I have enjoyed discovering Curious George with Sam. He's a perfect character for a toddler who is clumsy, curious and always getting into trouble. I think Sam enjoys him so much because he relates!
So we often check out George books at the library and I was excited when I realized we had checked out the first George book ever, published in 1941. I think if I had read it BEFORE reading it to Sam I would have thought the horribly inappropriate aspects of the book were funny.
But I didn't.
Instead I discovered George was stolen from Africa to live in a zoo, smoked a pipe, was thrown in prison, and people were referred to as fat. Apparently Brian had been reading it with Sam, because Sam knew it well enough to tell me in advance what was going to happen. Great.
So I grew up as political correctness and overprotecting your children were getting worse every day. I always disagreed with the concept. For example, giving all the kids awards, even if they didn't win or do anything special at all.
OK, so I want to be cool and be like, "whatever" but I don't want my son's heroes smoking. I don't want him knowing what a prison is just yet. And I certainly don't want him learning to call overweight people fat.
So I took the book and I'm planning to hide it away until its time to go back to the library.
I have to wonder if the mothers in that time cared that their children were reading the same thing. I imagine it seemed totally acceptable to them. Smoking was still accepted and obesity wasn't an epidemic so I guess few people were sensitive to being called fat. But how did they go from that to not being able to say "pregnancy" out loud and Lucy and Desi having separate beds? I don't get it.
So, maybe I'm a total loser for overprotecting my son, but he's only 3, and I'm following my instincts. No first edition Curious George for him.
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2 comments:
NO, my dear, you're NOT overprotective of Sam. God gave kids parents because they need guidance, good examples, and taught right from wrong, and good from bad. If anyone tells you otherwise (and they probably will), don't let it stick. Dismiss it. After all, he's only 3! There will be times when he's older to "let go a little", but not yet.
I'm truly surprised about the first Curious George. My grandkids love him. I wonder if this should be brought to the attention of the librarian. I remember when "Little Black Sambo" was banned and never understood why a story written by a black lady to read to her grandchildren, that depicted a functional family with a stay-at-home mother and a father who had a job and went to work daily to provide for his family wasn't good reading. Plus, it was a very cute story. A couple years ago I bought one (found it on a trip) to read to my grandchildren, but for the life of me I can't find it now. He's hiding in this house somewhere!
I'm sure you've heard of Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer. They're adorable and address all the things little ones encounter early in life--from bad dreams to saying please. Cheap, too. The ones I bought a couple years ago were $3.29. If you don't have any, I have about 9 I'll give Sam and guarantee he'll love them! Keep up the good work with Sam. You're a very good mother and I love you. Mrs. A.
It is funny how stories go in and out of favor, whats PC and what is not. The problem with PC is that it allows people to hide from the truth. When Sam gets older thing how you could use that Curious George to illustrate to Sam how people are not perfect and we sometimes allow bad habits to be OK, but that we must always try to become better people.
You may not realize it but there are racial undertones in the book too. George is a monkey, stolen from Africa, who is often foolish, and mimicks people who are better than he is. Sound like a familiar characterization, from the past.
Love,
Dad
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