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Iowa Dad

Tell Us Your Least Favorite Shows for Kids

My wife dropped a bomb on me this week when she revealed the existence of "Caillou's Holiday Movie," a feature-length episode of the most despicable children's show ever created.

Caillou is such a mopey whiner. (Check out the video with this post to see for yourself.) He's banned from our house. When our oldest asked why a few years ago, my wife famously replied, "Because nobody likes him but you."

But it got me thinking. Is Caillou truly the most difficult children's show for a parent to tolerate, or just one of many?

This is where I need your help. In the comments section below, or at my Twitter account, tell me what children's shows you can't stand.

Don't keep that anger inside. Let it out! It's the only way to let the healing begin.

Charlee Eekhoff

11:10 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

Can I share that a couple characters on Sid the Science kid have highly annoying voices? Sid's grandma and his Asian friend at school. Their voices drive me NUTS! I absolutely agree that Caillou is WHINEY :P Yo Gabba Gabba drove me nuts the one episode I watched. We don't have anything but local TV so the only shows my girls watch are PTV. I'm sure if I dwell on it enough I can come up with more ;)

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Dave Schwartz

11:22 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

Agree completely with Sid's Grandma's voice, but the show is pretty good, so she/it gets a pass in my book. … Thanks for the comment!

Jenniffer Bulaga Whitworth

11:35 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

I can't stand Wonder Pets! The baby duck character drives me insane and the songs get stuck in my head.

Also - Why is Dora always yelling at me?

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Jonathan Rogers

11:39 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

Love Wonder Pets, Diego, Sid, and Yo Gabba Gabba. Don't really like any of the super hero shows as they are extremely violent. Can't believe I am saying this but violence on television has a huge effect on toddlers. Cartoon Network is crazy.

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Dave Schwartz

12:08 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Violence and adult storylines definitely affect our kids. If your kids are jonesing for a superhero, check out WordGirl on PBS. Even as an adult, I enjoy it.

Samantha Norris

11:50 am on Friday, December 2, 2011

Yep, Dora is bossy. Do this, do that, get up, sit down, fight, fight, fight. Blah, blah, blah. Back off, Dora. Caillou is the devil. The Wonder Pets freak me out.

I like Backyardigans, WordGirl, Dinosaur Train, and the old Looney Tunes cartoons. NOT the new, weird, Looney Tunes ones that have Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner reenacting scenes from the Matrix.

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Dave Schwartz

12:09 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

I'm not sure how Dora ever got as popular as she is. As for the new Looney Tunes, the voices are wrong, and I can't get past that.

Johner Riehl

12:13 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

I don't understand Wow Wow Wubbzy at all. And I don't think Nick Jr. does either. Any time the only entry at the beginning is "Teaches Kids To Share And Care" then I know the show has no educational value.

Also, those puppets in Lazy Town FREAK ME OUT. That show is crazy weird, but sort of makes me want to visit Iceland.

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Dave Schwartz

1:03 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

I've never heard a single person say a good thing about Wow Wow Wubbzy. Not one.

Jody Gifford

1:03 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Cailou, Little Bill, The Wonder Pets and Barney have been banned in our house. My daughter watched an episode of the Teletubbies when she was a toddler that seemed more like an acid trip. Weird. I also think Adventure Time is a bit odd and for some reason my kids always want to watch it.

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Dave Schwartz

1:05 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Surprised to see Little Bill on your list. I've never watched it, but we've got a few of the Scholastic Little Bill books, and the messages are always strong. The TV version must fall short.

Amy Dix

1:33 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Caillou is a whiny little brat and his parents are lumpy in odd places. I have come to loathe Dora and Diego for all the yelling and excessive enthusiasm. Mercifully, my kids are now mostly out of the Dora/Diego love. My kids are into Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Special Agent Oso and SuperWhy. I find those tolerable. My oldest, a 6 year old, likes Phineas and Ferb, which I hate - it's sassy and bratty though humorous at times. The same goes for Spongebob.

Mostly I've been having a problem with the "tween shows" that come on after the little kid shows. My 6 year old has been rolling his eyes at me and telling me things are SO LAME as well as setting up a dinner date in the basement for himself and the neighbor girl. Oi!

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Dave Schwartz

1:54 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Amy, we haven't gotten to the "tween" shows yet, but we have discussed not letting our kids watch the ones on Disney whenever they're of that age. Adults are stupid. Fat kids are funny. Every demographic has a compartment. I'm pretty sure if my brother, who has older children, ever sees Zack and Cody on the street that he's going to assault them.

