When we were children, the biggest gift our parents could give us was their attention. Nowadays, with everyone on their phone/iPod/iPad, there is less of an opportunity for kids to interact with us. In 2013, we can resolve to spend more time with our kids and we can even initiate it!

The good news is that more than one station now offers educational and entertaining programs. The following are some favorites in our household.

If we focus too much on one thing without looking at everything else children do, and how they do it, we are going to miss important opportunities to make a difference.

Besides perhaps fostering an interest in marine biology, it's hard to understand the ability of Sponge Bob Square Pants ability to fascinate, let alone teach.

Today, the concept of "screen time" is complex, and navigating a multiplying array of devices and the accompanying flood of content demands media literacy.

In an effort to address every fear or negative repercussion that might somehow arise from inventive and playful programming, I think Sesame Street lost some of its irreverence. More important, in making these kinds of changes, the show didn't give kids the credit they deserve for being able to separate what's real and what's not.

Justice Sotomayor is known for being down-to-earth and approachable. Even so, it's not so often that people just walk up to her on the street and ask her to resolve their disputes. Unless she's on Sesame Street, that is.

At last, an actual television critic has said it -- this stuff that we let our kids watch is good. Or, shall I say, at last a parent has said it -- we can talk about television for toddlers without bringing up pediatric guidelines or mommy guilt.

Tuesday, the American Academy of Pediatrics released the long-awaited update to its 1999 policy statement on media use by children younger than two. I am amazed that with 12 years to work on it, the AAP labored so mightily and brought forth such a mouse.