by Marybeth Hicks

(Faith Magazine) - Saturday morning’s sleepy silence is broken with a blaring “zip, bam, boom.” It’s just after 7 a.m., but Otto Rocket and his sister Reggie already are careening down a mammoth ramp on an extreme snowboard course. Their speedy soundtrack echoes from the TV through our ventilation ducts and fills the house.

In fewer than 30 minutes, Chuckie, Tommy and the rest of the Rugrats will encounter a skunk or attempt to escape Grandpa Boris’ lax supervision, and then at 8, it’s time for an hour of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.

Saturday morning cartoons remain a ritual in my home, bridging the gap between high school and third grade. Bonding through the humor of Bikini Bottom and Timmy’s Fairly Odd Parents, my children hang out together as the characters of their favorite animated shows drop by for a weekly visit to share their unlikely adventures.

There’s only one problem with cartoons on Saturdays: Watching them can corrupt a child’s innocence.