What's wrong with the Berenstain Bears?

[KnitWit]

LOL at the tag!

:lol::lol:

[Education Explorers]

:iagree: I feel like my family has been reading incorrectly because we have never been influenced by literature the way other parents say their children are influenced. I was warned not to let my dd read Junie B. Jones because she would adopt bad grammar and learn that bad manners was acceptable. I was warned to not read Mrs. Piggle Wiggle because it taught kids that their parents didn't have a clue and only the kind lady down the street had any true authority and knowledge of kids. I was tsked tsked for letting my kids read Amelia Bedelia because it mocks people with special needs. Now I'm hearing that Berenstain Bears teaches kids that dads are idiots. I don't know whether to be happy that my kids aren't influenced by stories or sad that if they are missing out on those things, what else might they not be picking up on as well. I guess I've just never seen books as a way to teach my children anything. We've always read stories to enjoy stories. We just don't pick up on such deep meanings. We must be kind of stupid. :confused:

 

Count our family in with yours! :)

 

I always thought Papa was bumbling because the kids were supposed to identify with him and his mistakes.

 

I loved reading these books as a kid. I distinctly remember a feeling of pride that I could tell where Papa bears was making a mistake. The "Oh, I don't think he should do that" kind of feeling was rewarded when you turned the page and disaster befell Papa. As a little kid, I liked that I could figure out what was the right thing to do.

 

But these are books to teach lessons. If the parents and kids are all neat and tidy and perfect, there's no book! The dopey dad and gooney kids give a chance for the reader (a kid) to not feel like such an idiot for not keeping his/her room straight and eating healthily. If the dad is a fool, and the kids correct him, isn't it really the reader who is being corrected, by another kid -- which is less ego crushing than yet another adult telling them they are wrong, wrong, wrong?

 

I never thought this as a child, but maybe that is why I loved them so much. I do remember reading the more recent (ie-- less bumbling Papa) books to the kids and being disappointed. I was looking for Papa bear to get into trouble...

 

If reading Berenstain Bears is going to damage my children's psyche, so be it. They can just put it on the list for their therapist for when they are older.

 

Reason # 439322 of Ways My Mother Screwed Me Up

She allowed me to read Berenstain Bears books. Gasp!

[black_midori]

My kids always loved how Papa Bear gets right in there and does things with the kids, even if he does end up messing it up. He flies kits, makes kites, runs races, hunts for honey - all sorts of things with his kids! I would way rather have a bumbling but involve role model than a "too busy to play, have to go now" one...

[momma2three]

My daughter is psychic, because she made me read he 2 Berenstein Bears books today. We read "Go out for the Team" and "Have a sitter." Neither parent really bumbles in either of them... though Mama is kind of a downer in Go Out for the Team" (she says she's not sure it's a good idea because there will be a lot of pressure... she is right that there turns out to be pressure, but it's also used as a lesson in handling pressure gracefully and with realistic expectations.)

 

Mama also screams at the ump in the end, and Sister returns Mama's "it's just a game" line at her. I guess if you really believe that children should never, ever talk back to parents, that would be offensive... but it's also both a tool to remind readers what the point of the book was AND make the reader (who knows that Sister is right, and thus identifies with her) feels empowered that they understand that more than the grownup does in this situation.

 

The parents aren't really much in the sitter book, except to tell the kids not to worry about having a sitter. I also liked how there's a little bit about how they're feeling while they're out: I assume it reassures kids that even if their parents are away, they have not forgotten their children.

 

But, no bumbling. Some preachiness, sure. But my daughter sure seems to eat these books up: we have the whole pile I had as a kid, and she makes me read them to her all the time! The only one I won't read is about the popular girl, because I think that one's definitely for older kids.

[Mommy22alyns]

LOL at the tag!

 

 

:smilielol5:

 

Sylvia particularly loved this book; she still gets it out often.