"The Mummies on the Bus go chatter, chatter chatter" Really?

[BespokeStereophonicVinyl]

So, I attend a regular nursery rhyme session at my local library and 'The Wheels on the Bus' now seems to comprise the above delight, together with the equally offensive "The Daddies on the bus go shush, shush, shush"

I'm really bristling at this example of everyday sexism. Yes, I am a mother, but I am also educated to Post Grad level and have a bunch of fairly heavyweight professional qualifications too. Prior to having DD, I held a senior position in a very male dominated field and really resent the implication that when a woman (who may or may not have children) speaks, it should be assumed that it is mere 'chatter'. I'm also really unhappy with the idea that a big manly man has to step in to shut up all these hysterically chattering women, otherwise where would the world be, eh?

AIBU to take this up with the library/council? I just don't want DD to face the same constant battle that I did, to be taken seriously in life just because she's a woman. I think we owe it to the next generation to challenge this trivialisation of women's opinions.

has anyone thought about poor Humpty Dumpty though?
Cause lets face it, we're all guilty of being eggist with that one.
we all assume that Humpty is an egg when in reality it is never said he is an egg. so shame on all of you and your Egg assumptions.

Humpty was a cannon wasn't he?

I'm a mummy who was on a bus just yesterday. I will admit to having indulged in "chatter", despite being educated to PG level. I remain unapologetic.

The version at my local toddlers' had the daddies saying "shush" in response to the babies going "wa wa wa", not to the mummies chattering.
It also had the grandpas going text text text and the grandmas opening their laptops, so had at least eliminated any ageism

Oh my god.
Get a life.

I've a post graduate qualification, but I don't chatter on buses, because since deregulation (outside London) they don't go where I want them to, so I have to cycle instead. And they're expensive.

Annoyed me too op

Daddies go shush

Of course you are going to be told you are too sensitive children are just singing a song it means nothing blah blah but children take on everything they are taught so why teach them such sexist crap in the first place

Ooh good point Jason.

Oh, i think i know the version you mean! If it is the same one, I don't like it either. It's not so much that the mummies chatter, or that the daddies shush, but that the daddies appear to be shushing the mummies, as the babies are 'fast asleep' and the mummies are the only people making noise. DH actually pointed this out to me the first time he heard it and also thought that they sounded quite aggressive in their shushing (not sure I agree with that bit...)

I don't think I'd bother complaining about it though. Our library uses a different version, but i explain the shushing (by the mummies in that version) is to soothe the babies

I am with you OP. Its always annoyed me. I sing "the mummies on the bus read nuclear physics, nuclear physics, nuclear physics" which DS, 3, now happily sings, but it really annoys my six year old.

But i thought the babies on the bus went 'waah, waah, waah'. No sleeping.

RatOnnaStick We have lions, fish wtaf, giraffe, zebras, monkeys and horses on our bus I was incredibly shattered and he wouldnt sleep - his beeding had animals on

Our Speckled Frogs eat pancakes and jam, Jason.

Not sure we've included the vegan and gluten-free frogs yet, but it's some progress.

I thought all the mummies on the bus were having a fight about folding down prams (or not).

Or you could change it to "waffle"

I always sing bill bill. The other one that someone mentioned "I had a little turtle, his name was Tiny Tim". The word turtle was added to protect 21st century children. The original is "I had a little brother" the ending also goes "In came the doctor, in came the nurse, in came the lady with the alligator purse, dead said the doctor, dead said the nurse, dead said the lady with the alligator purse".

YABU. It's jusr a silly rhyme and meant to be fun. Anyway when my DDs were young the Daddies went nod nod nod.

paperback

It does, though!

"The mummies on the bus pon-TI-ficate, pon-TI-ficate, pon-TI-ficate, all day long!"

OP you should totally suggest that. Say it's in honour of Pope Francis.

"In came the doctor, in came the nurse, in came the lady with the alligator purse, dead said the doctor, dead said the nurse, dead said the lady with the alligator purse".

I remember that!

YANBU this bullshit adds up over the years...

Casual sexism is still the norm in the way that casual racism isn't any longer.

I mean can you even imagine 'the Rasta on the bus goes...'

The song could easily be switched to 'the parents on the bus go...' so why not just do it? Will peoples lives be somehow less rich and fulfilling with this particular bit of casual sexism missing?

I long to see a bus kerfuffle usual. I have never seen one with my own eyes.

The mummies on our bus do go chatter chatter chatter. So do the daddies. It's always a very chatty bus.

Anyhow, DS2's version has the children going chatter chatter chatter, the babies going waah waah waah and the mammies going shh shh shh. It also has a lion saying see you soon and a bee saying this way please. Make of it what you will.

I like chat, chat, chat, but I would never chatter.

I don't like a man who says 'shhh' on the bus.