UK Parents Complain One-Armed TV Host Is Scaring Kids

Gold Member Joined: Mar 08 2006 Posts: 2405

For a change, I'm actually speechless. Crying or Very sad

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Posted: Sat, Feb 28 2009, 6:17 pm Post subject:

their kids don't have to watch it if it scares them.
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But she'll never forget what she forgave

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 06 2008 Posts: 5149

good point mali, TV is not compulsory.

I think these parents are causing their kids far more damage then viewing a one armed woman could ever do.
The message they are giving their kids is one of intolerance and disgust rather then using the opportunity to educate them in the right way.

I sure hope the hosts don't take their complaints seriously. I'm afraid the fear of losing ratings may affect their judgment.

I think its a beautiful message that kids see that someone with this disability is doing something on tv. I'm sure its giving hope to kids with all sorts of disabilities.

What a shame that parents are so stupid. What a great opportunity to explain that not all people are the same. And if their kid is irrationally scared after the explanation - don't watch!!!

the bbc doesn't depend on ratings. there are no ads whatsoever on bbc tv and radio, it is funded by a tv license.

my son saw this presenter an didnt even realise she was missing half her arm, its not so obvious. it did make me look twice but I think its good for children to be open-minded.

Active Poster Joined: Feb 09 2009 Posts: 47 Location: USA

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 15 2007 Posts: 5828

oy Riboine shel oilam... it never ceases to amaze me how stupid some people can be

Diamond Member Joined: Sep 02 2007 Posts: 2715

Interesting how one of the posts in the online forum in the video mentioned how one explains something like this to a child and I really can't see the issue here.
Child: Mommy, why is that lady missing a hand and part of her arm?
Mommy: Hashem (or whatever deity they believe in, etc..) created her like that and we don't know why, Finished.

It's not like kids will be asking for their parents to explain rocket science or nuclear physics for Heaven's sake!

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 15 2007 Posts: 5828

I wonder what would happen if they ever got a classmate missing a limb. Would the parents insist on the child being removed from the school? Shocked

These parents seriously need to get a life.
With all of the problems in this world, they complain about THAT!

I would think parents would want to expose their kids to people who have different limitations. The kids might be a little feaked out, but again a firm and gentle explanation will solve that fear.
I hope that tv host doesn't let this get to her.
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Posted: Sat, Feb 28 2009, 11:10 pm Post subject:

sorry - I beg to differ ... I could not see this being a part of everyday life for children - it would most certainly traumatize them ... and it being a kiddie show their audience is geared to them ...
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Posted: Sat, Feb 28 2009, 11:20 pm Post subject:

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 15 2007 Posts: 5828

in London there is a nursery called Side by Side where mentally/physically disabled children are together with 'regular' (cnat think of c way of saying this) kids. The disabled kids have more 1 on 1 time with therapists etc to meet their needs but the children are all together most of the time. I think its great 4 children 2 be exposed to disabilities so it become normal n acceptable part of society n not something 2 stare at or be ashamed of.

Diamond Member Joined: Aug 26 2007 Posts: 4037

my grandparents are very elderly and one of them is sick. so I make once-weekly "bikur cholim" visits to them. when I go, I allow them to turn on a kid's station so my 2 yr old doesn't wreck their house. (we don't have a t.v. and ds is not used to it). anyway, once they turned on sesame street, and it really scared him!! (I can see why, I wasn't impressed with what I saw either - but I digress). so should sesame street be yanked from the t.v.? should I write a letter to PBS that sesame street is scary? or if I continued to let him watch it, would he get used to it?

so that's what I think about this one-armed hostess. I can totally see why children would be frightened of her. it's different, it involves a missing body part, etc etc etc. but if the parents take the time to gently explain that this woman is different, etc, and say what needs to be said, eventually the kids will get used to it. and if a kid can't get used to it, CHANGE THE CHANNEL.

Posted: Sun, Mar 01 2009, 8:49 am Post subject:

I think it's fine to introduce them to be open to all people with disabilities ... but on a need to know basis ... not an everyday occurrence ...

I have one kid who would never be able to handle that - so I am speaking from a child's perspective - as a mother sees ...

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 23 2008 Posts: 9074

There's discrimination against the elderly, fat people, redheads, the disabled, the "retarded" Shocked

...in fact, against everyone who is different from "the norm". So how come racism isn't ever OK? By these people's definitions, that should be their first port of call.

I'd like to bet that at least some of these people would never say they don't like Asians, Blacks etc. But it's OK to pick on other folk who "don't look like you"!

I hate everyone. Now I'm not discriminating against anyone in particular. So I can have a job in the Foreign Office, on TV, anywhere. I can run a country in the 1930's. Because I'm a miserable excuse for a human being. Puke

I feel so much better now. Twisted Evil

Silver Member Joined: Jan 23 2008 Posts: 789

Unless a child has had prior exposure to people that are different, it definitely CAN scare and traumatize them. Before you would take your children to visit an elderly person with a medical or mental condition, wouldn't you brief them first? Being that we're used to seeing people with TWO arms, a person with only one is kind of scary. And certainly that will be addressed when explaining the condition to the child.
Unfortunately, deformity- both physical and mental DO exist in the world and at one point or another, a child will be exposed to them. I think with the right preface it will be a healthy learning experience for the child.

I would first explain to my child that this woman has only one arm, and Hashem made her that way, it's not bad etc... Then ask the child if they are ready/want to see what she looks like, and then give them to choice to watch the show or not. It's not a matter of healthy acceptance to FORCE a child to look at something discomforting to them.

For example, I don't like looking at Holocaust pictures. By avoiding them I am not trying to forget that the atrocities took place, nor is it contempt for the subjects.

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 15 2007 Posts: 5828