Thousands of children not ready for school

[Bonsoir]

Here

Agreed entirely - it was hard to find any useful info on her that wasn't supplied by her own website too! It needs someone to either agree with her or refute her ideas really, who is in the same field. But she seems to lecture a fair bit - so I guess some people think she has relevant ideas.

"reading fairy tales can teach children moral behaviour and empathy".
Oh really? Let's just look at some of these fairty tales, shall we?

1: "The Ugly Duckling." You will only gain worth when you are aesthetically pleasing.

2: "Cinderella". It is fine to form a long lasting relationship based on a few hours spent together.

3: "The Tinder Box". Murdering someone just so you can gain their possession, when they have helped you, is perfectly acceptable.

4: "Jack and the Beanstalk." Theft and manslaughter are to be applauded.

5: "The Little MatchGirl". Social responsibility towards a starving, under-dressed child can be quietly ignored as long as there's a happy ending.

As for reading to your child more and saying lots of nursery rhymes, I said and say loads of rhymes and stories to both my lads since they were born. And the lads got to hear them all as babies and toddlers and knew them back. Ds1 could recite back the story of the three little pigs before he could say "mine" or "mummy" or "no" or "duck". Ds2 can sing "twinkle twinkle little star" but not say "want juice".
Because oh yes, despite all this plethora of nursery rhymes and stories (and of course I spoke and speak to them normally as well), both of them still are on the autistic spectrum.

Good point thumbwitch - I always prefer articles that use views from several different sources when it comes to this kind of hot potato topic. To do otherwise smacks of lazy journalism / some kind of newspaper agenda.
Bullet - yes, I thought that comment about fairytales was particularly funny given the subject matter of most fairytales. It also made me laugh because a considerable body of research shows that children's understanding of morality typically follows a predictable developmental course, and that it is most guided by the lived examples of adults and peers rather than explicit teaching. She couldn't be much further from the truth.

Bullet - I thought the little Matchgirl died in the end? doesn't she? And then goes to heaven and the only "moral" there is that God accepts everyone, even those who people on earth shun and don't care about.

Many fairy stories are morally reprehensible - and if they weren't in the first place, then "disneyfying" makes sure they become so (or perhaps I'm still just fuming about the Little Mermaid - at least the original story teaches you not to throw away everything just to chase after a man because you'll end up with nothing)

FNP - agreed - that Telegraph article read more like an advertorial for her rather than actual proper journalism.

thumbwitch, have you ever read the Grimm fairytales? Rumplestiltskin in particular is horrific (google it)

Loads of 'fairy' tales are watered down versions of much more terrifying tales. tbh, I've never told DS any of them.. no 3 little pigs, cinderella, rumplestiltskin (ugh), Hansel and Gretel.. they're all very disturbing IMO.

also, Hi :)

hi Jareth! Yes, I have read the complete works of both the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen (he was one sick puppy too!) Many of them are, I'm sure, designed to keep children in a state of perpetual fear - take the Red Shoes - eek!

DS has had 3 little pigs and Jack and the Beanstalk but I modify them as I go along...

"Bullet - I thought the little Matchgirl died in the end? doesn't she? And then goes to heaven and the only "moral" there is that God accepts everyone, even those who people on earth shun and don't care about."

Yes, exactly! There she is, in the middle of a town, surrounded by people, selling her matches. And do any of them say to her "you must be freezing and hungry, here have some warm clothes and shoes and something to eat"? No, they do not. They ignore her and then when she dies, through freezing to death, they go "ahhh, look how peaceful she looks."
Terry Pratchett did a brilliant twist on it in "Hogfather".

thumbwitch, it's a shame you're as far away as you are, we share too much in common :) (least of all boys of almost exactly the same age)
(and the other thing)

I HATE fairytales... thank you to whoever brought them up because that is the essence of why I think Disney is fucking shit. Yes.. small child.. life is going to be terrible for you, your Mother will be shot, you will have to befriend a deficient bunny and learn to walk on ice, but it's OK... one day you'll have massive fucking antlers and won't care about any of that. Honest!

I know, I know - I can't have Bambi or Dumbo in the house! Shame about Dumbo cos I do quite love the crows' song but there's no way - it's too bloody distressing. Shameful.
I hate to say it though but I do think the Lion King has its uses... and not just as a coaster, it's been quite useful to point out various family truths to DS! As in: just cos they're family, doesn't mean they're nice; and the whole circle of life thing (it came a bit earlier than I thought but only because DS watched it at my Dad's and I'd never actually seen it so didn't realise that there was family death in that one too!) Still - DS seems fairly unfazed by it all so that's good. He's still not getting to see Dumbo and Bambi though.

Bullet - yes, Hogfather was excellent in many many ways.