Here in my part of the world, we got socked with the western end of the big snowstorm that hit the Midwest and into New England.

Which means that today I am facing down the bane of any work-at-home parent: The Snow Day. Remember how these used to be fun when we were kids? Now, not so much. Add in the fact the city did not do its promised plowing on my street so it's pretty hard to get out, and the fact I have deadlines like crazy, and the level of parenting around here is taking a pretty sharp plunge.

As I write, I have a little girl plastered against my side, playing with my hair, and I am typing with the other arm, writing away while she watches Noggin.

Go ahead and judge, it's TV, and I am fully aware of all the evil that is supposed to entail. But it's blessedly free of ads, most of the shows have some kind of educational component, and some of it is just plain awesome, educational or no (I've written before about my love for Jack's Big Music Show, just for starters).

So I greeted this news with interest: Noggin is going 24 hours on Dec. 31. Right now  it runs 6 am to 6 pm, and switches over to teen-oriented the N at night. There will be new shows, new seasons of old shows, and movies to flesh out the schedule.

More info, including a full show lineup, at www.noggin.com.