Irrational hatred of dirtgirlworld?

[Maki]

Just leading on from the thread re. TV I'm finding whenever I catch a glimpse of dirtgirlworld I feel a bit like I need to write to the BBC and have a wash! Maybe I should, but generally I'm too lazy/don't have much spare time for that sort of thing (writing a letter or having a wash!).

Just wondered if anyone else finds it a bit 'dirty'? She keeps licking her lips and talking about getting grubby and I can't switch it off quickly enough when my daughter sees it!

There's an easy solution, I now just play Timmy Time on the iplayer or let my 18 month old watch plumvision or the mr men dvd whenever I need to let her sit and chill for a while (so I can do things like pay bills/put a wash on etc on my day off from work), but just interested to know if my perception is a bit strong.

[Ruth_Baldock]

My best friend has a 10 month old and we went to see her in surrey a few months ago. The moment I stepped through the door she dragged me to the sofa, switched on the telly and said 'look at this FILTH!'

I'm inclined to agree with her...

[damzel]

It's her mouth isn't it, there's something very wrong about the way she leers, err I mean smiles. And that song "I'm going outside and I'm going to get grubby" - I've sung it a few times when I've been off out to the garden to tend my veg and suddenly felt like I was in a porn film. Hope the neighbours haven't heard. It's a shame because it would be a good programme if it wasn't for Little Miss Porn Star.

[cuppa tea]

I like the concept of the programme; the natural world element, getting muddy, etc, but the style of the animation, the voices and the script are just AWFUL! A bit sexual and odd. I find it offensive. Obviously I'm seeing this from an adult perspective so these things probably go over the kids head - hopefully. It's the pouting, lip licking and eyelash batting - hideous!

[Smiler]

I dislike it too - pseudo-environmentalist-porn-style weirdness!

Luckily my daughter hates it and is scared of the caterpillar thing.

[ludoscotts]

I cant stand it, the mouths are really disturbing. Its really sexual and not at all appropriate. I dont think my daughter would ever pick up on it but it def freaks me out when it comes on.

[Jamma]

Can I just say you're all weird? It's wholesome. Lots of good stuff about recycling and growing your own and that.

Though Grubby's voice is rather grating

[Maki]

So glad I'm not alone - maybe I will write to the Beeb after all!

Haha Jamma - your post made me laugh. I did think maybe I was being a bit weird about it! I agree the principal of it is great, but there is just something inappropriate about her mannerisms.

[ourfamilystuff]

I hadn't noticed anything 'dirty' about dirtgirlworld but I really didn't like it from the first time I saw it.

I always thought it was her oversized, wobbly head, and annoying voice that seemed to be out of sync with her mouth, that irritated me. I've stopped my little ones watching it (as I can't bear it) but they seem to think she's funny!

Glad I'm not the only one that doesn't like it, anyway. Maybe I'll have to watch it once more, just to see if it is 'dirty'!

[Physics]

I think most of you are ridiculously ignorant.

Firstly, a little child psychology for you. Kids are attracted to eyes and they read situations by the eyes that they see. That is why Play School was the first children's show to operate directly to camera and remains a successful format all these years later. It is also the reason why the Muppets frequently have eyes only.

You women need to stop watching these shows with your thirty something heads on and do a bit of research into what kids want in their programming.

You should also get out and get jobs as you clearly have too much time now that the kids are at school and not enough jobs to fill your day.

[Ruth_Baldock]

Whoa, bit harsh!

Nice how you're assuming we're all female and not working though. Ignorant, you say? Also, the whole thread is clearly slightly tongue in cheek, I don't think anyone will be forming some kind of picket line outside of the BBC any time soon...

[GinaG3]

Haha. If the kids were at school why would any parent be watching it anyway..? Unless maybe some do have jobs, watching dirtgirl world? Did you sign up just to say something about dirtgirl world, if so you were obviously researching her yourself, strange!

Moving on, I saw it the other day and have to agree it is kind of weird...

[The Nappy Lady]

Or maybe physics is one of the shows creators?

If so I'd love to know why you chose such an odd name. I'd hate my girls to refer to themselves as 'Dirtgirl', and regardless of child psychology I don't think it's a great bit of programming.

My two much prefer/preferred Fimbles, Balamory, In the Night Garden and Waybuloo all of which I consider to be much better programmed.

Of course I sit around all day watching Cbeebies, with my FORTY year old head on, what else is there for a Yummy Mummy to do all day dahling?

[Jamma]

Why would you hate your children to call themselves 'dirtgirl'?

[Moos]

Haven't seen dirtgirlworld but a lot of programming aimed at very small girls seems horribly sexual to me.

