appropriate?

[trixipaws]

im putting this here rather than parenting section coz want opinions from TTC'ers and preggo's too.

my parents hav toys here for millie when she comes over, and they include some card books with squeaky toys on, and also these little card books with foamy spongey covers. millie loves to bite them!
i'd post a pic of one but im not at home with my cam right now, but they are called "mother and baby loveables" and by peter haddock publishing, the 3 titles are "little puppy", "little kitten", "little foal" and "little lamb".

well yesterday my dad decided to read "little lamb" to her and i was a bit im not sure if she should be read stories like this! wondered what u all think, would u read it to her and change the story to ur own words? or not read that one to her at all? or is it innocent and appropriate? heres the story:

spring is when all the sheep have their lambs.
all the sheep have two lambs, except for sarah who only has one, barry, who is black.
all the other lambs are white. they think that barry looks funny.
the other lambs all play together. they all run across the field, leaving barry alone.
it is starting to get dark. the other lambs have not come back and the mothers are getting worried.
barry goes to look for the lambs. he looks through the fence at the bottom of the field, into the wood.
barry can see the lambs in the wood. they have fallen down a steep slope and cannot get back up. they are very frightened.
barry calls out. the mothers come running.
soon all the other lambs are safe. they all thank barry. everyone wants to be barry's friend now.

 

[zebrastripes]

t make up an entirely different story,but I think i'd moderate it a bit...I wouldn't say that the other lambs thought barry "looked funny" for instance...

 

[lauramumof2]

I didnt see any thing wrong with it. I would probably read it without much thought.

 

[Vickyleigh]

No I wouldn't. The first thing I thought as I was reading that little bit is that it teaches kids that if they aren't the same colour as you then they are funny looking which is wrong.

 

[leckershell]

In the one instance it's wrong to be singling out the "black" sheep, but on the other hand you can use it to your advantage by explaining how unfair of them it is, and nice people/sheep don't do that.

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

I can see the message they are trying to get across...that all the sheep are really equal...but i'm not sure if the message is strong enough and could instead give the message that the black sheep was only worthy of friendship after he had done something for them, which the other sheep didnt have to do.

wow odd one.

I guess if in doubt you can put your own slant on it?

 

[neeko_1]

plz tell me these books are really really old

i would not read that the nay, why is it saying that the black sheep is funny looking?? and then after all that they want to be his friends

it's a baby book and should not even make preferences like that.

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

If they are newish books, I suspect its a case of someone trying to do good but just getting it completely wrong....its very patronising isnt it

 

[Tangerinedream]

Im with TP on this one, that made me go

I can see how somebody wrote this without giving it much thought, without trying to be offencive but I still dont like it

 

[Lou]

I googled the books and they are still on sale. I don't think the book is appropriate atall. Isaac has a few books which I don't like so I don't read them to him or we change the words but tbh I would probably be tempted to bin them the next time I have a clear out if I were you. Elmers day is about elmer being a diferent colour but its very positive and the message behind the story is very subtle. The words you quoted from that book are shocking to me. I wouldn't want to read it to Isaac.

 

[Tillytots]

erm peter haddock is obviosuly crap at writing books tbh...

I get the message but Im not sure a child would, the only thing a child would pick up on is that Barry ( the black sheep ) looked funny and to have any friends he had to do something heroic?! rubbish imo...

I know your LO is little and wont understand it at this stage but when she does start to take notrice of what you say this isnt the sort of thing Id be reading to her no

 

[Squiglet]

Thats such a silly book...

No I wouldn't read that to Tia... even now.. anyway.. before the age of 5 really, kids don't start noticing differences such as skin colour, so why would you draw attention to it.??? Tia only started noticing last year that some children at her school have darker skin than her... and she just wanted to know why she never said they were funny looking because of it....

They don't even really notice handicaps either unless they are dramatic facial disfigurements for example and then the children only recognise that there is a difference. As long as you handle the subsequent questions correctly, they don't even see that as a problem.

I very rarely read moral stories to Tia as a baby.. the moral is lost on them.. I much preferred to stay in the realms of fairy tales, rhyming books and imaginary worlds as they seemed to capture the imagination and stimulate their minds far better than trying to give them moral guidance with the pointless black sheep/white sheep routine

 

[trixipaws]

hi girls, im back home now, just read ur replies. u pretty much confirmed im right by feeling uneasy about the book, im gonna remove the book! i havent read the others yet actually, i didnt even think- god knows what theyre about i dread 2 think! im gonna hav 2 check theyre suitable!
was gonna bring it home and take a pic 2 show u all but i forgot 2 get it

and yes, neeko and GGG, its a new book! thats why i was so
iv seen really old books that are really un-pc (the name "blyton" springs 2 mind!) but i wouldnt expect a new book, or even a 1980's or 1990's book would contain anything like that. i agree squig it just points out a difference that a small child wouldnt hav noticed themselves.

 

[Xena]

I don't see how it's any worse than the ugly duckling tbh

 

[katie05]

Is it not a book to highlight this problem in a child-like way? We use similar things in school to prompt little ones into talking about bullies/racism etc.

I would read it myself as my little one wouldnt interpret it like we would and most of the old fairy/traditional tales have morals-themes in them that wouldnt be 'accepted' now.x

 

[lauramumof2]

I don't see how it's any worse than the ugly duckling tbh

Or Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

 

[clairedoran]

No. The moral of the story appears to be that the black sheep had to 'do something' in order to get the approval of the other sheep. Unreasonable teaching I'd say.

xx

 

[Krystal]

No I wouldn't read that story to Jack, just seems to be a message that the black sheep looks funny and no one wants to be his friend unless he does something special

I don't see the point of those stories. Why make an issue of someone being a different colour in the first place Thats just the way it is, we live in such a multi cultural society.. I look forward to the day that this is the norm and no issue is made of it... the world is a beautiful colourful place.. thats all kids need to know.. everyone the same!

 

[Hellokitty]

I think you've got it all wrong.

How are children supposed to learn what is wrong and what is right unless you show them examples of that behaviour?

The whole point of stories like this and other 'classics' is to teach kids about Morals etc.

I would be happy to read it to Maia, but its a personal choice at the end of the day and if your uncomfortable about it then don't.

 

[poppy160]

I wouldn't read the story to my child, for the reasons that everyone else has mentioned.
Fair enough, children need to be taught what's right and wrong and books are a good way to do this, but the book that Trixipaws is talking about isn't a good example for kids..the author basically made out that because the sheep is a different colour then the others shouldn't be associated with it, kids do pick up on these things and use these examples in real life. Also, these types of books make them think it's okay to single someone out just because they aren't the same. Then when they get to the older stages in Nursery and go to School, teachers are trying to teach about equal opportunties and the conflicting messages confuse the kids.
That book shouldn't have been published..