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AIBU?

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Original poster

to be annoyed with this sexist reading advice sent home from school?

294 replies

morningpaper · 02/12/2008 17:05

"Until the day your daughter expresses an interest in rocket science or your son gets into showjumping, you won?t go far wrong if you try them out with these kinds of books?

Boys...

  • Enjoy books about their interests - especially dinosaur ones!
  • Like books that are a bit scary, funny or have silly jokes.
  • Often have a shorter attention span, so books you can dip in and out of may work better for them. Try comic strip books and non fiction.
  • Prefer big, bold, colourful illustrations or things that can be moved or touched.
  • Like reading to have a purpose, for example books that show you how to make things or tell you about things.

Girls...

  • Enjoy series of books about the same characters.
  • Like to listen to talking books and watch DVDs of favourite books.
  • Enjoy a bit of fantasy, magic and make believe ? princesses, castles and so on.
  • Like sparkle and glitter on the pages.
  • Enjoy books that have props with them ? dolls, soft toys, dressing-up clothes."
OP posts:
Niecie · 02/12/2008 17:43

Oh no! Neither of my boys are interested in rocket science and they have both expressed an interest in learning to ride in the last couple of days. I have clearly failed as a parent!

I think taking the sexist stereotypes out would make it much better advice. All children enjoy books about their interests - after all who wants to read about things they aren't interested in though?

Don't all new readers like big colourful pictures?

Most children like a bit of fantasy and magic and most I have met like to listen to talking books and watching DVDs of favourite books.

The girls DS1 knows don't like glitter and fairies either. DS himself loves castles although replace princesses with knights.

Why split the advice into boys and girls? Just giving suggestions on what encourages children to read would be much better advice.

OP of course YANBU

snigger · 02/12/2008 17:45

"Gosh, Amazons, don't you think you should be back at camp making scrambled eggs while we consider our future position in the Empire?"

I refuse to consider with a critical eye my daughter's interest in glitter, gizzards, or geology.

Way to inhibit, Leapfrog.

cazzybabs · 02/12/2008 17:46

I haven't read all the replies...and I do think it is sexist and I have a girl who likes dinosaurs and Horrid Henry and bums

however as a general rule it is true what they are saying AND if getting boys into reading is a problem at your school then to me it sounds like great advice.

cazzybabs · 02/12/2008 17:47

hummm maybe they should just take out the first sentence

Original poster
morningpaper · 02/12/2008 17:48

The first sentence is the worse

The rest is just rubbing salt into the wounds

OP posts:
PopBitch · 02/12/2008 18:08

Let us know what they say, I'd be interested.

I will also complain if I get sent this.

here's a girl who turned from cheer leading to rocket science

Threadworrm · 02/12/2008 18:11

Leapfrog sells so-called educational gadgetry-tat, is that right? The idea that just books, books on their own, books without a free cuddly giraffe or Something That Beeps, are too boring/difficult for children is really pants, big big pants.

It's all part of the 'eat your greens' approach to reading -- you get a book just so that you can have pudding, i.e. plastic tat.

And then they overlay that with all the sexist garbage too. Of course boys and girls, on the whole, are different. But not in the antiquated way that the rocket-science-and-sparkles characterisation implies.

Just put them among a huge pile of books (i.e. in the library) and let them find a path. Without buying anything. Even if that means losing the forty pieces of silver crap commissions that schools seem obsessed with.

nooka · 02/12/2008 18:58

My children do confirm those stereotypes, I am afraid, and so do many others. I have had to actively fight against the pink crap (I can't believe it extends to books) although my son hasn't been that dinosaur mad (trains were his thing, another stereotypically boy interest). I wouldn't buy anything from leapfrog though - I think a lot of the branded not-quite-books are overpriced and unimaginative and there are so many really good books out there. The problem I think is bridging from picture books to chapter books without going down the dark path of pink and sparkly or "funny" and rubbish.

pointydog · 02/12/2008 19:04

only read op but that is shocking. Totally sexist

pointydog · 02/12/2008 19:07

good letter, mp. Do tell if you get a reply.

There can be a surprising amount of sexism among teachers, I find.

hatwoman · 02/12/2008 20:14

I've fired off an email too. If you go on their website and click on feedback you get to a form that actually has a person's email address on it. So I sent it to him, as well as the info one:

I was deeply shocked, when looking at your website to read your "advice" on letting boys be boys and girls be girls. As far as I am aware this kind of outdated stereo-typing will do very little indeed to genuinely encourage children of either gender to use books as a way of indulging their own, individual interests.

