “Benjamin,” the way we expect to hear it.
Now that Ben’s learning so much Spanish at pre-school, maybe we should have kept the first one, too. Several people told me that I should have, to see if it ever became a collector’s item.
Now I’ll never know.
Oh, for the record, Ben never was any more responsive to that second Elmo than he was any other talking doll. Maybe it had something to do with the completely unnatural flow of his name inserted into Elmo’s speech.
*LOL* Now that was funny.
There’s a bunch of little ole ladies down in Mexico saying people’s names into Elmo dolls… and one let yours slip by I guess! *LOL*
Instead of sending that one back, you guys should have gotten two more for yourselves.
“Elmo loves you… Mork!”
“Elmo thinks you’re special… Cindy!”
You could have all gone to change your names at the same time.
That’s hilarious. But…at least he wasn’t asking “who wants to die?” again. I think Elmo has been having some issue’s lately. I blame substance abuse, personally.
Dave - I like your idea. Those rogue old ladies have been repressed all their lives, and this is the way they exact their revenge.
Simon - Funny, because sometimes when I’m in a hurry I find myself wondering, “Did I just introduce myself as ‘Mork?’”
MG - It’s weird that you mention that line, because over the weekend one of Shannon’s cousins bought a TMX Tickle Me Elmo, and we all could have sworn he said the word “die” in there somewhere. I shot video of that, too, so I’ll have to go back and listen to it (yes, it’s what reminded me to dig up the Elmo video in this post).
Interesting!
That’s really funny. Maybe Elmo’s been hitting the “prescription” painkillers a little hard.
So funny….
Did you ever think that you and your wife would EVER be excited about anything that included the word ELMO?
Funny how parenting changes you.
:)
:)
Maybe Elmo could get Ben right ,….. ;)
Welby, I was one of those who couldn’t believe that you sent it back. I would have held onto that, if for no other reason, so that it would get a laugh in Ben’s first days of Spanish Class. For us that would have been High School, but for them, it will probably be second grade.
How embarrassing is that going to be when they come to us or help with their math homework in the 7th grade, and we have to take 30 minutes to review the formulas before we know what we’re doing? Heck…I may have Altzheimer’s by that time, and I can blame it on that.
‘BIN-HA-MEEN’?
Made me laugh.