Children - sensitive little dears or just normal

[ColinEssex]

Here's a quote from The Times (UK newspaper)

Traditional nursery rhymes are being rewritten at nursery schools to avoid causing offence to children.
Instead of singing “Baa baa, black sheep” as generations of children have learnt to do, toddlers in Oxfordshire are being taught to sing “Baa baa, rainbow sheep”. ... . . . In keeping with the new approach, teachers at the nurseries have reportedly also changed the ending of Humpty Dumpty so as not to upset the children and dropped the seven dwarfs from the title of Snow White.

So, is this a good move on bringing up kids?

Is this any different from parents not allowing children to read books or see films like "Harry Potter" because it contains magic / witchcraft / etc?
Parents are quite happy to tell magic / fairy stories if they're biblical based - water to wine and a man flying in the sky, as in the ascention to heaven.

Some kids are fed religion - forced to go to church, believe in a supernatural being - but can't use their own intellect and imagination by reading books like Harry Potter - is it because the parents are frightened the kids will turn to "the dark side"?

Surely kids can make up their own minds. . . . . . . .blanking off an option to them is surely too dictatorial isn't it?

Col

 

[KenHigg]

Here's a quote from The Times (UK newspaper)

So, is this a good move on bringing up kids?

Is this any different from parents not allowing children to read books or see films like "Harry Potter" because it contains magic / witchcraft / etc?
Parents are quite happy to tell magic / fairy stories if they're biblical based - water to wine and a man flying in the sky, as in the ascention to heaven.

Some kids are fed religion - forced to go to church, believe in a supernatural being - but can't use their own intellect and imagination by reading books like Harry Potter - is it because the parents are frightened the kids will turn to "the dark side"?

Surely kids can make up their own minds. . . . . . . .blanking off an option to them is surely too dictatorial isn't it?

Col

Baa Baa, Black Sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, Sir, yes, Sir, three bags full.
One for the Master, one for the Dame—
None for the Little Boy that cries down the lane.

Why didn't they give the third bag to the little boy?

 

[selenau837]

Why didn't they give the third bag to the little boy?

Well, becuase he was crying duh!!!

 

[Rich]

Why didn't they give the third bag to the little boy?

capitalism

 

[KenHigg]

I think the fact that they even counted the bags was wrong. Like keeping score - What if the next sheep could only produce 2 bags?

 

[ColinEssex]

None for the Little Boy that cries down the lane.

Doesn't surprise me that in the American version there was discrimination towards the 3rd little boy. . . . . .maybe he was an ethnic minority or something.

In the British version

and one for the little boy that lives down the lane

we make sure all get a bag of wool.

Col

 

[lmnop7854]

Getting back to the original point of the thread, I think that kind of stuff is ridiculous. You mean to tell me that little kids hearing "black sheep" will have a hard time with it? Give me a break. Black is a color, just like orange or blue (technically, it isn't, but I am not being specific to art right now). Or is this because it's seen as discrimination against the "black" sheep? I can't stand it!!!!!!!!!!

I'm raising my girl to be tough and not be such a flake when it comes to this kind of stuff. If she has a question or a problem about something, I would hope she would ask me for an explanation, and I would further hope that I would not hide it from her. My girlfriend used to skip parts in books that she read to her daughter because SHE didn't like them, not her daughter. I would really like my daughter to have a mind of her own and make decisions for herself, not have someone change the words in case she is a whiny wimp.

Could we make this world just a little more politically correct (read inanely stupid)??

Lisa

 

[KenHigg]

Getting back to the original point of the thread, I think that kind of stuff is ridiculous. You mean to tell me that little kids hearing "black sheep" will have a hard time with it? Give me a break. Black is a color, just like orange or blue (technically, it isn't, but I am not being specific to art right now). Or is this because it's seen as discrimination against the "black" sheep? I can't stand it!!!!!!!!!!

