Remember the fuss about CBeebies Kerry?

[janpa]

The forearm has fallen off DD's favourite baby and can't be repaired. I said it didn't matter and she was now like that lady on CBeebies (don't want that to sound like I was being flippant, but was trying to put a positive slant on the situation). It took ages for her to work out who I meant (I'm no good with names) and I had to describe her in many more ways. Eventually she realised who I meant but she was stunned to be told about Kerry's arm as she had never noticed it. It led to lots of positive discussion but it did remind me of all those poisonous people who couldn't see past Kerry's 'disability' when she was employed, yet my (dare I say it) fairly bright 4 year old had never even noticed.
Aren't children great?

They are!

I was talking to my friend about toddlers and little ones today and saying how there's no bull shit with them. They like you, or they don't. They like your food, or they don't. They don't pretend and they don't people please.

I remember the crap about Cerri, I didn't have kids at the time, but thought about how narrow minded some peope were.

DS is 5 and still watches CBeebies. He has never ever mentioned Kerri and her disability and neither have I. The fuss was all over protective mothers - the kids were not bothered and are just accepting of people and how they are.

hear here well said sw

My DD talked about it for the first time just a few weeks ago and called it her "magic" arm. No questions, no fuss about it, just acceptance.

Was there a fuss about her? What objections did mums have? DH and I were only saying the other day we thought it was great that she was on there, very positive.

My otherwise pretty bright four year old hasn't noticed either. I recently asked her if there was anything different about Cerrie, having waited MONTHS to see if she'd notice it herself, and she said 'she's really REALLY pretty'. I love that about children. She was right. It's probably the best thing to notice about her. I didn't point out that there was something else unusual about her, btw. I just said 'you're right, she is really pretty'.

Ddat 4 noticed, we talked about it, and that was that. I cannot see what the problem is at all - kids are very neurtral and accepting about stuff. If only it lasted...

It's not that they don't notice, it's that they don't distiguish by it.

(it's Cerrie btw :) )

Ginger... some parents complained that having someone on children's TV with a visible disability was too traumatic for their children and shouldn't be allowed. Beggars belief. Even if a child was a bit upset by it (and most kids most probably wouldn't be ).. why wouldn't you take the opportunity as a parent to have a discussion about it, rather than ringing the BBC to complain?????????? Shocking and those parents should be ashamed

lilo, I'm ashamed to admit that when Cerrie first came on CBeebies I was concerned about how DS would react. A quick peer into MN realigned my thinking into normal territory and tbh I haven't thought about it since. The only people who notice Cerrie's arm are random guests who've never seen CBeebies before (or any such disability). DS is 3 and I don't think he's even noticed it. There were several times over the summer when he was playing with a little girl at the local paddling pool who has the same thing, and he didn't even see it. :)

Jareth, well done for being honest. I can see why young children might be a bit frightened , or why parents might be worried about their children's reaction - I think that's understandable. But to phone the BBC to get Cerrie taken off air, rather than to think about it/consult MN/take the opportunity to educate your kids - cannot get my head round that at all (and no-one in my family has a disability, so a totally objective view)

lilolil maybe these people think that all disabled people should stay at home behind closed doors, for fear of upsetting their precious DCs! It really does beggar belief.

Brilliant..I had a situation in a shopping where a small girl with very noticeable facial disfugurement walked past us, my DD then 4 stared and stared then loudly shouted "Mummy that girl has the most beautiful sparkly shoes I have ever seen"

I don't think there was a big fuss about it was there? I think most people were just sad that Chris and Pui had been replaced, and Alex and Cerrie's presenting skills were ropey to say the least when they started, though I've warmed to them now.

AnyFuleKno - there was a huge fuss, with some parents saying she should be removed from our children's vision incase she gave them nightmares. It was a big thing in the press and on Mumsnet too. Love comment from FromFirstToLast - as I said - aren't children great! (Sorry about misspelling Jareth [embarrassed])

AnyFuleKno there was a MASSIVE fuss, loads of calls to the BBC asking for her to be removed because it was upsetting the callers' children (hence my post about WTF would you phone BBC rather than help your children understand about disability). I saw Cerrie at an awards event not long after, believe me there was a fuss.

Oh right, must have missed that