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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that a book dd has brought home from nursery shouldn't portray hitching a lift as a good thing?

32 replies

RomanChristingle · 06/12/2011 18:29

Dd brought a reading book home from school yesterday where the characters went on an adventure and their vehicle broke down so they hitched a lift. AIBU to think this is an irresponsible thing to put in a childrens book?

OP posts:
brandysoakedbitch · 06/12/2011 18:31

It is one book that is all.

MosEisley · 06/12/2011 18:32

Of course it would be wrong to teach a child to hitch lifts, but since she is currently at nursery I doubt it will even register on her conscience, let alone incite her to actually hitch a lift.

So on balance, YABU.

MosEisley · 06/12/2011 18:33

Sorry to the pedants for the split infinitive.

NeuromanticisedVisionsofXmas · 06/12/2011 18:33

YABU.
FFS, is everything now supposed to only model perfect behaviour? Are your children idiots?

GwendolineMaryLacedwithBrandy · 06/12/2011 18:34

If she's at nursery then she's 4 at the most. In which case you've got a good 12 years or so to undo all the harm and teach her that hiking isn't advisable.

Original poster
RomanChristingle · 06/12/2011 18:42

She is 4 but a pretty bright 4 (far from an idiot). She can read pretty well and read the book to me. She asked me what hitching a lift was. I told her but I also felt the need to tell her that the characters were a bit silly and you should never get into the car of someone you don't know.
I don't think that kids books should model perfect behaviour but I think a line has to be drawn somewhere. I wouldn't be impressed if Peppa Pig was playing with knives for example whether it's just a story or not.
To be clear I haven't stormed into the heads office to complain or even mentioned it to anyone I just idly thought it was a pretty stupid thing to put in a kids book. IA obviously BU.

OP posts:
acrunchieandacupoftea · 06/12/2011 18:46

But it got you talking about it, didn't it? If I was writing a book I'd be hoping to get the parents and children reading it, talking about the issues within the story.

SquidgyBiscuits · 06/12/2011 18:47

Unless you find your 4yr old outside trying to thumb a lift somewhere I wouldn't worry about it.

I read books about slaying dragons when I was a kid, but don't recall ever trying it for myself.

MudAndGlitter · 06/12/2011 18:47

Fgs don't let her read any famous 5 then!

FrostyTheCrunchyFrog · 06/12/2011 18:49

I miss hitchhiking. I'm sort of sad mine will probably not get to do it - it's beyond the pale now, really.

DeWe · 06/12/2011 18:49

We used to regularly see people hitching when we went to visit my dgp. A lot of books I read in the 8+ category had children on their own taking lifts usually from very helpful adults who sorted out the problems on the way. Never felt any urge to do it myself. Hmm

Original poster
RomanChristingle · 06/12/2011 18:50

It wasn't that I am concerned that she would be hitchiking Hmm just that it showed kids getting into a random car. I don't think it's a great message. But as a pp said it did stimulate a conversation about safety. DD doesn't always read the books to me though sometimes she just reads them to herself.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 06/12/2011 18:52

But playing with knives is different, that's something she actually has the means to do, if she can push a chair up to the drawer or kitchen counter.

Original poster
RomanChristingle · 06/12/2011 18:55

Well she has the means to get into a strangers car if I lose sight of her when we are out too. If she thought that was an ok thing to do
Playing with knives was an exaggerated example I was just making the point that surely young childrens authors have some responsibility not to promote dangerous behaviour.

OP posts:
sharenicely · 06/12/2011 20:07

Be careful she doesn't grow her hair long and let it hang out of a window aswell.

sharenicely · 06/12/2011 20:08

And also keep her away from knives when around three blind mice.

sharenicely · 06/12/2011 20:08

Never let her pretend to be an egg and throw herself off a wall.

Sirzy · 06/12/2011 20:09

A lot of stories show things that we wouldn't want our children to do. Thats why discussing stories is always a good idea!

ll31 · 06/12/2011 20:10

completely disagree tht young childrens authoris have responsibility to promote dangerous behaviour - imo they have responsibility to produce good stories - thats it!

FannyBazaar · 06/12/2011 20:12

What are you supposed to do when your car breaks down? I think that's a whole different thing to setting off to hitch hike.

Were the characters people or animals?

Rhubarbgarden · 06/12/2011 20:13

I hitchhiked round Europe when I was young. Happy memories.

squeakytoy · 06/12/2011 20:14

Its a book.. fiction... not real.

Wassailywassailywassaily · 06/12/2011 20:19

I hitched everywhere with my dad when I was six years old. It never occurred to me to do it all by my own

Sirzy · 06/12/2011 20:19

I read DS a book today about the main character going swimming in a pond - but its not something I would encourage him to do normally ;)

His other story was about putting a dinosaur to bed which I very much doubt he will ever do either!

JamieComeHome · 06/12/2011 20:20

wow - impressed she knows the tch sound at 4