I'm raising my girl to be tough and not be such a flake when it comes to this kind of stuff. If she has a question or a problem about something, I would hope she would ask me for an explanation, and I would further hope that I would not hide it from her. My girlfriend used to skip parts in books that she read to her daughter because SHE didn't like them, not her daughter. I would really like my daughter to have a mind of her own and make decisions for herself, not have someone change the words in case she is a whiny wimp.

Could we make this world just a little more politically correct (read inanely stupid)??

Lisa

It's really quite simple. The liberal democrats want you to depend on the government more and more.

 

[Rich]

It's really quite simple. The liberal democrats want you to depend on the government more and more.

and the Republicans can't even run a government, looks like you guys are stuffed !

 

[ColinEssex]

Thanks Lisa. Nice to get a parents perspective on this. So is it ok to ban kids from reading Harry Potter books, yet spout on about magic tricks in the bible?

Here's the link to it.

Incidentally, the insanity extends also to schools not putting on the nativity play at Christmas time because it may offend other faiths.

There was also a comment somewhere about all this "Politically Correct" stuff being bo**ocks, because other faiths and ethnic minorities never do complain about traditional things, and they accept that the UK is a christian based country so what right have they got to complain about nativity etc.

Its like me living in India and complaining about too much Hindu stuff.

Col

 

[KenHigg]

and the Republicans can't even run a government, looks like you guys are stuffed !

There's a news bulletin...

 

[KenHigg]

Its like me living in India and complaining about too much Hindu stuff.Col

That's about the most sensible thing I've ever seen you say -

(Edit - Darn, now we're not at odds anymore... Time to regroup )

 

[ColinEssex]

That's about the most sensible thing I've ever seen you say -

(Edit - Darn, now we're not at odds anymore... Time to regroup )

Actually, I spent about 3 weeks touring India, it really is a super place of real extremes - flooding, poverty, affluence, poor healthcare etc. (a bit like the USA I hear ) thing is, they have a "New Orleans" every year at rainy season in some Indian states - thousands die, seldom gets reported

Are we not at odds any more? whats happened?

Col

 

[KenHigg]

Actually, I spent about 3 weeks touring India, it really is a super place of real extremes - flooding, poverty, affluence, poor healthcare etc. (a bit like the USA I hear ) thing is, they have a "New Orleans" every year at rainy season in some Indian states - thousands die, seldom gets reported

Are we not at odds any more? whats happened?

Col

I suspect you're finally coming around to my 'Correct ' way of thinking...

 

[TessB]

Doesn't surprise me that in the American version there was discrimination towards the 3rd little boy. . . . . .maybe he was an ethnic minority or something.

In the British version


we make sure all get a bag of wool.

Col

I guess I learned the British version. I thought everyone got a bag!

 

[Rich]

I suspect you're finally coming around to my 'Correct ' way of thinking...

you've misspelt inept

 

[ColinEssex]

I suspect you're finally coming around to my 'Correct ' way of thinking...

whats that then?

carrying a gun like Jessie James?

Col

 

[Kraj]

In general, I think such things are ridiculous. However, there are some things worth changing/removing. Considering the controversial history of "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo", for example, I never say it anymore and I don't think children should.


Last night I had a dream that someone started up a huge debate on homosexuality here. I really need to get out more.

 

[ColinEssex]

Last night I had a dream that someone started up a huge debate on homosexuality here. I really need to get out more.

dare we ask who was in this dream???

Col

 

[MrsGorilla]

and they accept that the UK is a christian based country

Really?

I guess I learned the British version. I thought everyone got a bag!

That's the way I always learned it too, Tess.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with what lmnop said. I think all that stuff is ridiculous. I mean, how many of us learned that nursery rhyme as a child and ever gave it a second thought?

In general, I think such things are ridiculous. However, there are some things worth changing/removing. Considering the controversial history of "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo", for example, I never say it anymore and I don't think children should.

I guess I'm not familiar with that. Got a link?