Has anyone else noticed how wierd the world of kids is sometimes? I've only been in it for 7 months now so I'm quite new to all this but already I'm starting to notice some strange things. Let me tell you what I mean.
So first up is advertising, I've been a bit more aware of this now that I know the little guy will be bombarded by it at some stage in his life (I'm not so naive as to think I can get him through his entire childhood without him watching TV- I do realise my sanity is more important than that). However the messages he will recieve through advertising are slightly disturbing.
Let's take the Ribena ad campaign as a prime example- featuring happy innocent blackcurrants it depicts the joyous homecoming of a prodigal currant, and why did he return the ad asks? To drink squashed fellow country men is the reply. Of course they don't say it like this, they just talk in an upbeat tone about him drinking Ribena. But isn't that what Ribena is!? Is there a darker side to Ribena land where naughty Ribena's are sent for juicing only to be eaten by the good ones who made it onto TV I ask? And I worry that my son will wonder the same thing one day. I don't really want to have to explain the concept of cannabilism to a small child so the longer he doesn't see that ad the better in my opinion.
Then there's the toys they play with. One of the favorites at the moment is Old McDonalds tractor which has Old McDonald (as you would expect) and a few of his farmyard animals. Normal so far. What is strange however is that if you put an animal in the drivers seat it says 'Uh Oh I can't drive'. Of course it can't drive, it's an animal for goodness sake. No one seems to find it amazing and miraculous that the animal can TALK however. So perhaps it's not limited intellegence the animals suffer from, just a lack of opposable thumbs. 'If it weren't for these damn hoofs' they probably mutter to themselves when we are out of earshot.
Lastly is the music we are subjected to for the sake of the little ones happiness. One CD in particular is very sweet, a choir of happy children chirping away about nice concepts like God's love and baby Jesus. Until you get to the track about David and Goliath. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it seem a little at odds with the concept of God's love and the peace that baby Jesus brings to have small children merrily singing about murder?? 'and the giant came tumbling doooowwn' they all gayly repeat over and over. I usually just skip that track, also wanting to avoid ever having to discuss what it really is all about until my innocent angel is old enough (is 30 too young?). Then of course there is the old lady who swallowed a fly, I keep trying to think of a line to replace 'Perhaps she'll die' but nothing comes to mind. And I really hope he never asks what Ring a ring a Rosie is about, singing about the plague is just flat out morbid if you ask me.
Well that's all I have to say about that for now. On a side note as of 8am this morning we have a crawler in the house so I am a very proud mamma, his little wobbly crawl is just so cute!
Ah, but Little David is so catchy! That's my favorite song on that album! :) Just wait until the kid goes to Sunday School! I am mortified at what Bible bits they include sometimes... I think the worst was when Maddie brought home a page she colored of the soldiers going door to door, ahem, at the order of Herod...!!!
ReplyDeleteWait u must be talking about "Only a boy named David.."
ReplyDeleteI'm with ya Nic! We are currently dealing with the death and violence in our bedtime stories! Poor old Snow White's step mother wants her dead. Arielle's prince is killing Ursula the sea witch. And the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk is falling to his death. For some reason it didn't bother me as a kid, and Annabelle seems pretty ok with most of it too (although I do paraphrase and miss some bits).
ReplyDeleteYou're a laugh - keep writing!