# Anyone else freaking hate Caillou? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080 "2013-06-15T18:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/41 "2013-06-17T19:01:01Z")
> [@FrancisCastle](#): > > I always hated Calliou too, but thankfully my little one doesn’t watch that. Instead, we get to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse a billion times in a row. The show doesn’t really get to me because I love to watch the way he interacts with it, dancing and doing all the actions along with the characters. But _dang_, that Hot Dog song will get stuck in my head for DAYS at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/42 "2013-06-17T19:33:59Z")
My little girl loved Caillou but I quit letting her watch it because I didn’t want her copying his behaviors. I honestly do not think it’s a good show for young children or anyone else for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/43 "2013-06-17T19:39:58Z")
I’ll be the lone dissenting voice: I don’t hate Caillou. Yeah, he can get whiny and throws tantrums, but he’s supposed to be four years old, which gives him more depth and realism than pretty much any character on any children’s show ever. He generally accepts redirection and finds ways to overcome frustration, so the message is a positive one. My only beef with it is that it’s boring as shit. So, so boring. You made a couch cushion fort with your cat? Man, that’s great, tell me more, please. Part of my grudging acceptance of the show came from this blurb I found on wikipedia while trying to look up whether Caillou was supposed to be a chemo patient: > [@](#): > > A 2011 study conducted at the University of Virginia, published in the journal Pediatrics, tested the show’s effect on preschool-aged children’s attention spans and cognitive abilities. The study had three groups of four year-olds each engaged in activities; one group watched Caillou, another watched SpongeBob SquarePants, and the third group drew pictures. After nine minutes, the children were tested on mental functions; those that watched Caillou had very similar results to the group that drew pictures, both of whom performed significantly better than the group that watched the SpongeBob episode. So, yay Caiilou, I guess. As to the chemo patient question, apparently the original character was much younger in the book series, so the bald head stayed. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/44 "2013-06-17T20:03:51Z")
Caillou. Must. Die. and WHERE THE FUCK ARE MAX AND RUBY’S PARENTS?! ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/45 "2013-06-17T20:09:27Z")
My kids watched Caillou when they were in that age bracket, and I think watching Caillou’s behavior actually HELPED them realize how ridiculous whiny / tantrum behavior is. When they see it as a non-emotional observer, they laugh at Caillou’s behavior and sympathize with the parents more than anything else. What bugged me was the parents NEVER discipline him one bit, or even say his tantrums are inappropriate. Caillou either gets his way or is distracted by an alternative to whatever he is whining about. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/46 "2013-06-17T20:49:51Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > What bugged me was the parents NEVER discipline him one bit, or even say his tantrums are inappropriate. Caillou either gets his way or is distracted by an alternative to whatever he is whining about. Mark my words - this is the method the Canadians are using to raise an army of sociopaths who will sweep across the frozen tundra and ravage the USA. Don’t say you weren’t warned. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/47 "2013-06-17T20:58:37Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > What bugged me was the parents NEVER discipline him one bit, or even say his tantrums are inappropriate. Caillou either gets his way or is distracted by an alternative to whatever he is whining about. Distraction is an actual parental philosophy and it’s bullshit. Rather than learning right and wrong or being jacked up when they’re hurting another kid or putting themselves in danger, the child is redirected to another activity and learns **NOTHING!** :mad: Eventually those distracted tots grow up to be narcissistic assholes who are oblivious to their shitty behavior. Thanks to everyones posts. I was actually afraid I’d get flamed for hating the little twat. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/48 "2013-06-18T02:32:55Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Mark my words - this is the method the Canadians are using to raise an army of sociopaths who will sweep across the frozen tundra and ravage the USA. > > Don’t say you weren’t warned. Winter is coming. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/49 "2013-06-18T02:38:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Winter is coming. Why the hell doesn’t this board have a Like button yet? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/50 "2013-06-18T02:55:31Z")
You know, it was right here on this board that someone said that he or she reduced their kid’s whining by quite a lot by not letting him watch Caillou any more. I tried it. It worked. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/51 "2013-06-18T08:59:21Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > OK - I just checked Wikipedia and clearly there is a lesson here… > > Caillou, Max & Ruby, The Berenstain Bears, **Big Comfy Couch** , Care Bears, The F’in DOODLEBOPS?! > The list goes on and on… > > Canadians are EVIL! That Loonette sure is flexible though… [cleans up nicely](http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alysoncourt_2220.jpg), too. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/52 "2013-06-18T17:02:46Z")
Ugh, the show drives me crazy too. The annoying voice, the hazy way it’s drawn that makes me think it’s in the middle of a dream sequence, the random Canadian refrences . . . I wish my son would go back to his _Phineas and Ferb_ kick. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/53 "2013-06-19T01:23:15Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > That Loonette sure is flexible though… > [cleans up nicely](http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alysoncourt_2220.jpg), too. Dude! _Everyone_ knows [evil is HOT](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&biw=1600&bih=770&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=sara+palin&oq=sara+palin&gs_l=img.3..0i10l10.23115.25175.0.25321.10.10.0.0.0.0.169.1015.8j2.10.0.cpsugrccggmnoe..0.0...1.1.17.img.EokY83OEwZ4)! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/54 "2013-06-19T11:37:36Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Dude! > > _Everyone_ knows [evil is HOT](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&biw=1600&bih=770&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=sara+palin&oq=sara+palin&gs_l=img.3..0i10l10.23115.25175.0.25321.10.10.0.0.0.0.169.1015.8j2.10.0.cpsugrccggmnoe..0.0...1.1.17.img.EokY83OEwZ4)! Not from that link, it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080/55 "2013-06-19T15:21:25Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > I’ll be the lone dissenting voice: I don’t hate Caillou. Yeah, he can get whiny and throws tantrums, but he’s supposed to be four years old, which gives him more depth and realism than pretty much any character on any children’s show ever. He generally accepts redirection and finds ways to overcome frustration, so the message is a positive one. My only beef with it is that it’s boring as shit. So, so boring. You made a couch cushion fort with your cat? Man, that’s great, tell me more, please. > > Part of my grudging acceptance of the show came from this blurb I found on wikipedia while trying to look up whether Caillou was supposed to be a chemo patient: > > So, yay Caiilou, I guess. As to the chemo patient question, apparently the original character was much younger in the book series, so the bald head stayed. So Caillou is better than Spongebob. lol My little girl was terrified of Spongebob and now at eight she’s still very uncomfortable with his face. I’d rather she draw pictures I guess. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-freaking-hate-caillou/661080.md?page=2)