if LO doesn't watch any/much TV - starting to cause differences in play with other kids??

WiggleBaby

I dont know if i phrased that subject line correctly.  But basically my DD watches very limited TV, only a couple of different shows that she's ever seen (zero movies), and it just works for us.  so my point is - other kids are starting to use these Disney/etc characters in their interactive play (she is 3.5 so kids are playing together much more now), even teachers use it in some of her classes, and she doesn't know about it (she'll usually just stare at them, LOL).  Just curious if other people feel this same way?  We'll just explain it to her - once she asks.  not really much else you can do.  it's a little frustrating just HOW pervasive these things are for kids.  and every adult just expects that every kid watches every disney movie.  it's a bit odd to me.  i guess i just wanted to commiserate with like-minded parents!

 

smilejenn

I can somewhat relate to your post. My oldest son just turned five this summer and we haven't shown him the Star Wars movies yet as we don't feel that they are age appropriate. He was the only boy in his 4 year old preschool class last year who hadn't watched them. He did have some trouble fitting in with everyone on the playground during imaginative play, but he eventually picked up the names of the characters enough where he could play along too.

VTbride05

I see differences with my son too. He is clueless about the characters that kids pretend to be/talk about.

ElatedMom2B

My daughter was like this also - she only watches a couple of educational shows occasionally.  All of her friends play with and talk about the Disney princesses.  I have to admit that I have caved and since let her watch a few of the movies.  I felt they were harmless enough - just the classics.  At least she can relate and I do admit that I love that she occasionally will dress up like them and pretend on her own.  I am happy with my choice - not trying to sway you one way or another, however, there are SEVERAL books that are based off of movies - Cars, Toy Story, Nemo all of the princesses, etc.  Have you read those?  Perhaps it will allow your LO to relate a little better.

WiggleBaby

thanks - nice to know i'm not alone at least!

we're not restrictive about this stuff, my DD knows a few of the names from Cars just from playing, and she generically knows "The Disney Princesses" but doesn't remember each one's name.  without ever watching anything, she knows Dora and Spongebob (thanks to the marketing-machine!) and we'll always get books at the library if she's interested.  She just doesn't care much, and it's not our style either so it's hard to force it just cuz other people do it.  she hates dress-up (no matter what style), so she doesnt seem to want to join in on the princess dresses that her friends do anyway. and i've asked her if she wants to watch a movie with me (or go to a theater and have a special date with mom) but she says no... and i'm not going to force it.

it'll be interesting to see how it plays out as they get older though!  peer pressure can be tough!

 

CalBears

We don't like our daughters to watch tv. However,our 4 year old daughter still seems to know about the disney characters. People have gifted her disney coloring books, stories, and other toys. I guess that's how she knows the characters. Also, as others said, she picked up some of the names from friends at school.

LoCarb

I can relate. DD actually prefers watching cooking shows on Youtube then cartoons. IF she watches any shows it's one a night. She used to watch more but still not any Disney movies. I tempted to rent movies from our library and stick her in front of the TV so she'll know the Disney Princess characters Until then, she owns books w/ some of the characters we will read.

KathrynMD

We watch some, but not a lot of TV.  We never talk about Princesses or Super Heros, but yet DD knows alot about them.  I don't really discourage it, but I don't buy stuff either.

I had a friend in HS who's parents were totally anti-TV and she never watched any cartoons or other kid shows and it was a little weird that she didn't have alot of the same cultural references, but it was never a big deal.

roxy_jj

At 3, DD was watching tv, but none of it was Disney.  She still knew about all the princesses and loved Minnie Mouse.  I guess it was all from her friends at school.  At that time, I was pretty anti Disney princess stuff.  She's now 5 and loves the Disney princesses and doesn't like the Disney movies. We have showed them to her, but she finds them too scary (she's easily scared by movies/tv shows).  I didn't think it was that big of a deal when she was learning about those characters and she picked up on who the characters were really quickly, so there wasn't much explaining that needed to be done. 

aglenn

DD watches some TV, but she knows all about all the characters in shows/movies she doesn't watch because her friends at day care talk about them all the time.  She can identify Lightning McQueen and tell me all kinds of things about what the various cars say/do, and we've never watched the Cars movie.  And the princesses have taken over our house despite my attempts to avoid them.    Brilliant marketing, I guess.

Smores730

My DD has seen Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, but she knows every Disney princess name and has since long before she saw those movies. She would receive a coloring sheet here, another product there and would ask me their names on the regular. I'm so not girly it freaks me out. If she asked me for a princess party, I might just gag.

Aside from that I do know what you're talking about regarding people expecting your kids to know all cartoons. Every time we go to the dentist or the pedi, they want to give the kids stickers and they're like "who's your favorite?!" and they'll be like "oh do you like Diego?" LOL. 

WiggleBaby

Smores730:

Aside from that I do know what you're talking about regarding people expecting your kids to know all cartoons. Every time we go to the dentist or the pedi, they want to give the kids stickers and they're like "who's your favorite?!" and they'll be like "oh do you like Diego?" LOL. 

oh i know!!! this drives me crazy!  the doc's office is probably where she learned who Dora was, because they kept giving her those stickers.  and one teacher just offered stickers to the kids - she had robots for the boys and then pulled out a sheet of princess stickers for the girls and asked DD "who is your favorite princess?" - she just stared and said nothing.  hahaha...

 

chloephoebecali

We went to DW so DD knows some of the main characters.  She has seen some of the movies, but only once or so.  She is scared easily and there were scenes that frightened her.  She still likes the idea of them although she calls them ballerinas instead of princesses.  I don't think she understands the whole concept and I am fine with that since I am not really into the princesses or concept.  DD mostly loves the idea of them dancing and their big dresses.  We have the books, though, and some other non-Disney books that tell the same stories.  I don't think that Disney owns the stories.  I think they are just general fairy tales that Disney put their own spin on.  If you really wanted your LO to have some sort of sense of the stories, you can find the books that are not Disney related and avoid all the over marketing that they have.

Pelusa214

I think that the kids pick up on things quickly & can learn the characters, etc. without watching them on tv (at least enough to play with other kids).  My DD watches an average of 10 minutes of PBS kids a day (I let her watch the Goodnight Show while I put the baby to bed).  We let her watch a few Disney movies on occasion, and she watches Annie sometimes.  That's pretty much it (when I'm home, anyway.  When DH is home, he lets her watch tv more, but still not nearly as much as I think the average preschooler watches)  She LOVES Dora, even though she's only seen it once in her life!  She talks about Dora, wants to buy things that have Dora on them, etc., all because her 2 y/o cousin watches Dora & talks about her.  I don't really think my DD knows that she's missing anything by not watching the show.  I also agree that finding the books will help.  We did that for a lot of the Disney stories (because we want her to "get" Disney World when we finally go in a few years).

garnet10

Here is my perspective as someone who grew up in house were TV was pretty restricted and had a mom who like to push her disinterest in pop culture on me. Cultural literacy does have importance particularly for children. I always felt very sensitive and embarrassed to not know what other kids were talking about, and even as an adult when people reminisce about their favorite shows and movies as a kid it makes me feel like I missed out on something. I'm in favor of exposing kids to all kinds of things and letting them make choices rather than restricting.And if you look there are always to use things from pop culture to get kids excited about real educational things. Like a love of princesses doesn't have to be about just sparkles and gender stereotypes. You can use it as a way to start learning about history, castles, classic fairy tales, etc.