Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Horrid Henry shows signs of narcissism

25 replies

RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:17

I can't stand the programme and the film is even worse and I think I have figured out why - it's just not really funny, because the child clearly has some sort of problem.

Whether it's a burgeoning personality disorder or simply a really poor parental model it's still just rather sad imo.

Does anyone else have to grit their teeth when CITV is on? I try and get it turned off or round whenever I'm in the room but the children seem to love it and I can't understand why.

OP posts:
lougle · 23/12/2013 08:43

He's a child. It's normal for children to display completely self-centred behaviors. NPD is only a valid diagnosis in adults. It's a cartoon!

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:47

I know it's not real - but the more I think about it, the more I realise that I know not a single child who behaves like him.

Is it really normal?

OP posts:
Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:48

Sorry should be clear, I don't mean he has NPD - but he is pretty narcissistic iyswim?

OP posts:
pumpkinsweetie · 23/12/2013 08:49

Grin It's a cartoon, and besides Henry always learns lessons from being naughty!

2Tinsellytocare · 23/12/2013 08:50

His parents are fucking him up, they dont treat him and Peter equally at all

isitsnowingyet · 23/12/2013 08:50

Horrid Henry is completely obnoxious and unfunny - if I'm in the room the channel is changed or the TV turned off - you're completely right

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:53

Oh thankyou. I only needed one person to agree with me and now I feel fine again.

Xmas Grin

It's that thing of 'is it just me'...

OP posts:
Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:53

Plus yes I do wonder about the impact on my darlings...I don't want them to think it is normal, because imo it isn't (and I have 3 boys...the middle one is very much like Perfect Peter though so that bit is real!)

OP posts:
kinkychristmas · 23/12/2013 08:54

Maybe it's because his parents are cunts. They're always mean to him!

Onefewernow · 23/12/2013 08:57

The parents are vile, and favour Peter. He has a pretty poor teacher as well.

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:04

Perhaps he has to manufacture some sort of false self esteem in order to compensate for a complete lack of it.

Poor sod.

OP posts:
ashamedoverthinker · 23/12/2013 09:08

I just gave two Horrid Henry books aways I think its all a bit fucked up. I think some kids don't get that being Henry is in fact horrible and not a nice way to behave, and see it as funny or cool.

pictish · 23/12/2013 09:11

I always feel so sorry for him. He seems pretty angry and unhappy all the time.
It's a weird cartoon...I think it's supposed to be amusing, but as a parent I find it a little bit disturbing. Perfect Peter is the golden boy while poor unhappy Henry displays all the signs of being emotionally neglected by his parents.
I dunno - it's odd.

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:16

Yes this is the thing. It's marketed as funny and cool, but somehow it misses the spot in those respects.

It's a bit like the Mr Men - the sort of books you buy a box set of when you have your first child, with fond memories of how cool they were, then you get the first one out to read one night and find that it's utter, utter drivel.

OP posts:
pictish · 23/12/2013 09:19

YY to the Mr Men being drivel. We only have a handful of them, but God they are clunky and torturous to read.
I used to love them as child too though.

SpicedTeaAndXmasCakeOrDeath · 23/12/2013 09:21

Yes Rooney! Or the original Thomas train books to find they're pretty weird/twisted and long! DS obviously loves them!

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:21

I think that the TV programme was actually awesome. It's just the books. Repetitive or what!

OP posts:
2Tinsellytocare · 23/12/2013 09:21

I thought I was the only one that hated reading the Mr Men books. If its any consolation my Dd1 used to adore HH but never copied any of his behaviour

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:22

Oh talking of weird and twisted.

Does anyone remember those Ladybird Nursery Rhyme books? Pictures by Frank something...they are terrifying Shock

Found one the other day, something about the man in the moon, and a bee marrying a fly with all these freaky dolls in the background.

Will see if I can google a pic.

OP posts:
stubbs0412 · 23/12/2013 09:23

Omg Rooney the mr men.... Started reading mr tickle to the children and abandoned it, what creepy weirdo writes that stuff!

Regards horrid Henry, seen it a few times, children like it, i've always thought it was some kind of bipolar boy, same person, two personalities with parents responding accordingly..... Errr maybe I have too much time on my hands.

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:23

this

OP posts:
pictish · 23/12/2013 09:24

Nope - my heart sinks when one of them comes tootling up clutching a little square book of tediousness.
They're heavy handed and sanctimonious as well.
Awful.

Original poster
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 09:25

eek

OP posts:
2Tinsellytocare · 23/12/2013 09:25

Werent the Mr Men books written by a teenager or have I just made that up?

MincedMuffPies · 23/12/2013 09:26

I really like horrid Henry, it's one of the books that got my ds to want to read.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page