Today's topic I am pretty sure is silly and stupid but vexes me none the less. Its more of a unsolicited rant over anything. So what irritates me enough to blog about it? Answer: Curious George.
Emily started kinda sorta watching TV not too long ago. The first tv show I introduced her to was Leap Frog's Letter Machine Rescue Team. Its about being a engineer. Over and over and over I watched the sammmme one. To be clear, Emily doesn't sit and watch tv all day by any means, however, she much like her grandma and mother like to have noise in the back ground while she accomplishes tasks. Grandma ops for a channel on tv that plays all classic tv from the lone ranger to Adam 12, Bonanza to Daniel Boone (which is a personal favorite of mine). I opt for talk radio, streaming my beloved Glenn Beck to the tv and having it loud enough I can hear it while I work on my tasks. I guess there are worse nasty habits to teach my child.
I digress.
Upon desperate exploration to not hear the words " Design! Build! Test! Improve" for the zillionth time, I found other leap frog shows on Netflix and introduced them to miss Emily. Success! 7 different shows to rotate through so I wouldn't get burnt out on any one show. They are educational and fun and seriously my kid can count to 20 and knows tons of shapes, colors, animals, sounds ect. I work with her based on things learned in the show. No matter if its just running in the background while we play blocks or vacuum the house together, or shes is actually watching it.
So where does Curious George fit into this?
Tait often gets up with emily and they have morning time bonding together while I grasp onto every minuet of sleep I can. One morning he apparently couldnt stand to listen to another leap frog song or quote about measure mice or "square circle rectangle triangle shapes are all around us" (I cant blame him even if I think I am the one who really suffers) he introduced Curious George or "Money Show" to our child.. A act that I will probably be on my death bed before I truly forgive him.
I NEVER liked curious George. Ever. Not even as a child. I found him creepy, obnoxious and lacking any common sense, devoid of reason and any sound judgement. I thought I had made my feelings on Curious George well known to Tait, so either he just "forgot" which is what he claims, or I had done something annoying and he was seeking revenge. Either way, to this moment, obviously, I hold this as an act of terrorism. Emily LOVES this show and will actually sit and watch it and laugh and make comments like "oh no! Money fell down!" or "no no money" while adorable to see her interact in a positive way. She is obviously learning something. What I am not sure though.
So here are finally my reasons of why I detest Curious George:
1. He is creepy. There is something about him that even though I am a animal lover, creeps me out
2. He lacks all sense of reason and is void of thinking past the now
3. There are NEVER any consequences for his idiotic actions. The man with the yellow hat constantly picks up the mess George made with a very gentle if any at all scolding.
4. There are constantly lessons of "why that wasn't such a good idea" and while those are teachable moments, I feel at 2, Emily doesnt need any more ideas..
5. There is zero discipline. As a person who believes very strongly in this it pains my soul to watch\listen to a show where there are no clear parameters. It bothers me greatly
6. George is habitually being given responsibility over things he a) Has no business being responsible for and b) given responsibility when he shoes zero lack of reason and responsibility considering everything he touches turns into a epic fail.
7. The man with the yellow hat seems to never learn that by saying "George be sure to..." It will not happen.
Point: While I enjoy teachable moments, I feel like Curious George gives me too many. Am I being a little harsh? sure. Am I reading waaay to much into things? You bet! Do I care? Not so much. I think its a crappy show. While not the worst by any means I still hate it. The evil money show will continue to play, my child will laugh and giggle at it and talk to George, even advise him NOT to do something. A very bad sign in my mind that a 2 year old can pre meditate something is about to happen, but also makes me proud that I might be doing a half decent as a parent that my 2 year old is capable of seeing consequences of actions before hand.
Many of you will say just stop letting her watch it. But many of you do not have a spirited 2 year old. I pick my battles and even with my severe detest for this show and I am pretty sure I have night terrors that involve George's creepy face, it is not a battle I care to partake in at this moment in time. I have far larger challenge to face like potty training and "don't drink from the kittys water", "carry your own babies down stairs", "stop screaming" "I cant give you rice until its cooked" you know. typical raising of a human activities.
Rant complete. For now.
That's an interesting rant, I must say. I have never been that fond of Curious George, but I've also never found it a suitable subject for a rant, although this one I can definitely identify with in some ways at least--being concerned about the moral implications of a work of culture directed at youth.
ReplyDeleteYou WOULD think that eventually The Man in the Yellow Hat would learn. If it helps at all though, I once read that the TV character George is intended to represent (in some ways) a small child, hence the fact that he lives in the now with no thought of consequences: that's how toddlers are. So they can really identify with him, because he acts like they want to act.
ReplyDeleteI detest Caillou. His voice is SO whiny and annoying. I can't stand it!! CG never really bothered me much but my kids never loved it beyond measure so it wasn't something we watched often.
ReplyDeleteWe loved Curious George when Bug was younger. I see what you are saying. Just use the examples from George to remind her why she shouldn't do what she's about to. :) That's where the big learning process comes in.
ReplyDeleteAnd just think -- at least it's not Barney!! I find Barney beyond annoying.
For me it was Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. I couldn't stand his always-gentle voice and sweetness. But, the kids were entertained while not being harmed in the process and grew up to be rather intelligent adults. Caillou? I've never seen it, and having been severely corrected by my granddaughter for mispronouncing the name, I don't care if I ever see it. Humiliated!
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