I caught a clip from a Chipmunks movie recently in which the girl chipmunks were singing and dancing, all pouting at the camera and shaking their chipmunk asses for all they were worth. Most bizarre.

Oh, and Physics' post definitely gets strop of the week award. Brilliant.

[Pickle]

On the few occasions my kids have seen Dirtgirlworld they have been mesmerised. It is a slightly odd programme, and I find the thing that annoys me the most (apart from the weird mouths) is the strange array of accents that the various bugs have. Is the caterpillar/grub type thing supposed to be a Kiwi or an Aussie?!

[Belle]

hah Pickle - I've wondered about that accent too! That grub thing really freaks me out.

[The Nappy Lady]

Jamma,

I just think it sounds grim, "look Mummy I'm being (a) Tellytubby/Fimble/Upsy Daisy or whatever sounds a lot nicer to me that "look at me I'm dirtgirl".

All in my head I know.

[nancyse15]

Glad I'm not alone in disliking that programme. It's sloppy TV and you can tell that the BBC didn't make it, it's more like a Nic Jnr type programme if you ask me;-).

Ok, the message is worthy enough - girls should get out in the fresh air rather than obsessing prematurely about their weight, make up etc, but why did the programme makers spoil it by dubbing it with a woman (def not a girl) with an overtly sexually provocative lilt and animating those 'come hither' expressions. It's horrible and a tad disturbing. My son doesn't think much of it, so we turn off when it comes on.

On the matter of a programme I do like, is COME OUTSIDE, it's brilliant. Seems to have been made in the 90's and being re-run ,but it's the one with the 'older' lady and her dog Pippin who go out in their aeroplane and find out how things were made. They visited a toothpaste factory last week so even I learnt something new (and Physics - I'm on maternity leave before you tell me to go out and get a job).

[melbourne groover]

Come Outside caused us no end of trauma, there was a storyline that went something like this:

Aunty Mable is cooking, goes to cupboard to get something, pippin accidently locks her in the cupboard, pan catches fire (Mable still in cupboard) Pippen goes to get fire brigade, Mable rescued.

I was making tea (not in cupboard) so didn't see it properly. Cue weeks of nightmares for my (obviously fire-sensitive) daughter... Up until that point I particularly liked it due to all the above reasons.

Not been watched since...;-)

[mockney piers]

I have to say, something about the stylistic choices of DGW turned me right off it, it's irksome and headache inducing, and though I may struggle to think like a child (that's not to say I cant be childish) I can't see kids loving it; the mocklet for one can't stand it.

It's also just a little bit too Primrose Hill, but that's just my natural inverse snobbery coming out and clearly my problem.

It is shit though!!

Actually there's very little CBeebies that I liked and luckily the mocklet seems indifferent to TV's charms, apart from Get Squiggling, of which we are both fans.

[Belle]

I find my son is v fickle where telly is concerned - one minute Waybuloo is all the rage, the next he's indifferent. Tends to love the theme tunes more than anything else. Is anyone else's kid scared of the Numberjacks though (Or more specificaly, the baddies in the numberjacks? some of them ARE quite scary, the numbertaker anyone??). My little boy starts chanting 'oh NO, oh NOOOOOO' the minute those crazy numbers go awry.

[Ruth_Baldock]

If we're going down this route...I am a bit scared of Mr Maker, and so is Baby Baldock. Not sure why, I just get a 'vibe' from him. We also both hate that 'weekend' song they sing. Again, no idea, we're just harsh critics I think.

[anna_r]

Oh I love the weekend song! And the autumn song on currently and also all the number raps with Sid and Andy. I find Balamory incredibly annoying (I think its mostly Miss Hooley - can't stand her clothes or her hairstyle!) although I like the song about which house they're going to, especially when the policeman sings it and does his camp dance. Not a fan of Dirtgirl either, or the Numberjacks. Do you think they deliberately pick kids with the least personality to 'report' on the number problems happening out there? The worst though for me has to be Tommy Zoom - early mornings, boy and dog, half acted half cartoon. God I hate it. Favourites are 'Nina and the neurons' and Get Squiggling. Hmmmm starting to worry about my deep knowledge of cbeebies programming....

[Pickle]

My kids love "Come Outside", and I have to admit a soft spot for it. I had picked it as older than the 90's as it seems so old fashioned. It's currently series linked on Sky+ so they can watch it in the evening while I'm getting dinner ready.

Zingzillas is still a favourite, however obviously the BBC spent too much of their budget paying the artists, as it seems to be the same 4 or 5 episodes shown constantly.

We stopped watching Numberjacks when my son kept asking whether the Spooky Spoon was going to come into his bedroom in the night. As a child I had recurring nightmares about Sly the Goblin from the Noddy books... :-$