Monday 24 January 2011

Why Peppa Pig Must Die

We've all been there, our toddler has discovered what he or she thinks is the best thing since chocolate sliced bread.
 We sit down and watch a little with said child and think "Well, its not too bad, i can live with it til the next 'Best Thing Ever' comes along".


I'm actually a bit of a TV control freak when it comes to my children. I put a timer on for watching shows, once they start school TV is an earned thing - not a right, and if there is something new they want to watch I watch it first to see whether it is suitable.


Well, initially Peppa Pig passed muster. There is no violence or swearing, no blatant product placement, her favourite thing to do is to play outside... all seemed pretty good really, so we let Chickin watch some when she needs a bit of downtime but we dont want her to actually have a nap, and usually one of us will sit with her.
After watching probably every episode of that show several times ive come to a conclusion. 


I do not like Peppa Pig. In fact i feel quite violent towards the whole program.


You may think that is a rather strong way to feel (especially for a pacifist) about what, after all, is just a cartoon and you would be right but that doesnt change how i feel. 
I shall explain. We have already established im not a fan of the television (in fact id happily not have one at all). I am also a bit of a stickler for manners, i figure they dont cost anything, they make life a little more pleasant so why not use them?


You might now be getting an idea where my issue with Peppa springs from...


Peppa Pig is a spoiled brat.
She very rarely says please for anything (though i have heard a few thankyou's) and often demands rather than asks. The phrase "I want" has featured several times and Peppa has got whatever it was that she wanted.


Peppa Pig is frequently rude and disrespectful.
She wilfully ignores her parents, tells them they are silly or wrong and is never brought up on it. In fact she seems far more in charge of the goings-on than her parents are.


Peppa's parents clearly cannot see any issue.
If my child was rude, deliberately mean or hurtful to her brother, didn't ask nicely for something or told lies id have to step in and have a word. No need to be strong-handed, a quick explanation of why we dont do that often makes the point clear -
"Peppa, we dont speak to people that way because it is rude, lets think about how we would feel if someone said that to us, and see if there is a different way to make our point"
"Peppa, i told you that George gets frightened if you push the swing up high. How would you feel if somebody deliberately scared you? Well, you just made your little brother feel that way. I think you need to apologise to him."
"Peppa, in this house 'I want' does not get. If you cannot ask me nicely i will not want to help you. I may be your Mother but i am not your slave. Lets try again and see if we can do things differently."
"Peppa, it isnt nice to tell lies. If you lie people cannot trust you and then when you really do need something nobody will believe you."
Not. Difficult.


Its odd, because i wouldnt judge a real life person for bringing a child up this way. But none of my friends do parent in that fashion so perhaps we gravitate toward the more like-minded. By the way, those examples are just a few of the many ive noticed, there is usually at least one thing per episode that makes me grind my teeth and roll my eyes. And dont even get me started on Peppa's parents...


I think i need a lie down...




*After further thought, i have come up with another reason, which is in no way Peppa Pigs fault but in for a penny.....


Chickin now calls my Very Lovely friend D's son 'Georgie'. 
I must stress that he in no way looks, sounds or smells like George Pig, but as she evidently sees herself as Peppa, the poor lad (her very favourite playmate) gets lumped with being sidekick.


3 comments:

  1. Calm down, calm down. Really when they're are so many other more important things to get annoyed about, like

    Lazy Town
    Fireman Sam
    and anything on Cbeebies for example.

    Saying that we have noticed Amy copying Peppa in being rude to her dad about his big fat tummy.

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  2. Oh no you've ruined Peppa Pig for me now! I was watching it this morning thinking actually what a spoiled brat. LOL!
    I also wonder how much she's liked by her friends because when she turns up places her friends are already there. It's like they planned to go out and not invited her but she's found them anyway!
    I really shouldn't over-think this!!

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  3. Pelvis, Interrupted25 January 2011 at 23:23

    @Herding Cats, I can tolerate Lazytown (in fact we saw it live a couple of years ago) and dont watch cbeebies. Funny though, Manic was drawing us all the other day and Husband bore more than a passing resemblance to Daddy Pig!

    @Photopuddle I never thought of that but i can totally see it now! She is just the kind of little brat you wouldnt invite out to play ;)

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