Funny how you can never predict just what your kids will grab onto and make their own. A month ago I saw that Quinn was playing the (absolutely terrible) Dukes of Hazzard game we have for the PS2. I casually mentioned to him that I used to watch the show on TV when I was young. In hindsight this was the letting of the cat out of the bag, unbeknownst to me. Immediately Quinn asked if he could watch the show too, he didn’t know there was a show, is it like the game, do they drive a cool car, etc. I knew I had seen it on TV somewhere, so then I was pestered continually until I found it and started recording it for the lads.

The effects were immediate.

From the first viewing, it has become the number one request from the boys, bar none. Everything else on the tube pales in comparison. The mix of car chases, Roscoe P. Coltrane, bad dialogue, Daisy Duke, feeble plots, stunts and fist fights is irresistible to our boys. I had a parent’s momentary concern about the fights, and the sometimes wild firing of shots by the ever popular Roscoe, but I think in the end that maybe this is not the worst way to start introducing the boys to TV violence and help them to differentiate between the Dukes (jumping the General Lee over the creek) and reality (Dad changing lanes in the minivan on the Queensway). To be honest, even Nikki and I have fallen under it’s spell just walking past the TV, and end up sitting down next to the lads on the couch to watch an episode. That was a pretty darn good show, and it still is to some degree.

Of course the other side effect is that every game, joke and catch phrase we hear in the house now is Duke related. If I had a nickel for every time I heard a “yeeeehaaaaw!” or “Freeze!” followed by a patented Roscoe P. Coltrane cackle…..

I’m thinking that if this keeps up, I know just what Santa might bring for Christmas this year.

** Update.

The boys and I got together tonight and made a little treat for you. Enjoy.