The worst example of such stereo-typing - "until the day your daughter expresses an interest in rocket science" - seems to imply that girls being interested in science is some kind of oddity. This is nothing short of shocking and, frankly, ignorant - given the fact that girls actually tend to outperform boys in science subjects.

I do not deny that there may be recognised differences in the reading behaviours of boys and girls. However I would expect a company like yours to present them in a way that firstly acknowledges the greater importance of encouraging interest and reading in all children, and secondly that does not do such genuine differences a disservice by reducing them to huge patronising generalisations about dinosaurs and glitter.

I would be very interested in your response to this

Original poster
morningpaper · 02/12/2008 20:20

good letter hatwoman

DH has seen the brochure and is FUMING

OP posts:
DunderMifflin · 02/12/2008 20:25

GO HATWOMAN - that is brilliant!

I will also email them but I've just got to paint my nails (glittery polish, natch) and think about kittens and embroidery first..!

Reallytired · 02/12/2008 20:30

I think that advice is vile.

Anyway there is a lot to be said for slightly pushing a child outside their confort zone occasssionally. For example my husband has got my son a book on King Alfred the Great though my son is mainly interested in fanasty books.

If a child read books about nothing but faires or rockets or dinosaurs it would be very blinkered. Children need to read a range of material and learn that reading is not just reading stories.

annoyingdevil · 02/12/2008 20:33

Yes, they can be very sexist. I've read some shocking posts by teachers on here.

ByTheSea · 02/12/2008 20:34

YANBU. What utter shite!

onthewarpath · 02/12/2008 20:38

!!!!!

Gingerbear · 02/12/2008 20:41

Oh lord, I am guilty of sucumbing to sexist stereotype. DD is 6 and loves horses, fairies and glitter.
But she is also a brilliant mathematician and very interested in science and technology.

Is it not true that to engage boys and girls we should appeal to their gender preferences?

DunderMifflin · 02/12/2008 20:41

I've just sent them this:

I was shocked and angry to read the details of the ?Let Boys Be Boys?? tips on your website and felt I had to contact you with regards to this.

I find it sexist and old-fashioned for Leap Frog, a company that prides itself on supporting children to learn and develop their full potential, to provide such a stereotypical and limiting view of boys and girls. Your out-dated ?advice? goes against all the values I am instilling in my son and daughter; you should be embarrassed to be including this type of uninformed rubbish on your site.

Original poster
morningpaper · 02/12/2008 20:43

Of COURSE we need to appear to whatever they like

But "Until the day your daughter expresses an interest in rocket science" suggests that: 1. 'that'll be the day!' 2. Don't introduce 'science' to girls UNTIL THAT DAY 3. such a girl would be quite odd

and loads of other CRAP

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 02/12/2008 20:43

ie I have been in primary schools and shown girls how making soap and bubble bath is directly related to science and engineering.
Am I wrong in appealing to their girly side to entice them into a career in science?

atowncalledalice · 02/12/2008 20:45

This is appalling. DS1 was a huge Enid Blyton fan at six or seven - including the Mallory Towers series And I hated a lot of books with female protagonists as a child, probably because they were all so feeble.

Gingerbear · 02/12/2008 20:45

God, I think I must have been one of those 'that'll be the day girls'

In fact I think I completely agree with you MP. Tis the inference of sexism in the original statement that is diabolical.

AtheneNoctua · 02/12/2008 20:45

Everything on that boy list is true about DD. And so is everything on the girl list.

DS is well aware of what things are for boys and what things are for girls. He is 3. When he watches commercials on the telly for every boy toy he he says "I want that!" For every girl toy he says "I don't want that. It's for girls. Get it for (insert DD's name)".

Hulababy · 02/12/2008 20:47

I think the first sentence is a bit out of order - encourages gender specific roles, etc.

However form my experiece some of the comments in the actual lists do seem to ring true for the majority of the children I know. Whether people like it or not many children are drawn to gender specfic interests, even when in an environment where there are equal opportunities to the full. A lot fo gender stuff is nature IME.

Presumably they have done research and discovered this to be the case? Why not ask them?

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