To think Numberjacks shouldn't be on cbeebies

[SunshineOutdoors]

It's too bloody scary for little kids. My three year old's nearly in tears from watching the number taker. Thought I could rely on 'beebies' for safe viewing

This is going to be like when she saw that freaky baddy off Lazytown all over again.

How strange, my 2 loved it, even had a DVD.

Every child is different but one child's sensitivity doesn't mean it's not suitable, turn the telly off and go play instead!

DD was scared of Mr Tumble and of Big Cook Little Cook.

My DS loves it too, although gets a bit "wibbly" if its the Number Taker, loves Spooky Spoon though!

Aww I forgot all about Numberjacks. My 3 DC loved it

We have been playing.

My 2 loved it even though ds1 was scared of spooky spoon and ds2 was terrified by the number taker. Now they love Star Wars and are scared of Darth Vader. Tis life.

Is weird how kids find things 'scary'. I wonder where these things stem from. What it reminds her of that's scared her in the past, perhaps??

My niece used to be petrified of one episode of tellytubbies where little Bo Peep came down from the sky.

My two year old poked me in the eye with a cardboard tube yesterday. He smiled and said "I'm the Numbertaker Mummy!"

I'm thinking of putting a claim in.

Mine was fine with almost anything (and still has a stronger stomach than me in watching scary stuff) but cried like a fountain at that bit in Shrek where a random, never-seen-before bird hits a wall.

Children are weird.

dd was scared of the number taker.

I didn't like the Numbertaker . My children weren't fussed.

We turned off the number Jack's the other day because it was too scary. I might not have noticed what was happening because I might have been on mumsnet (or napping)

Oh god no! Don't take it off cbeebies! Mine is obsessed with numberjacks ever since he was around 20 months and I'm sure it helped him to learn his numbers! He's always finding toilet rolls and being the number taker. His opening gambit to strangers is "do you know about the problem blob? And slimey?!"

My 3 year old has just told me I need brain gain. He's not wrong, the coffee's not doing much.

I think the number taker is creepy but he doesn't seem to mind. Pocket-sized Grandpa on the other hand...

I'M scared of the bloody number taker! The programme is shit, anyway. The whole concept and the convoluted story lines. Gimme the Alphablocks any day!

I bought a brightly coloured cardigan the other day, but when I showed it to my dm she said I looked as though I was going to visit Granny Murray. It's going back.

I often wonder how I could work her irrelevant advice into my day the way they all seem to manage.

Oh and it took ages to convince my ds that numbers were called 'numbers' and not 'number jacks' so not too sure about the educational value.

I'm stepping away from the thread now.

My 4yo hates it. It sounds awful but the way he reacts when the number taker turns up (wailing and hiding) actually makes me

My DD both loved and was scared of Number Jacks in equal measures. One of the first nightmares I ever remember her explaining to me was about the "probble bob" (problem blob). At nearly seven she'll still watch it if she thinks no ones looking to see her ruining her "I'm far too old for Cbeebies" street cred.

My DD was also scared of the Number taker and I don't blame her. Wearing that ridiculous white top hat and exuding silent menace, he's like something out of a David Lynch film!

We don't watch it here my 4 year old actually hides when it comes on the TV. Cannot cope with the nightmares that follow after watching spooky cocking spoon.

You'd want to see DD1's (2.4) reaction when the Pinky-ponk bangs into a tree. Or when the animals pull the cakes off the table on that Big Farm thingy. Terrified doesn't cover it!

DD2 (12mo) just looks at her like she's barmy. But then, she's well 'ard .

What rollergirl said - he makes me think of A Clockwork Orange'.

My DS1 was terrified of In The Night Garden until he was 7. Yes, SEVEN of your Earth years. Younger siblings loved ITNG maybe because of big brother's reaction. DS1 ran screaming into the distance if he even heard the music. He only got over it at 7 because I forced/bribed him to watch 3 mins of it and he realised it wasn't so bad after all.

I was terrified of Zebedee from Magic Roundabout but watched anyway because I loved Ermintrude (sp?). Don't get me started on Chorlton and the Wheelies .

The Numbertaker reminds me of the Childcatcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The most chilling childhood villain ever .

Random irrelevant fact: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was written by Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame) but the Childcatcher was added by the screen writer for the movie, Roald Dahl.

Now Roald Dahl was a man who knew how to write a good baddie. The first couple of chapters of any Dahl book are always extremely tense in our household. We had many late night chats here over the possibility of parents being eaten by a ravenous rhinoceros escaped from London Zoo on their day out in London and children being sent to live with evil aunties. Jeez, the hours spent discussing herbivores vs carnivores, security at the zoo, wills, godparent, the niceness of most of our relatives, social services, etc.