Kids love shows like 'Blippi' and 'Caillou.' Some parents can't stand them — here's how to deal.
There's a reason why some shows appeal to kids, but not adults.
After months of enduring her young stepdaughter’s obsession with Ryan’s World, Kati Abreu knew the perfect birthday gift to get her: a pair of pink, bedazzled headphones enabling her to watch the wildly popular YouTube toy review show in silence.
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.
YouTuber Ms. Rachel — who has 4.38 million subscribers — designed her popular educational videos with kids in mind.
“I’ve worked for years in daycares, school, and classrooms interacting with children and they have taught me so much," Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, tells Yahoo Life. "I’ve had a real audience to try ideas on for years without knowing I’d ever create a show. I just love making children happy and excited about learning and when I make the videos, that’s what I’m thinking about.”
The YouTube star accepts that her kid-friendly methods might not appeal to an older viewer — but says that some negative feedback goes too far.
“I don’t mind that some parents find the shows or my voice to be annoying,” Accurso tells Yahoo Life. “They are made for children so that makes sense! But hate and cruel insults are not OK. I shield myself from those for my mental health.”
Earlier this year she took a break from TikTok in response to "hurtful videos and comments." For the most part, she tries to have "compassion" for her critics, noting that "hurt people hurt people." Adds Accurso, "I say 'God bless' in my head to them and move on.”
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