"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.

I was wavering whether to go back to work, toddler group nursery rhyme time was what broke me!

I can see the op's point because this kind of thing is insidious. We're now on chapter books at bedtime - Magic Faraway Tree, 2 boys, 2 girls but nearly all the saying and doing is done by the boys. Same with the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, someone analysed it and despite Lucy being the main child character I think over 70% of the action is done by the boys. It's pretty crap.

it's compounding and contributing to the hundreds of messages children receive every day about who they are and their place in the world. So a child hearing that line. Or recalling in later life her/his mummy chatting to her pals will make a child either a servile, passive, down trodden little victim or a nasty, boorish, male chauvinist???? I think you need to get a grip.

"So a child hearing that line. Or recalling in later life her/his mummy chatting to her pals will make a child either a servile, passive, down trodden little victim or a nasty, boorish, male chauvinist????"

No it won't. Don't worry. It takes loads and loads of similar things constantly repeated to do that.

Oh, wait................................

Nooo!!!The babies cry, the mummies hush.

There were no daddies on our bus. He must have been at work, earning money to look after his wife, who was happy to be called Mrs Husband and wear a ring whilst she was on maternity leave from her powerful job she gained through hard work and many qualifications.

Bloody feminists.

It's the steady drip drip drip, though, isn't it? The rhyme by itself isn't great but no big deal (though it's lazy), but added to all the other sexist, gender sterotyping crap that our children will see and hear, it's a fucking tidal wave. And women sneering at other women about it won't change a damn thing.

DS2 (14) says he can't remember anything about singing Wheels on the Bus or who was on the bus. So i think we'll be ok. Phew

I tried to start a thread about the way women are responded to when they talk about stuff like this in here mirrors the way women are often treated in real life- don't make a fuss, smile, deal with it, appease, don't be silly, don't over react, don't overthink, that's life.....but it got deleted. I might try again.

What you are going to start a TAAT BR?

Just asked proper feminist ds what themummies on the bus did, and he said they "go nag nag nag"!! in must have blanked that one out!

No, a TA loads and loads of T. And about RL.

Yanbu op. It pisses me off. All this casual sexism adds up. Yes there are bigger issues but that's not the point. As my little act of defiance I change the words for grand old Duke of York to duchess and women.

Agree with you completely Bertrand.

I think that if you don't recognise that every one of these little things does matter, then it's because you have not fully woken up to what's going on and how sexism and patriarchy works. To me, that is the "truth". It's possible to be a feminist and think it doesn't matter, but it's not possible, IMO, that it actually does not matter.

I lead a toddler group and I've never sung the "mummies on the bus" verse because either "knit-knit-knit" or "chatter-chatter-chatter" rankled with me (and "babies going Wah!" doesn't fit with my experience of babies on buses either so I miss that verse out too).

I limit the bus to - "wheels....wipers.....horn..... driver (says "mind that road!") - or you can be singing it for ever and it's tedious as it is. [Also only a few of the mums/carers/grans sing, even when I ask them to join in, so I feel like a nellie singing it at the best of times.]

'Take it up with the council'
Dear God.

I will be contacting my council about the ladies in the library issuing the frankly dangerous advice "if you see a scary lion, don't forget to roar". Madness

I remember a conductor on the bus going "Tickets please!"

the Grannies "knit, knit, knit"

Can I take the hump at this stereotyping of grandmothers?

Christ, can't believe that's still being sung. Use to mildly annoy me when we sung it at the play group I took my DDs to: 31 and almost 29 respectively. 29 year old is expecting her second baby very soon.

They sing a completely different version at the play group she takes her DD to. Can't remember what it is as I only heard it the other day but the mummies were most definitely not chattering.

Daddies on the bus read the paper whereas mum shh the babies in the proper song.