You've heard the expression: Garbage in, garbage out. That is what a lot of the mainstream cartoons offer your child. Garbage values replete with conditioned responses, desensitization, shortened attention spans, agitation, violent tendencies and psychological grooming. When it comes to feeding your child's brain and values there is no grey. Either the programming has a positive and educational value or it is mindless and often subversive. Think about WHO is writing the script and what their purpose is and be very DELIBERATE is selecting what media your child has access to. If you don't have the time to research quality programming, unplug your child and encourage your child to play outdoors, get a hobby, visit the library, join a club or read a book.

Your child can access these cartoons for free on YouTube. I have not seen the video game nor watched many of these Baldi cartoons but just three was enough to signal red flags and make me very uncomfortable with the idea of sharing these cartoons with impressionable children. Some of the Baldi cartoons come with a disclaimer warning that it is a horror show but not all. Regardless, it is far more insidious than most would assume. As a social skills and etiquette coach I think this is a gratuitously dark, toxic, violent and negative cartoon for ALL kids and is particularly inappropriate where faith based education is a priority for programming. It's not like Superman where the star character has a positive goal to save humanity and has a couple of violent fights and wins against evil villains. Baldi depicts role models of authority like teachers and parents as the villain and glorifies killing them or disrespecting them as a victory while nonstop violence every 30 seconds like clockwork IS the storyline. This subversive cartoon and animation game sends subliminal and often very obvious messaging encouraging sadistic and anarchistic behavior but Baldi also includes hints at or blatantly depicts child abuse, pedophilia and suicide.

I spoke with one pre-teen child who watched this cartoon and sympathized with the abusive teacher who was beating students with rulers. The child said it reminded him of domestic violence in his family. The violence also inspired him to be abusive toward his own mother and he later exhibited suicidal ideation and planning. He discouraged me from watching the cartoon with him because he said he knew I wouldn't like it. Very confusing for children. If your child is struggling with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, drug abuse, suicidality then this Baldi cartoon is particularly dangerous as it depicts suicide and child abuse.

So many adults are desensitized to foul language, hypersexuality, subliminal messaging and violence because they expose themselves to it so much that they may struggle to effectively shield their children from it. Parents may also feel guilt that if they are watching toxic programming then they are being hypocritical by not allowing their children to do so as well. The bottom line is there are MILLIONS of positive activities all of us can be focused on without self medicating with negative media and exposing our children to it.

For those parents who want faith based programming for their children, Baldi's cartoon emphasizes pagan traditions of zombies and a fixation on death which encourages an atmosphere of violence and corrupts a spiritual soul. There is gratuitous and graphic violence every 30 seconds while pretending to teach a math lesson. Thus teaching children an aversion to Math. Other disturbing aspects of the cartoons (which are inspired by a video game) are the use of foul language like "Sh*t" and taking the Lord's name in vain. A red pentagram reminiscent of pagan, neo-pagan and Satanic symbols.

Children deserve to have an innocent childhood for healthy brain development. There are so many positive curriculum and entertainment options that the goal should be to saturate one's child with empowering and positive programming not this mindless and insidious drivel. For example, google "homeschooling resources" or "homeschooling cartoons" and free educational, entertaining and fun videos are available like the one below that teaches children basic concepts about being responsible with money. The key to beating a bad habit is to replace it with a good one and to CAREFULLY screen EVERYTHING your child views FIRST. Your child will be addicted to all of the positivity and brain stimulating lessons in no time - they just need you to show them where to look!!