A Grimm Reminder: Tales from the Crib
I often stumble upon news articles lamenting that children witness too much violence on TV. I’m not here to argue whether that’s true or not, but I do think the authors of those articles are hypocrites. I mean, children have always been exposed to traumatizing amounts of violence. Why start caring now?
Exhibit A:
“Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.”
What kind of sicko dreams up putting a baby in a tree and letting the wind play havoc? Surprisingly, this literal death threat has been around since 1765, and yet parents happily serenade their little ones with it, wearing grins like it’s all sunshine and rainbows.
I mean, close your eyes and actually envision what this nursery rhyme is saying. I imagine Jigsaw from the Saw movies rubbing his hands in glee, waiting for the cradle’s bough to snap. And in the background, Rob Zombie is belting out “Let the Babies Hit the Floor.”
What the hell did the baby ever do, anyway? It’s not like he deserved this horrible treatment. What crimes can a person commit at five months? Pooping in a diaper isn’t frowned upon until you’re at least thirty.
And did you know “Rock-A-Bye Baby” is touted as one of the first poems ever written on American soil? Well, sheesh. That was quite the promising start for the country.
But let’s get back to the point. Long before TV shows and video games were scarring children, we had Mother Goose, or as I like to call her, Murderer Goose.
Murderer Goose is also the mastermind behind classics like “Jack and Jill.” You know, the one where Jack severely injures his head and Jill spasms uncontrollably while plummeting to her death.
And then there’s “Humpty Dumpty.” The main character, the hero, takes a tumble off a wall, and bam! His innards go splat all over the King’s men. No little kid should be subjected to this. It’s cruel, and besides, the pain sounds egg-cruciating.
We’ve been force-feeding our children a diet of violence since birth. Maybe we should slap a legal disclaimer on these tales, just for laughs. How about: “Hansel and Gretel: Rated C for Cannibalism.”
All jokes aside, violence has been part of children’s lives for quite some time now. Television, ironically, might be the only opportunity for kids to see any happiness at all.
117 Comments
Kari
I guess I never realized that nursery rhymes could be so violent! Sheesh, parents don't know what they're talking about these days, eh?
It's almost like they're setting themselves up for more violent things as they grow up, heh. And you know ring around the rosy is really NOT a great children's song either.
Jenn
I agree with you. Children rhymes are gory. =/ I used to have nightmares about the Rock-A-Bye Baby poem; I always dreamed about this creepy guy in a rocker singing it of something. 😛 I dunno, rhymes like that have always creeped me out.
And also ads and stuff on television influence kids. I mean, kids watch television all of the time. And alcohol ads on bus stops. Not very kid-friendly. 😛
–
LOL! Nah, it's cool. I'm used to people laughing at me, I fall a lot. I'm just clumbsy like that. I trip over small cracks on the sidewalk all of the time. xD
Yeah, I suppose it's okay to be a little selfish on your birthday, since everyone else has one eventually. x)
Holly
Hehe thanks for the hug 🙂 I need it now. It's snowed loads. Hopefully school will be closed tomorrow. That would be a nice Birthday present!
xxx
Georgina
Well there's nothing wrong with a gay guy dancing if I say so myself. XD I've got a gay guy friend who loves to sing and dance.
Thank you! I have a few more songs I want to play and upload, so yeah. *punches air*
So far the year has been pretty good for me overall. Some problems with my parents (ugh) but that's about it, haha. ^^
They really have made a big deal out of kids being exposed to violence. Such as in video games and computer games. But you're right, the essence of this violence started with these creepy nursery rhymes. It's really quite creepy how they have such negative undertones and a sense of death when the melody sung in a freaking major key. O_O
I wouldn't say that these are really examples of violence – Rock A Bye Baby definitely is… stupid violent wind.
It's funny how so many nursery rhymes talk about people falling.
Not to mention Ring A Rosie which was apparently about the bubonic plague and its spread (atishoo, we all fall down [and hence die]).
Nancy
Wizard of Oz! Wow, you`re involved a lot within the theaters! I wouldn`t be surprised if you became a movie star. Our closet is like a storage space! Mine was a storage for old clothes& old school work :/. Saved for around… 9 years already! Then I spent the last 10 months cleaning my closet piece by piece. 🙂 During summer, had the closet repainted :D! Now, I`m just throwing away whatever is left of my old school work that I was lazy to throw away before :/. &donate my old clothes later when I have the chance. :). Now my closet is full of new clothes on the hanger line& useful things on the shelves :D!
Nancy
Some student made based scripted plays during the time of halloween, &forced in by romeo& juliet.
Have you ever cleaned out your closet& noticed how much junk there is in there? :O! I just finished part of it& got rid of 1 1/2 body bags to the trash. Though there was only school papers in there… I gotta wait until the trash gets picked up until I can get rid of the rest of the junk :/.
Nancy
There`s a lot of plays happening at my school since they just re-started the arts& media program there. Last year, I was within 3 of them. This year, I`m too busy for plays :(. Still, Haha. I surely do love multi tasking 🙂
Angie
My mom used to sing to me a modified version of rock a bye baby, I knew the real version but she didn't know why you'd want to sing that to a kid. It is ironic though that they flip about violence on TV and such. The original Grimm's fairy tales were twisted too. I think a lot of the violence in stories was just to keep the kids interested. They wouldn't care as much if Jack & Jill just walked down the hill with the pale of water.
Nancy
LOL! Oooooh, I`m always the easy target 😀 That`s why whenever there`s a horror play at school, I`m the first one killed! B) So I`ll just get the easiest parts made 🙂
Nancy
What?! NO! I meant that I just like your first answer, then I mentioned about some other topic that`s related about sex. Not with anyone.
Nancy
Haha! Like your first answer 😀 Reminded me of health class during sex ed :O! While my teacher was describing a bunch of scenarios. I`m not really normal overall B) Otherwise, you`d see me at a bunch of other clubs, :P. &Not being overly obsessed with eating& eating. :O! 😛
Olivia
Really? Haha. Well I don't know if it works lol.
Helene
THANKS! 😀
lmao, AWESOME guestbook xD
Love your layout. I think it looks great!
OLIVIAAAA
HAHAHAHAHAAA you fail also. But I will upload the video when I stop watching Owl City's video for Fireflies. Promise..
Lividenyer@live.co.uk
AHA yay! Loosely is good enough for me. I'm gooood at the moment, I'd say. I have loads of exams coming though D:
By the way, your snow dance worked, even though your in a different country. It's snowing!
Leave Comment