Cbeebies presenter scares kids

mymo

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090223/tuk-one-armed-cbeebies-host-scaring-chil-45dbed5.html

My daughter pointed this out to me, she's a bit old for cbeebies (just turned 11) but was shocked at the parents reaction.
Her opinion was Mum's should just tell them it's not scary, just happens sometimes.. like being tall or short.. hair colour... blind, deaf or "on wheels"(as is her cousin at times)

Would you object?
Or talk to child?

littlebug

Ugh that's ridiculous and is clearly indicative of the parents' prejudices and not any fear on the part of the children.
I saw this presenter the other day...she's really good. I don't even think my kids noticed her arm or if they did it wasn't enough of an issue for them to mention. It's only an issue if you make it one.

Redpunto

my kids watch it a bit and they havent even mentioned anything to me - i wouldnt say anything until they asked me about it - what a load of crap saying its scares kids,, they can change the channel if they want.:D

Quackles

I've never seen cbeebies, but isn't it aimed at toddlers? Toddlers wouldn't even notice! And if they do, it's an opportunity for a parent to teach their children that not every person is the same. I seriously doubt any child is scared. Muppets, I say.

craiginireland

mymo wrote: »

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090223/tuk-one-armed-cbeebies-host-scaring-chil-45dbed5.html

My daughter pointed this out to me, she's a bit old for cbeebies (just turned 11) but was shocked at the parents reaction.
Her opinion was Mum's should just tell them it's not scary, just happens sometimes.. like being tall or short.. hair colour... blind, deaf or "on wheels"(as is her cousin at times)

Would you object?
Or talk to child?

OMG This sounds like the landrover soccer mom who has nothing else to do but find problems with any little thing because there life is so empty and dull. I'm shocked and saddened by this.

It's not scary, its a sad fact of life but its a fact of life and if you want to protect your children you'll help and encourage them to embrace (no pun intended) change and how people are diffirent.

nesf

Heaven forbid your children are exposed to the reality that not everyone is born fully functional and without flaw etc.

Redpunto

concincendentally my 3 yr old noticed it today - "look mum she has no arm and shes not dead!".

stovelid

My boy isn't really old enough to notice things like disability, but I'd assume the natural reaction would be curiosity rather than fear?

Dr Dale

As a child being told not to *stare* one takes a while to get beyond that so that the curiosity factor is still there. At the time it was the thalidomide victims I encountered the most esp in Dunoon for some reason and it was and still is one of the most distressing disabilities. A woman with one arm? What on earth are these people thinking of? For heavens sake she is a human being trying to make her way in life and all these people complaining should just hurry up and get one:mad:

Sorry Rant over.

SketchageTP

What's silly is I doubt many kids are scared of her...they have and will always be curious about people who aren't 'the same' but decent parents would tell them that there's nothing scary about it...the small mindedness of some though just confuses me...I mean, say if they were disabled and starting a job, would they wish to be discriminated against like this? I think not.

I sincerely hope this rubbish doesn't put this woman off presenting...by all accounts she's very good at it.

the glass woman

Redpunto wrote: »

concincendentally my 3 yr old noticed it today - "look mum she has no arm and shes not dead!".

That made me laugh out loud!!!

I have to say it was a few days watching it before I noticed her arm, I agree with the majority in that its good to show children things like this, I also noticed there's a girl in a wheelchair in Balamory..

LolaDub

I think its good for children to get a taste of everyone not being the same, so things don't seem as 'different' to them later on. I think she always has her top rolled up to show the stump, i don't know if its to illustrate the point of her only having one arm or if its more comfortable for her. On the whole she seems a very warm presenter with or without second arm and my daughter likes her but preferred the previous two -andy and poi i think.

Redpunto

Redpunto wrote: »

concincendentally my 3 yr old noticed it today - "look mum she has no arm and shes not dead!".

yep - she does come out with some things - i just told her she might have had an accident or was born like that and her response was "oh,,ok" and that was that.

seanybiker

I find it horrible that in this day and age , some stupid parents make complaints about woman who is doing good for herself. So what if she is missing an arm. Kids dont care about small things like that. Could be a lot worse, she could be ginger

littlebitdull

I remember as a child we used to go to swimming lessons in the CRC pool. One of the children in the class had a shortened arm - very similar to the tv presenters. It did scare me.

But my mother used it as a chance to teach me that there was no reason to be afraid and that people come in different shapes and sizes. And that no I would not catch the short arm from him!!

Any sensible parents will use these oppurtunities to teach children tollerance and acceptance. And yea ok so there is a small chance that a child will be initially scared - but as parents we can teach them that its all ok after all.

sassa

There were a few complaints made when mr tumble started too as apparently it was alienating kids that werent deaf. (I found this ridiculous as my 3yr old loves the show and loves learning to sign the different words) maybe its because its still taboo to have presenters with disabilities on tv. The only thing my daughter has said to me about her is when she asked could she still play "pat a cake"
I think only good can come of exposing kids to people with disabilities at a young age as it will break down the barrier of prejudice. I'd like to think that things like this ie. shows featuring presenters with disabilities will happen more often and also that my daughter wont be like others when she's older and feeling unsettled at watching similar programmes. There are far more scary things out there for kids to be exposed to than a one armed woman having career in tv presenting, maybe if the parents that complained had seen similar shows when they were younger they wouldnt have the problem with it they seem to have now. Maybe they should look at the bigger picture which is nothing can hold you back from what you want to do. Because thats a far better lesson Id like my daughter to learn than half of whats out there.

Joey the lips

Any parent would be delighted to show how just cause you have a disability it should not hold you back.

As for scareing kids! A fat man in a red suit climbs down your chimney once a year or a women comes and steals your teeth from under your pillow while your asleep but bribes you not to cry by givin you money.

Lets get real! Teach you kids its a disability and if they had lost an arm it would not effect their lives!

Demonique

I heard it wasn't a case of kids being scared it was more of a case of parents objecting that their kids MIGHT be scared by her.

One father said he didn't want his (unscared) daughter watching because he didn't want to have to broach the subject of disability with her (I think he should grow a pair and realise thats part of what being a parent is actually about)