I'm curious, not judging: why let the 6-year-old watch if it's effecting his behavior in a way you don't like?

Jen

1:51 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Why the hate for Little Bill?
I am a lame mom. I make my kids watch Franklin, Toot & Puddle, Backyardigans, Peppa Pig, and Little Bear. I simply can't stand the shows where the characters are sassy. Has anyone seen The Regular Show? What is with that? Phineas & Ferb was allowed for a short time as my oldest is 6. But as soon as behavior started to change we switched back to "mom approved" shows. This week has been a no tv week in our house and the difference in my kids' behavior is amazing!

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Dave Schwartz

2:15 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Jen, it's amazing, isn't it -- how different kids are when the TV is off for extended periods of times (like, say, several days)? Also, I believe the length of TV viewing affects their mood. Any more than 2 consecutive 30-minute shows on a weekend morning and we're left with a couple of big-time moody kids.

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B.A. Morelli

2:25 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Barney and Teletubbies drove me up the wall, but I've got to say the Wiggles takes it. Although, I don't have many memories of that show because I refused to have it be on, even if I was in the other room. But as much as I detested those shows, the shows for the post toddler to teens are even worse. Hannah Montana, iCarly, Wizards of Waverly Place, and ESPECIALLY, as you mentioned Dave... Zach and Cody. Yet the kids love it, and with Netflix, YouTube, On Demand and the TV, there is virtually nothing I can do to get away.

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Nichole McDowell

4:34 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

I freaking hate Cailou. He is also banned from our home....mainly because my husband told our son that Cailou died. (Pretty sure that is considered a parenting fail.
I hate the whining. And WHY DOES HE HAVE NO HAIR?

Another hated show--Max and Ruby. Number 1. Why do the bunnies wear no pants? Number 2. Where are the parents to these pantsless bunnies? 3. Why can't Max speak in complete sentences?

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Dave Schwartz

9:48 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Nichole, I've never seen Max and Ruby. And you've just ensured I never will.

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Emily Uhl

11:37 am on Monday, December 5, 2011

Caillou is by far the worst show on PBS! It get the automatic channel-switch in our house. Thank goodness the Little One could care less about it - - we're much more of a Super Why and Sesame Street kind of house. :)

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Rosa

3:04 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Agree. Caillou is a super whinny spoiled brat. I don't need my kids to see a cartoon that if the kids whine they get what they want. I am not the mom to give in at the child who throws a fit in a store at a checkout lane because they want candy.

Also the telletubies... what the frick? What was PBS thinking. They barely talk and just make sounds. the only thing cute about it is the baby in the sun.

Elmo's World (even though his voice can drive me nuts) and Sesame Street. Backyardagins is good too. I like Dora/Diego for the spanish part but besides that no thanks :)

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Emily Uhl

3:09 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

My little one is OBSESSED with Elmo. Is that wired into babies in utero? (haha) Everyday she wakes up and screams .. "ELMOOOO!" It's a sickness, really ;)

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Dave Schwartz

1:30 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Rosa, I agree that Elmo is one of the good guys. Elmo's voice notwithstanding, the writers of that segment do a great job.

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Joy Wilhelm

8:54 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

Ah yes, the eternal debate regarding children and television. It seemed to go forever at our house as well; the monitoring and censoring. My husband and I wondered if television viewing would ever become a nontopic in our home again. Then suddenly our daughter was a teenager. We remodeled an entire lower level into a viewing room just to entice her and her friends into staying home and watching movies instead of being out and about. Oh the irony!

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christinaNcali

1:43 am on Friday, August 3, 2012

My little girl aged 1 <3's yo gabba gabba but Brobee's voice annoys me & that show max & ruby well I have mixed feelings about it. Ruby is bossy to her bro max & never lets him play & that damn Max only speaks in 2-3 word sentences. Max is annoying i think i dislike it soo much because in reality i honestly can't stand it when a toddler can't communicate to me properly. I hate not being able to understand what a child wants or is trying to tell me. That stupid pig Olivia drive me crazy as well. She is a snotty little know it all and she thinks she's the shit. Excuse my french. Oh my god little bill don't get me started! His voice is so annoying when he makes up songs. Sorry for my rant I could go on forever but I'm through.

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