First off, I’m both flattered and perplexed by the sudden attention to this silly little Caillou post on my little blog. Watching an old post suddenly start trending on Facebook & Twitter is an absolute trip.
Traffic to Remodelicious multiplied one day, then skyrocketed the next before eventually increasing exponentially. The load at my webhost wreaked havoc and I had to work with them to make some major changes to my hosting. The good news is that now things are back up and running with a shiny, new upgrade.
What surprised me even more than skyrocketing from a home & family blog to a trending topic was how seriously so many took the post. Y’all, it’s my personal opinion about a children’s show and a running joke around my circle of friends. I’m truly pleased that so many of you enjoyed it, but I was never shooting for a Nobel Prize, mmmk? Lighten up and enjoy life, you might find that you like the view much better from the lighter side of things.
So please, enjoy the Parents Against Caillou post with a light heart and a playful mind. In face, read any satirical blog posts in jest. Change the channel when Caillou comes on if you’d like to have parenting energy left to interact peacefully with your children, find better role models for your children both on and off the “tube”, and at the end of the day, remind yourself that it could be worse – you could be Caillou’s evidently helpless & unemployed parents.
I didn’t forget about you, Canada. Y’all can do better. If bald children need a hero, lets give them one who can put his big boy pants on and play nice.
I’m off to delete troll comments while my children stick matches into electrical sockets, since that’s the kind of parent I am for A) letting my kids watch TV, B) not letting them be inspired by helpless, irritating nincompoops, and C) blogging in addition to running my business to provide for my family. Oh, did I say that out-loud? Okay, now let’s just not be like Caillou and enjoy the day!
3 comments
Not having any kids left at home, but we do have a 9mth old grandson. I was semi aware that educational tv for the younger set had gone down hill at some point in the early 90’s after my last child was born, and heard rumours to the effect both Canadian, UK, AND US shows had continued the decline in the last 25 years. I remember thinking to my self about three or so years ago that I really need to pick up the early sesame street videos available at the local Walmart, and Superstores, the just as quickly forgot. Hearing my daughter express her disdain for the latest offerings after checking those offerings out while on mat leave, she’s definitely glad to follow in mom and dad’s footsteps and skip tv offerings in favour of judicious shows available via Youtube.
I read your commentary on Caillou the Quebec offering to the preschool world, and decided to check out it’s Youtube offerings, guess what yup you’re right, Really in the attempt to ‘teach’ empathy I rate the show with a huge F- for worse than failure. He is a whine brat, his parents are over indulging and don’t seem to grasp how unhappy the kid is as they undermine his natural curiousity in new experiences. Good lord they even talk DOWN to him. I can only wonder the author of the books and the producers of the show never watched Sesame street, OR the great Canadian Classics of Mr. Dressup, the Friendly Giant, and the US standard Sesame street which was also dumbed down in the nineties as if our children cared about nationalities, Children have never needed shows to teach them to stay the same but to lead them forward and upward toward maturation which reflect the natural human talent of mirroring the behaviour of the adults in their lives of striving and learning challenging and growing.
So while the dig however you present it as ‘humerous’ is till offensive, the gist of your post is accurate, don’t patronise this blanc mange show avoid it at all costs. there are much better role models and much better ways to entertain children while we get the dishwasher loaded, and find five minutes peace to chat on the phone, read a book……..
Thanks so much for demonstrating critical thinking (higher-order thinking). Every US public school teacher is required to help students develop higher order thinking skills. However, it is amazing to see the numbers of adults (teachers and others) who do not understand the necessary powers of critical analysis as well as individual freedom to express personal convictions. That is the foundational principal of blogging: freedom of expression. Thanks for your informative perspective. May we NEVER evolve into a society of non-thinkers who accept messages of media presentations without analysis or free expression of those.
Post Script: It is of no importance to intellectual analist the numbers of individuals who agree and disagree. Productive responses are only those that add to the body of information being analyzed. I have no new information to offer, but would like to thank you for sticking your neck out there! Those of us who struggle with those higher order thinking skills must rely on the analysis and expressions of others. I have seen many episodes of Caillou and never took a deeper perspective until I read your piece. In my opinion, your perspectives are spot-on.
Thank you for making me LAUGH!!!! My grandson likes Caillou and I appreciated your perspective. Keep being awesome Momma!!!!! The fact that this went “viral” should be proof enough that you ROCK 😉 <3 Prayers ~ Maryjane Grannies for Grass Board of Directors