Parents Complain about Disabled Presenter

[hitch_1980 10]

Hiya

 

Ive just come across this, and is it me or are we not surprised that kids have such one dimentional views when they get wrapped up in cotton wool by there parents

 

Heres the link: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090223/tuk-one-armed-cbeebies-host-scaring-chil-45dbed5.html

 

And a quick paragraph

 

"parents on online forums have claimed she 'frightens' their children.

 

Poster Barry wrote: "Is it just me, or does anyone else think the new woman presenter on Cbeebies (Cerrie Burnell) may scare the kids because of her disability?

 

"I didn't want to let my children watch the filler bits on the bedtime hour last night because I know it would have played on my eldest daughter's mind and possibly caused sleep problems... and yes, this is a serious post."

 

Pure Madness

[melthebell 863]

theres some idiots about.

there was a dwarf when we went camping.....was about 7 year old i think, running about playing football etc. my youngest was obsessed by him, thinking he looked weird.

so we explained that he was born different and even let her watch a tv program about dwarfism that was on.

i think now she acepts some people are born like that but are no different to anybody else

[carmencarter 10]

Some people are not fit to be parents.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

I hope they get the honestly brutal, no-nonsense reply that they deserve- unfortunately the tone will have to remain polite and PC...

[Rich 12]

They were talking about this on Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 this morning.

 

I personally think the parents need to get a clue, OK the woman is clearly disabled, and has only one arm, but she's still capable of presenting IMO, and they shouldn't remove her from children's presenting, that would be like punishing her for being disabled IMO, which is TOTALLY wrong.

 

It's the age old story, people are "scared" of anything that's seen as "different", ugh! Apart from being an amputee, the presenter is just the same as anyone else.

[melthebell 863]

tbh she looks anything but scary, shes good looking (just happens to have part an arm missing)

[taxman 12]

OK it may be a bit disconcerting for a child if it's never encountered a person with a disability but that's where the parent has a duty to explain things to the child.

 

The parent has fallen down on their responsibilities if their child is somehow "traumatised" by seeing someone with one arm.

[Rich 12]

When I was younger I used to go on adventure holidays with disabled groups, and used to regularly see wheelchair bound guys, often with no legs, doing stuff like abseiling. Never bothered me a bit, and these guys weren't any different from anyone able bodied, apart from the physical difference they were just ordinary guys who were doing something they enjoyed.

 

And then years later I worked with this older guy in a wheelchair, who couldn't talk, except through a talking computer which was his "voice", you know, like Stephen Hawking? The other guys I was working with thought it was funny though, the older guy would type in what he wanted to say, but the kids I worked with were typing in swear words etc... Shame though, he was a right nice bloke, I helped him buy football shirts for his Grandkids and loads of other shopping he was doing.

Edited February 23, 2009 by Rich

[hitch_1980 10]

It makes me think about how a kid will react to seeing someone whos returned from a stint in the army who has represented his country, but is an amputee. Its just very sad.

[gwilders 10]

Some people are just too ignorant for words.

[Zebra 10]

I'm pretty disgusted by the public reaction on this one. That poor woman must feel awful being persecuted in such a public way and why... because she happened to be born with a bit less of a limb.

No one had issues with Heather Mills being in the public eye, why a kids tv presenter?

 

My best friend from age 4 to 12 ish had the same problem and it never gave me nightmares or 'issues'. We parted ways in separate classes at secondary but we're still friends.

 

It's time parents in the Uk grew up themselves and learned to accept variations in humans. If the parent was to lose a limb in an accident, should they never let the child see them 'just in case' or should the child learn to accept the change?

 

Useless histrionics will teach our children nothing but the wrong attitude. I had no problem when I saw the presenter on tv and I think all credit to her for putting herself up there and getting the job. Bravo!

[anniec 10]

I agree Zebra, it's the parents who teach children what type of attitude is acceptable and it's also the parent who can tell a child about peoples differences. It's also our job as parents to educate or kids on being all encompasing.

[wobblywill 12]

These parents should hang their heads in shame. Disgusted!