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CAROLINE IGGULDEN
Americans might think Peppa Pig is an ‘entitled brat’ but I think she’s a national treasure – she’s better than Barbie
Those bemoaning Peppa’s sass seem never to have met a toddler
SHE is the adorable pink, animated creation who succeeded where the likes of Robbie Williams and Oasis failed – by cracking America.
In the world of children’s TV, Peppa Pig holds the kind of global sway usually associated with icons such as Taylor Swift or Beyonce.
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And as a mum of three, I can vouch for the show’s popularity.
All of my kids, boys and girls, have enjoyed a Peppa phase and my three-year-old daughter is firmly in her grip.
Children the world over have long fallen for the simple adventures of the four-year-old animated pig, as well as dinosaur-obsessed little brother George, multitasking Mummy Pig and hapless and oft-mocked Daddy Pig.
Since debuting on Channel 5 20 years ago, she has earned her British creators more than £6billion, been viewed in more than 118 countries and has theme parks in the UK, China and the US.
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‘Verbal aggression’
But Britain’s most bankable animated export suffered a backlash this week from American parents who claim Peppa is a bad influence on their offspring.
Mums and dads across the Pond have branded Peppa “a brat” who is rude, demanding and bullies brother George.
“Don’t let your kids watch Peppa Pig”, warns a parent beneath a review of the show on Common Sense Media, an American not-for-profit body that reviews the suitability of TV, films and games for children.
The commenter claimed the show had caused their daughter to “lash out” at her parents. “There is so much verbal aggression . . . Peppa is rude, bossy, a tattletale and more!”
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Meanwhile, Kayla Tychsen, 33, a parenting coach and mother of two from Houston, Texas, refuses to let her children watch the hit show.
She said: “The issue is that I don’t want to be modelling that behaviour for my children.
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"To sit them in front of a show where Peppa is bossing people around or telling people what to do or making comments about people’s weight.”
Another outraged US pearl clutcher accuses our Peppa of “bullying her daddy, refusing to listen and acting entitled”.
So nothing like a real child then . . .
To be lectured on the quality of children’s television by the nation that gave us SpongeBob SquarePants certainly seems a bit rich.
Those bemoaning Peppa’s sass seem never to have met a toddler in real life.
Bossiness, stubbornness, ignoring instructions, irrational reactions all sound par for the course to me when it comes to dealing with pre-schoolers. They’re not nicknamed “threenagers” for nothing.
But those who decry these qualities in Peppa entirely miss the very reason she is so popular. Kids aren’t “dumb”, as an American might say. They are highly discerning viewers. They love Peppa because they see themselves in her.
I even wonder if sexism may lie behind some criticisms of Peppa. For as long as children’s literature has existed we have had catapult-clutching characters like Just William and Dennis The Menace, hardly paragons of upstanding behaviour. But Peppa is branded a “brat”.
Those bemoaning Peppa’s sass seem never to have met a toddler in real life
I applaud Peppa for being outspoken and confident. She blurts out what she is thinking honestly and without malice, falls out with friends but makes up, and finds the fun in every situation.
I am more than happy for my little girl to “model” Peppa’s behaviour. I want her to ask endless questions, stand up to authority (unless it’s me) and jump in muddy puddles to her heart’s content.
And Peppa isn’t rude. In fact, for the most part she has lovely manners and says her please and thank yous.
My first two children were born in the US, where helicopter parenting is all the rage.
Given the several occasions I recall uttering the phrase, “And what’s the magic word?” through a forced grin to spoiled sprogs, I would venture plenty of American kids could learn from Peppa.
Let’s face it, Americans aren’t famed for their sense of humour and I believe a big part of their problem with Peppa is that they are simply missing the joke.
Peppa Pig is FUNNY and the writers sneak plenty of jokes in for the grown-ups. Part of the reason it became a phenomenon is adults actually enjoy watching with their kids.
Take the International Day episode, where all the children arrive at school dressed as a different country. Referring to the characters by their country, the narrator slips in the brilliant line, “The United Kingdom is on the slide”.
Brain-rotting options
One scene which gave American critics a fit of the vapours involves Peppa becoming furious that she can’t whistle. She rings her good friend Suzy Sheep for moral support, but slams the phone down when her friend manages it.
Moralistic bores complain this is mean-spirited, but I remember watching that episode and that scene was hilarious. It’s played for laughs.
Also added to poor Peppa’s rap sheet is the crime of fat-shaming, thanks to her uncompromising attitude to Daddy Pig’s battle with the bulge.
Let’s face it, Americans aren’t famed for their sense of humour
In Daddy Gets Fit, Peppa truthfully tells a deluded Daddy Pig he doesn’t look very fit and that his tummy is “quite big”.
“A lot of bad messages, like fat-shaming, are shoved down toddlers’ throats,” trills one poe-faced American parent on a forum.
Children don’t want their TV shows to lecture them. Just like us, they want to be entertained and challenged.
I would much rather my little girl watch Peppa for as long as she likes than move on to brain-rotting options like Netflix’s Barbie Life In The Dreamhouse or Bratz, from America.
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Peppa might be facing a grilling at the moment, but the one thing sure to save her bacon is that the critics who really count — kids — still adore her.
In America she may briefly have become a pariah, but here she rightly remains a national treasure.
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