When my older son was three, I made the mistake of introducing him to Paw Patrol. I thought it was a better option than Little Baby Bum, which he’d outgrown, Caillou, because I knew better, and Blippi, a show I could say some things about, but CB would probably make me take them out. Paw Patrol quickly overtook his entire life and I often found myself muttering things like, “Team Chickaletta!” or “How is Humdinger still allowed to be a mayor?” I thought I was on top of the game when my younger son expressed TV autonomy by just not putting on any of those shows. Unfortunately, he got into Cocomelon and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse because apparently, I still have a penance to pay for making my own parents sit through Barney and Lamb Chop 30 years ago.
Anyway, if you’re currently suffering through the blight of annoying children’s TV shows, you’re not alone! There are [more than] dozens of us! And according to experts, there’s even a real reason behind why kids love the shows that grate at us.
There’s a lot parents have to make peace with during the early parenting years — sleeplessness, diaper-changing, less personal time, tantrums — but for some, one of the most aggravating aspects is the steady stream of earworm-y nursery rhymes, nonsensical cartoons and infantilized voices that comprise much of children’s entertainment. A quick glance at Reddit reveals entire forums devoted to beloved (to kids) entertainers like Blippi and other G-rated fare, in which parents vent about the shows that have their kids in thrall. One particular target is Caillou, the Canadian animated children’s TV series airing on PBS Kids. In a recent poll by the sleepwear brand Little Sleepies, more than 13% of surveyed parents ranked it as their least favorite kids’ show, followed by Netflix’s Trash Truck and PBS’s Wild Kratts.
“I like Canada,” shares dad Ryan Gowland, “but I hate them for making Caillou.” Multiple parents cited the eponymous character’s famously whiny behavior on the show. “It sounds crazy, but this show really does annoy me so much it totally affects my mood,” says Dani Williams. “I can’t be in the same room if it’s on. His voice is like nails on a chalkboard.” Adds mom of two Melissa Bales-Mcculloh, “[Caillou’s] parents drop everything they’re doing to cater to his every whim and never scold him for anything. It makes me feel like an ogre in comparison.”
When his kids ask to watch the YouTube channel Genevieve’s Playhouse — which boasts 34 million subscribers — Rich Rozeboom admits he’s not above pretending that the TV isn’t working. And while mom Salina Ott appreciates how “super-excited” her son gets when he watches Blippi — “he did teach him to dance … and actually taught him the color blue” — the character’s ultra-enthusiastic personality and high-pitched voice grate. For Cocomelon mom Rebecca Berwitz, venting with other parents about what their children watch is “cathartic.” When she’s irked by something on screen, she tries to think about the other parents having the same experience. “It’s like a reminder that we’re all in this together.”
According to media psychologist Pamela Rutledge, there’s a deeper meaning behind these gripes.
“There are reasons characters designed for kids can be annoying to adults,” explains Rutledge. “Children’s characters tend to talk loudly with high voices. Research shows that mothers use louder and higher-pitched voices to get their children’s attention and to soothe. So just like people automatically talk to children in ‘baby voices,’ TV programs do the same because children are drawn to and comforted by it.”
Another thing she says children find reassuring and comforting? Repetition. “Children’s characters tend to be very repetitive with songs, sayings or phrases. Adults may find this annoying but kids find it reassuring and comforting,” Rutledge notes.
I hear what Dr. Rutledge is saying, but I felt the quote, “It sounds crazy, but this show really does annoy me so much it totally affects my mood” in my soul. My husband used to make up “alternate” lyrics to Daniel Tiger songs to cope. And the YouTube stuff is awful for ALL ages! We banned the Unspeakable channel and have a “No YouTube” rule. Once in a while, we’ll let them watch Mr. Beast because Mr. Rosie likes watching it with them.
On a positive note, I’ll go on record as saying that the two children’s programs I’ve always liked are Doc McStuffins (I still *perform* that theme song at random times) and Bluey (I will fight anyone who says something bad about Bluey!). To the parents who are still in the Blippi phase, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! When I told my kids that I was going to write about it, they both went, “Ugh, that show is so annoying!” Some days, it’s the small victories.
Note by CB: You may already know Rosie as our co-writer for the Amazon posts. Rosie is a mother of two boys who grew up on Long Island and now lives in NC. She has a BA in Journalism and a paralegal certificate. She loves going on adventures, hiking, reading mystery novels, and geocaching. Her claim to fame involves once meeting the late great RBG.
caillou was one evil ass mf pic.twitter.com/m1OevUXExz
— aj 🦋 (@ajirixo) January 6, 2021
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