to think this is patronising to parents

[CookieTin]

Getting bombarded with petitions to save CBBC so I can put the kettle on and distract the kids.

speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/save-cbeebies?utm_source=member&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=FIXu4njp53

Not so they can watch stuff made by smart people who give a shit about children. Not so what is made isn't about selling them stuff and ideologies from Corporate Heaven. Not so what is made is engaging enough to let us talk and create from it. No, so I can do the bloody washing.

Not being holier than thou, have used TV like this, but I don't think it's the reason I'd use in a public debate, 'Sometimes parents need to do slightly crap things'. They're not fighting to keep news Independent just to let DP be righteously angry while I cook tea.

Tell me I'm on the wrong thread or climbing on Everest-high horses so I can get back to some actual caring.

I agree. I'm not well and have used TV in the past when I've felt particularly crap but it's not a default babysitter, it should be about down time, entertainment and occasionally an educational programme. Plus I prefer channels without the constant bombardment of bloody adverts. If DCs watch Milkshake, they ask for things without even knowing what it is sometimes!

I remember having very limited and strict TV times, I do limit it but they watch more than I did, particularly after school. They just want to chill. We don't get any children's channels so CBBC, CITV and Cbeebies is all we have. I much prefer these to the constant American stuff on the subscription channels.

I agree too - because there will always be shit children's TV that they'll watch to allow you to put a wash on (God knows I watched all sorts of crap cartoons indiscriminately when I was little!). I think it would be a real shame to lose CBeebies because the average quality of programme is generally so much higher than that on some of the commercial channels.

Wasn't there a similar petition a few months ago and there was some sort of official response along the lines of CBeebies being safe?

There's some great programmes on CBeebies though. A good mix of entertainment and educational programs.

I agree. It often is a babysitter in our house for dinner cooking, and am a massive fan of cbeebies. If nothing else, because I refuse to have commercial TV on!

The whole petition is misleading. There are plans to 'top slice' some children's TV funding. Not get rid of CBeebies. The whole of 38 degrees is just left wing propaganda.

I agree. It undermines and misses the point of why those channels are important ie no advertising and a much higher standard of programming.

I feel the same about the campaigns against SATS which just went on about how stressful kids find the tests, rather than the main point which is the curriculum is shit and full of pointless 'knowledge' that the kids have to waste time learning in order to answer the questions!

It just makes these campaigns sound so wishy-washy and stops people from taking then seriously.

Agreed, ShnooShnoo about the SATs. My dd hasn't been remotely stressed about them, but I object on the basis that she has spent a year having her head stuffed with tense structures and past progressive conjunctive subjunctive gobbledegook that is completely forgotten about the minute they leave primary school.

Not happy about CBeebies going either (because I used to actually watch the programmes rather than use that time for chores .)