Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to not allow popular kids characters/music in the house?

533 replies

Elilanna · 09/08/2022 07:37

No kids yet, but I'm hoping to have them in the near-ish future, work in the early childhood sector and have a young niece and nephew so I'm quite aware of what's popular with the little ones these days, but I'm personally not a fan and would rather not expose my own children to any of that media, at least not when they're very small - but I've heard a lot of criticism of this approach, that "only crunchy hippie mums do that!" and "it's part of our culture, you're depriving them of an important part of childhood!" Specifically I'd be avoiding Disney, Cocomelon, and the Wiggles, and even things I don't mind wouldn't be on baby's clothes & other belongings as I don't believe in turning your child into free advertising for a popular brand. I'm otherwise not very "hippie" or "crunchy", this is just the one thing where I'd like to limit their exposure.

So... tell me I'm not the only one who wants to do this?

OP posts:
Buttercupsx · 10/08/2022 20:00

@TheKeatingFive PM’d you

saraclara · 10/08/2022 20:04

I remember the first time we took our first born to the cinema. It was to see The Little Mermaid. DD was entranced and actually had tears in her eyes and a gorgeous smile of happiness on her face at the (totally inaccurate) happy ending.

My MIL bought the girls a video of the animated Disney Robin Hood. They adored it. Sometimes she'd have them for the day (maybe at 3 and 4 years old) and I'd come home from work to find the three of them in random dressing up clothes pretending to be Robin, Maid Marian and the sheriff.

I'd been anti Disney before they erre born, but the above are amongst my favourite memories of my girls being small.
Oh, and the daughter who was so emotional about the happy ending of the Little Mermaid, was and is super sporty, and was the least 'girly' of all her school friends. These films and cartoons are nowhere near as scarily formative as some parents think.

NannaKaren · 10/08/2022 20:05

Hmmmm just spat my Tea all down me…laughing. Hysterically now!

Mamiamamia · 10/08/2022 20:11

Elilanna · 09/08/2022 07:37

No kids yet, but I'm hoping to have them in the near-ish future, work in the early childhood sector and have a young niece and nephew so I'm quite aware of what's popular with the little ones these days, but I'm personally not a fan and would rather not expose my own children to any of that media, at least not when they're very small - but I've heard a lot of criticism of this approach, that "only crunchy hippie mums do that!" and "it's part of our culture, you're depriving them of an important part of childhood!" Specifically I'd be avoiding Disney, Cocomelon, and the Wiggles, and even things I don't mind wouldn't be on baby's clothes & other belongings as I don't believe in turning your child into free advertising for a popular brand. I'm otherwise not very "hippie" or "crunchy", this is just the one thing where I'd like to limit their exposure.

So... tell me I'm not the only one who wants to do this?

Do a bit of research into Waldorf, you don’t have to get into the whole Anthroposophy side of things, and can just take from it what resonates with you (it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach) - I think you would find that this fits with your views for the early years.

JennyWren87 · 10/08/2022 20:13

Nope YANBU. In the beginning you get to decide! Once they're exposed to popular cartoons at friends houses and like them then I'd allow it no problem. But for now we've picked up that our 21 month old loves dinosaurs so "Land before Time" is our chosen program/movies. He absolutely loves them and won't watch anything else.

Anastar23 · 10/08/2022 20:27

🤣 I had the same stance.. then I had kids. Don’t do it is my advice tbh 🙈

user1491320660 · 10/08/2022 20:30

Elilanna · 09/08/2022 07:37

No kids yet, but I'm hoping to have them in the near-ish future, work in the early childhood sector and have a young niece and nephew so I'm quite aware of what's popular with the little ones these days, but I'm personally not a fan and would rather not expose my own children to any of that media, at least not when they're very small - but I've heard a lot of criticism of this approach, that "only crunchy hippie mums do that!" and "it's part of our culture, you're depriving them of an important part of childhood!" Specifically I'd be avoiding Disney, Cocomelon, and the Wiggles, and even things I don't mind wouldn't be on baby's clothes & other belongings as I don't believe in turning your child into free advertising for a popular brand. I'm otherwise not very "hippie" or "crunchy", this is just the one thing where I'd like to limit their exposure.

So... tell me I'm not the only one who wants to do this?

I keep my kid away from Youtube, especially Ryan and Adley. Netflixs is watched daily and I have no problem with it. Not sure what you do not like about CoCo Melon, my daughter loves it and we both sing along. I think it hard to say what you would be like before having a child and knowing their personality. My daughter watched Ryan for a couple of weeks and I didn't like the effect it was having her, so I decided that it was no longer to be watched. As much as you think you know how to handle being a parent, the reality is far, far different. As a funny aside I kept my daughter away from pink only for pink to know be favourite colour!

curiouscatgotkilled · 10/08/2022 20:37

You'll be sorry you missed out on Bluey and Hey Duggee.
I had similar ideals before my actual children arrived, I'm not even sure why, TV isn't the devils work, it's nice! And really helpful in the long days of parenting small children.

BryceQuinlanTheFirst · 10/08/2022 20:40

Some Disney is lovely.

Moana, zootropolis - great female leads

Fluffmum · 10/08/2022 20:40

Good luck with that!

Fisifoofoo · 10/08/2022 20:47

ohfook · 09/08/2022 07:49

It's totally up to you what you do with your own kids when you have them.

But, parenting is hard, and for me I quickly discarded a lot of the ideals I had that were just making my life harder for no good reason. Basically the lower your standards, the easier it is.

So I think it's a nice idea, but if/when you have kids only stick with it if you find it's actually working for you.

I agree.

