I am so sad that everyone forgets how to just have fun with silly things. Do we have to learn things in everything we watch?  The pithy little lessons taught on Franklin and Little Bear (definitely unstimulating to children under 2) are quite frankly boring. Comatose boring. It's the kind of show your grandparents would make you watch.
What's wrong with having fun in make believe with vivid colours and unusual noises?  Does every children's show on TV have to have educational value?  Do you ever let your kids just chill?  Dora and Diego are over the top U.S. programs that shout at your kids for half an hour, Franklin and Little Bear, and let's face it "The Bearanstain Bears" are dated and honestly, big yawns. I'm so relieved for In the Night Garden, and then the Wiggles. Put them on, with a good back up of Elmo and the Muppets and get rid of almost everything Disney makes. 

aunt judy:

Aviebug,

 

I've been in contact with BBC worldwide merchandising, and there are plans to produce DVDs in region 1 format for distribution in Canada in the near future.

 

     That's great news.

 Though DS will probably not watching by then!

I TOTALLY disagree.  the show may be different but there is NO violence in it and that is the main thing that parents should worry about it.  It may get a bit annoying to parents to watch but kids like it and it puts a smile on their face.  Who are you to say that it should be banned??? Every parent has their own thoughts on the show.

If you are so worried about your child doing things that are educational,  why have you got them sitting in front of a tv and not learning a different way. 

A child will learn from his or her parents,  I am sure not everything you watch is just educational shows.  You should practise what you preach.  If you are so worried about your child not watching this show.. here are 2 simple answers,  1. Turn the TV off. 2. Change the channel

My son also loves the show,  he sits and laughs at the music and all the colours.  It makes kids smile and enjoy themselves.  Kids are the same as everyone else,  they also need to see things they enjoy. 

People need to give this show a chance

4 square is a great show.  IF you would pay attention,  kids do learn on 4 square.  There are no distractions with anything in the background,  just the 4 people.  The learn how to interact with others,  they learn riddles, memory with the riddles,  they learn songs.  They also learn how to make different noises to make up songs.  People just need to learn how to have an open mind,  not everything has to be the same as we were taught 20, 30, or 40 years ago,  times change and so has the way children learn.  Children are alot smarter than people give them credit for,  but they are also just like everyone else and sometimes just want to watch a show that will make them laugh. None of these shows have any violence in them and that is the main thing we should be worried about.  If your children don't like the show.. don't let them watch it, but don't take it off.  We don't like all the shows you do.  Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts but why should every child have to like the same thing

i signed in to this thread tonight to see how the debate was going, as i said before, i myself may not completely understand or like the show but my daughter loves it and that's what counts
i went out and got her the plushies and she loves the pontipines and maka paka

please keep the show on the air, if you remove it you will be disappointing so many children and i know you wouldn't want o do that now...would you??

If you do, then while you're at it why don't you take away the imaginary Santa Clause to.

so on behalf of all the " FOR IT" parents and children, please keep the show going!

I would like to see it go and so would my kids.

I am in agreement that not all TV shows need to have an obvious educational component.  ITNG is like watching moving art, it's beautiful and abstract which is educational. 

We also use it as part of a bed time wind down and my son loves it.  I too have purchased him some merchandise (the Ninky Nonk - which he plays with daily).  Thank you for answering my question about the DVD's, I can't wait until they arrive in Canada.

I agree with the previous post.

As parents we are the one`s responsible for teaching our kids to speak, walk, good manners etc...

Watching a couple of whimsical, less educational shows a day isn`t going to undo what we work to achieve with them.

If TV is becoming the cause of your child`s behavioral setbacks, then this may be because the child is watching way too much TV, and not getting enough one-on-one with the parents or adults. 

mgrieve:

There is no education value or enjoyment in watching this show. It is excatly the same as the Teletubbies and is not suited for any child to watch.

 

Why did you replace franklin and little bear with this terrible show?

Please delete it from your catalogue, and have all copies of the episodes banned from the station.
Put back Franklin and Little Bear in the timeslot.

Anyone else out there agree???

 

 

I