Et cetera et cetera/Ad infinitum/Ad astra, forever...or not

[shoebox2]

So yes, in the course of rambling on about Feminism in Watership Down, below, I got a little carried away. Especially does this bug in terms of children's media (which Watership really isn't, but we'll ignore that for now). It's something I've been personally confronting lately, as I rummage around in my Sesame Street-intensive past. Do you realise

Comments

[lizbee]

I was in so much trouble when my teachers found out I could read. This was in preschool, and I ended up having to leave, because they said I was a bad influence on the other kids.

Also: WORD.

[shoebox2]

Yeah, this is what I could not believe - as related by my baffled sister, the teacher seemed to be totally concerned with my nephew conforming to 'normal' for his age group...like the fact that he was so hungry for learning he'd unlocked the key all by himself was an inconvenience. Crazy.

Also, thanks. :)

[kristin_briana]

I'm a student "observer" (one step below a student teacher) in a first-grade classroom, and I see this constantly - bright, hyper kids who are shushed and treated like "problem students" because they finish their homework and then start asking how to spell new words or how to multiply. It's incredibly frustrating and so very sad. These kids are made to feel like they are wrong and bad because they are...too SMART? Too eager to learn? What is wrong with our world?

*rant over* :P

[kalquessa]

HUZAAH! I have inspired awesomeness, indeed.

This is great. From the kids on Barney never being allowed to be upset to the Doctrine of Specialness that leaves no room for anyone to actually be exceptional.

This made me sporfle:

This little girl is clearly going to grow up to force the other characters to wear bridesmaid dresses with butt bows the size of Cleveland, and frankly I hope she does.

[shoebox2]

Hee, thanks. Yeah, you've got this inspirational thing down...which is good practice, all things considered. :)

the Doctrine of Specialness that leaves no room for anyone to actually be exceptional.

Yup, exactly.

[green_tea_lady]

Hey, I'm Kalquessa's sister. I am a parent, and I agree! I remember Watership Down, Milo & Otis, the cartoon versions of LOTR, and the Secret of Nimh. There was some normal stuff in there like Strawberry Shortcake, My Pretty Pony, and Care Bears. I think most of them still had bad guys. Where did the bad guys go?

I hate Dora. SO. MUCH.

My baby's absolutely favorite video? The cartoon version of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are from back in the 60s.

[shoebox2]

Thanks, and welcome! (Also, auxiliary congratulations on becoming an auntie!)

The chance to share Sendak is one of the very few things that would motivate me to have kids of my own...well, that, and then moving on to Arnold Lobel, and then The Phantom Tollbooth, and...Yeah, as soon as my sister mentioned the reading thing, I was totally 'Not a problem. I'm on it.'

Where did the bad guys go?

I would venture a guess that the little birthday-loving girl from Blue's Room irritated them to death. Seriously, she has to be seen to be believed ("It's my birthdaybirthdayBIRTHDAYBIRTHDAY!!").

I would also like to point out that the name of Strawberry Shortcake's nemesis was The Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak. Because there is more real cleverness in that one 'peculiar' than in the entire DVD boxed set of Wonder Pets. And that's terrible.

[green_tea_lady]

Haha! And The Pieman's song? Hacha cha cha cha cha...love it!

Have you noticed that Dora is pretty much yelling all the time? Although...I feel bad, I was totally hating on Dora yesterday, and today they had an evil Witch that Dora had to defeat. Go figure.

[shoebox2]

Yeah, Dora has taken to going on fairy-tale themed adventures lately. That this handily creates a whole bunch of different Dora costumes (Fairy Princess, Mermaid, etc.) for merchandising purposes I'm sure is all an enormous co-incidence. :)

Have you noticed that Dora is pretty much yelling all the time?

Yes. So is the spinoff show with her cousin Diego. Which is a shame, because it's kinda sorta teetering on the verge of charming otherwise - cute animals, gotta love 'em - but just completely unwatchable with that shrill monotone going on.

Stumbling in from the links on RJA's journal

[lydaclunas]

Well said, and I could not agree more -- and this is why I plan on collecting all my old beloved childhood shows on DVD, and letting my own kids have at them one day.

Re: Stumbling in from the links on RJA's journal

[shoebox2]

Welcome! And thanks.

There are few things in this world funner than sharing old favourites with kids - I recall the day my bro-in-law came home with the Schoolhouse Rock anniversary DVD. That was three years ago, and the kids are still singing the 'I'm just a Bill' song.

[anonymous]

Well, I was totally blown away with that. I told my wife and she agreed. I would like to hear whatever else you have on this. Excellent!