Many of us seasoned parents may be rolling our eyes remembering all our best laid plans, but we had them - whether we fulfilled them or not.

danishkids · 10/08/2022 20:50

I also dislike character clothing. I never thought I would buy them. However my kids love them and it makes them happy, so they win. I have almost fully embraced the world of character clothing. (Although try to avoid them on special occasions when I want the kids to look more presentable)

LadyHelenaJustina · 10/08/2022 20:50

I had parents who didn’t let me watch particular programmes on TV, and I wasn’t allowed to see the films that my friends saw.

My experience of that meant that I did not impose such needlessly dogmatic views on my own children.

nopuppiesallowed · 10/08/2022 20:51

I banned Grange Hill after watching it with my kids because I didn't think the bullying aspect portrayed would be particularly edifying. I banned East Enders because I didn't like the aggressive way the characters talked to each other. I've always believed that if you put junk food into growing children it affects their growing bodies and if you put junk images into growing children it affects their growing minds. No doubt not everyone agreed with me. I had several interesting conversations with all 3 children as to the reasons for my decisions but I was the adult and they were children. They could easily have rebelled and gone their own ways when i wasn't around. That would have been their perogative. However, when my youngest was still at primary school, she went to a sleepover at a friend's house. The parents allowed them to watch The Exorcist. My daughter went in to another room to read her book. It didn't affect her popularity.
I haven't seen the newer Disney films or the latest children's TV shows but wouldn't hesitate to make my own decisions on their suitability if I had young children.

flasha · 10/08/2022 21:09

😂👍

Sartre · 10/08/2022 21:10

Everyone’s a perfect parent before they have children.

bellocchild · 10/08/2022 21:13

You stick with it, OP. You are NBU. Your house, your rules. We didn't have Disney cartoons or unattractive cartoon characters on cots or clothing and ours grew up fine! And yes, they watched tv and videos, and went to the cinema. They just didn't walk round wearing them.

FanfictionFan · 10/08/2022 21:14

"But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!"

Good luck with your future plans x

Stickmansmum · 10/08/2022 21:14

Yep, that was my plan. I was even willing to be hippie/crunchie mum!

The kids had other plans. And it’s so weird, it’s like they have their own personality, desires, likes and dislikes. I still can’t believe it😡

Wafflesnsniffles · 10/08/2022 21:17

Hi OP - I gather most people on your thread think you are being entirely unreasonable and naive........ because you havent got kids yet so what would you know.
Well mine are young adults now - I took exactly the approach you are inspired by. Definitely all ok here. Its honestly never been an issue. If they have kids of their own they will take the same approach.
We dont have a tv either (shocker!) except one we watch dvds on. Also not an issue.

I say go for it - it cant harm. If it turns out your kids are itching for such things.......... well then you'll have to reevaluate but until then its worth a go. Its always been a positive choice for us (ditto opting for mostly wooden toys, no batteries etc)

celticprincess · 10/08/2022 21:20

What have you got against the wiggles?? They were trainee teachers who did a project as part of their course and it kind of took over from what I’ve read. We got into them second time round as we have family in Australia. But both kids absolutely loved them and we had all their dvds. Missed them touting the UK!! Watched their changes in members over the years. I’m also a teacher and many of their versions of popular kids songs are played in my classroom as they are better than the random cartoon versions on YouTube.

mine went through the night garden phase. They’re actually good types of cartoons and shows for pre verbal children and do actually have some research behind them. They soon move through the phases of what’s popular. When OP has children there will be something else that’s the popular thing to watch. I know some programmes changed between my children. Although Peppa Pig seems to have hung around forever and is still going strong. I was glad when they got out of that phase as it seemed never ending.

we tried with the no pink thing. I’m not a fan of pink so never bought it and still don’t 13 years later. But unfortunately I couldn’t stop other people buying it. And also the green/unisex baby type toys tended to disappear around the age of 2 and all the more gender coloured pink and blue tried to take over. However neither of my girls are into pink that much now they are older and we did encourage playing with all types of toys.

we all have this idea of what’s best before we have children and we all soon change that idea when reality hits and you realise that other people have influences on your child, or that they have actually been born with a life long disability and at age 14 still absolutely adore Peppa pig and the wiggles ( not my own children but have family/friends wit disabled children).

Oatmealbiscuits · 10/08/2022 21:21

Yeah I thought I'd not have screens forever .... And now I'm so damn grateful for the f'kin paw patrol that I would happily wear their merchandise myself.

I get to sit down for 10 glorious minutes.

DeadButDelicious · 10/08/2022 21:21

I can get on board with no cocomelon, purely because I cannot stand it 😂, I wish I'd never let my DD watch it. Its mind numbingly awful. Thankfully she outgrew it quickly enough and I haven't had to watch it for a good few years now. I don't quite get no Disney, the newer Disney films like Moana, Brave, Encanto etc have good strong female leads. My DD loves some of the older ones like Robin Hood and Sword in the stone too. Honestly I think you'll be hard pressed to have no Disney ever, they'll reach school age and their peers will teach them what it is. I have no idea about the wiggles. We've never seen it.

Look, we all get 'ideas' about what our hypothetical children will and will not watch/do/play with and most if not all of that goes right out of the window once the actual children show up and reality sets in. I was all 'there will be no plastic, no adverts etc, etc ' DD didn't give a shit about any of that and my dining room is now home to a very large plastic dolls house. They only thing I've managed to stand firm on is no LOL dolls. And that's not been easy, let me tell you! DD can be relentless when she wants 😂😂. You do what you have too to get through the first few years relatively sane. Don't set yourself up for a hard time before you even have the kid.

Bangolads · 10/08/2022 21:23

Oh bless you, we’ve all been you before. You really will have far more important things to think about.

TheKeatingFive · 10/08/2022 21:32

And now I'm so damn grateful for the f'kin paw patrol that I would happily wear their merchandise myself.

😂