"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.

And I haven't actually been on a bus for nearly 40 years, knitting or not.

The daddies go nod nod nod here too. As in nodding off to sleep, not nodding in agreement with the chatting mums unfortunately.

Whoever mentioned the 'bottle of rum to fill my tum' line - in DSs school assembly they sung 'a bottle of juice to give me a boost'

PC Gorn mad and all that! !

Real life is more wives tell their husbands to shut up. He would be lucky to get a polite shh from me. I don't think I'm allowed to sing that one.

"You know what?
Its possible to be a feminist, care about the issues and at the same time still not think one changeable and varying verse of one rhyme is a big deal"

But one changeable and varying verse of one rhyme is not a big deal..........

zzzzzzzzzzzz

What was your crime ouryve.

I brushed past his leg.

Poor guy. His balls were so big, his legs was half way across the aisle.

The gadgee on the bus had big, fragile balls, big fragile balls, big fragile balls...

YANBU
I explained to my dc that this is a load of sexist shit from a very early age indeed. It does matter.

It's shush shush shush here and the daddy's get I love you. I resent that, I know I'm forever saying no but I say I love you too.

I'm so stealing cuddles cuddles cuddles, genius!

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.

Erm, no. I think that it all contributes to a much bigger picture. That's what I said the first time.

I hate this 'calm down dear' attitude towards everyday sexism. I'm not hysterical, I'm not crying about it, I don't need a bloody grip. I've formed an opinion based on my experiences and I'm expressing it.

I've heard many different versions.

One I hates wasn't Mums chatter chatter chatter - it was Mum's nag nag nag.

I've also heard dad chat chatter chatter - and snore and yawn - but then Mum's sometimes yawn too.

Is it bad Gran's chatter is that sexists and ageist?

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".

Yep don't forget the smile and crocodile advise either - .

Not sure you're doing women any favours by changing the words of The Grand old Duke of York AntiHop as it's supposed to be all about a rather major cock up by Richard Duke of York resulting in the death of most of his army.

Hopefully no Duchesses or women were involved.

I am offended on the behalf of children, stereotyping them as all being crying whinge bags is not on :(

I am a feminist, but I simply can't worry about this, I would have a heart attack if I got worked up by nursery rhymes which you are free to change.

But of course, I'm not a good feminist because I don't care about this one at all.

ffs its a fking kids song get a life

U2 I was under the impression pre-verbal children cried as an effective way to communicate their needs. Do you see it as whinging?

Don't forget about those poor tall giraffes with everyone laughing at them.

PigsDOfly - it's not just still being sung, the LittleBabyBum version of it on youtube is the 10th most downloaded youtube video ever with about 1.5 billion views.

DS2, alone, might be responsible for half of them, which is why this thread is amusing me so much. It's one of his latest obsessions and we do about 30 verses of the song on the way home from school, almost every day!

I suspect that the introduction of a 'daddy verse' was some sort of attempt to be less sexist, not more.

I heard it when there were men at the groups GD, uncles and Dads or in one case running it with his DP for their children as well as others. Mix of SAHD, part timers, and shift workers, self employed and active GP coming alone with young ones.

What could these mummies be doing then?

Cuddle, cuddle, cuddle? Of course not! That suggests that mummies are liable for the majority of the child nurturing and rearing and excludes the patriarchy of their inherent responsibilities.

Smile smile smile? That would contribute to the unfair requirement of mothers to be radiate positivity when they may not wish to.

Sit there quietly? That suggests women are required and expected to be quite, have no opinions, be passive and not apt to engage with her surroundings!

The mummies on the bus discuss global poverty and geo-politics in a non judgemental manner.... that's better.

I would honestly love to live a life where I had to find things like this to be annoyed about.

Would it just be easier if we all wore badges denoting if we either are happy to be potrayed as sterotypes or prefer to be individuals?

ouryve

"i would honestly love to live a life where I had to find things like this to be annoyed about."

You do know it's possible to be concerned about little things as well as big things, don't you?