TV Tuesday: Caillou

Caillou: whiny brat or normal preschooler?

If you’ve ever had a normal preschooler then I don’t have to tell you that they all act like whiny brats from time to time.

Caillou, a PBS Kids show based on a series of books written by Christine L'Heureux, features a relatively normal-acting four-year-old boy.

Does he sometimes speak in a whiny voice?

Yes.

In fact, when I first saw the show I decided not to let my son watch it. He was just three at the time, and the last thing I needed was a TV character who would teach him how to speak in a whiny voice. Of course, before long my son was exposed to plenty of whining out in the real world. As if he couldn’t figure out how to whine all on his own. All children know instinctively how to whine and when to most effectively implement speaking in a whiny voice.

And it drives their parents crazy.

Except Caillou’s parents. Apparently they both have their doctorate in early childhood development, because the whiny voice does not seem to agitate them, much less send them over the edge the way it does me.

Caillou’s mommy and daddy are kind, gentle, and above all exceptionally patient. I might hate them for making me feel like such a rotten parent, if it weren’t for the fact that they have some redeeming qualities.

Such as:

Caillou’s mommy is neither pencil thin nor drop dead gorgeous. His daddy is not tall, dark and handsome. They give plenty of attention to their children but sometimes they have work to do. Sometimes a babysitter comes over and Mommy and Daddy go out, together, alone. Occasionally they even throw a party just for their grownup friends!

Little bald headed Caillou is just a normal preschooler. His adventures are of the type your normal preschooler might have. Sometimes he is unhappy. Sometimes he whines. Meanwhile, a narrator identifies his feelings, which--who knows--might be helpful. Whether or not my children are learning anything from Caillou, I’ll be watching closely, trying to glean some wisdom from a couple of cartoon parents.