Treehouse TV Rant (warning... long winded)

[Save Us Sutter]

Let me preface this by saying I do not have children and I'm not attempting to tell those who do how to do their jobs!

So we just got real cable and flipping through the channels over the past week, I have stumbled upon this Treehouse channel a few times and become entranced by the ridiculous displays on my screen. From what I have gathered this is an insanely popular kids’ channel/babysitter.

Wow. I am truly shocked that this is what passes for children's programming these days. Seems like just a bunch of old acid-heads singing at the top of their lungs and making stupid faces to puppets with squeaky voices. How is this teaching kids anything more than how to be annoying?

Another disturbing feature of these shows is the almost complete lack of adults present. They all feature exaggerated, unrealistic "Grown ups" acting like kids themselves. Maria and Gordon on Sesame street were good role models for their young audience and showed healthy relationships between adults and children. They were intelligent, rational AND fun adults... behaviours that children could model as they got older. I think now TV stations are afraid to put adults - especially adult men - into shows because of the pedophilia panic. Really they should be fostering healthy, positive images of grown-ups. Kids in dysfunctional or abusive/neglectful households might learn that their situation isn't ideal and they deserve better. Where are the adults?


I grew up on Sesame Street, Square One and 3-2-1 Contact! I believe they taught me a lot of stuff as a child. They helped create in me an active brain that is always asking questions and attempting to find their answers. I fail to see how anything I've seen on Treehouse could possibly do that.

To those that have kids that watch it, what is it that you think they gain from it? Seems to me that the glut of behavioural problems we are seeing in kids these days can be at least partly attributed to garbage, low-end programming like this. Let me explain.

Obviously there are biological causes for a lot of kids diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. My Mom works with these kids and would kill me if I blamed a mental disorder on television!

I do believe, however, that there is a tendency to over-diagnose these conditions. Some kids have just learned that by being annoying they can get what they want or get attention or whatever. I use the word "annoying" to lump a wide range of behaviours together but I assume people know what I mean. It’s not ADHD, it’s just positive freakin’ reinforcement. These are the kids who need to and CAN learn how to focus.

Television shows with nothing but goofy, nonsensical singing and adults making strange noises and acting like kids may entertain, but they do nothing positive for the child’s development. So when the TV is not on and they are bored, they just go looking around for another shiny object to entertain them.

Television shows that promote actual learning, ESPECIALLY mathematics (IMO), help nurture healthy neurological connections in the child's brain. When they are bored on their own, these pathways are more likely to be active and actual, self-motivated learning can occur. Instead of ooooh look at that... they ask ooooh what is that? Subtle difference, but I think it's huge. One is trying to discover more about their environment while the other is simply letting their environment distract/entertain them.

One final point I'd like to make. In this day and age, with the amazing work that is being done on the biological side of psychology there seems to be a sorta societal bias to look in that direction first when dealing with problems. Not just in children but in adults as well. Everyone is so quick to jump on the latest medication. I don't want to downplay any of that stuff because it is very, very important and exciting work.

However, sometimes I think people forget about the other side of the coin, the "nurture" side. Children are very quick to imitate the behaviours of the important people in their lives, whether they be siblings, parents or television heroes. Habits can develop that will last the rest of their lives. We have to make sure the behaviours they are exposed to, especially when they are young, are the kind we wouldn't mind them emulating as they grow up.

So turn off this crap, and go buy your kids Sesame Street on DVD!!

My amateur opinion. Would love to hear thoughts, arguments.

[troutman]

90% of the shows involve a Bear.

[JiriHrdina]

I dunno. It's like anything - there is good and bad programming on Treehouse. I think you are being a little hard though. For young children often colors and music are the most important things. My niece loves a lot of programs that she can just get up and move around too - they don't make sense but she likes to dance to them so it works.

She also watches stuff like Dora the Explorer which I think does hold a positive message for kids.

The only show I don't like is the one with the brother and sister bunny where the sister is a total nag. She needs to STFU

[dissentowner]

Totally agree, the crap on tv for kids today is horrible compared to what we had and why I find all the good old stuff on youtube for my 1 year ol nephew. Sesame street is now Sesame Park an it truly sux! There is no great PBS like the Polka Dot Door, Electric Company, Readalong, ect... It is truly attrocious!

[HotHotHeat]

Babar, Magic School Bus, Arthur, Sesame Street. Gone from the airwaves, all great kids TV shows.

Good rant.

[Save Us Sutter]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I dunno. It's like anything - there is good and bad programming on Treehouse. I think you are being a little hard though. For young children often colors and music are the most important things. My niece loves a lot of programs that she can just get up and move around too - they don't make sense but she likes to dance to them so it works.

Yeah I realize there are probably a few good shows on there. I certainly haven't caught them yet though.

I agree that media as entertainment does have it's place. Hell, I'm watching Married with Children right now! I just believe media as education is sorely lacking especially when it comes to children's programming.

And you're right, colours and music are very important tools, but I will argue that their presentation could be a thousand times better.

I believe somewhere on this site it was mentioned that somebody's kid had a similar reaction to your niece when those telus commercials come on. Haha... not sure what that says.

Edit: To fotze: I thought of that when I was writing it so I really tried to look at it objectively. I'm sure stats show that diagnoses of behavioural problems in children are higher than they ever have been. (I'll try to look it up again if I get the chance) Some of that is because we know a lot more, some of that is over-zealous psychologists but I really believe some of it is also due to the environment these kids are being raised in. And part of that is TREEHOUSE!! But you could be right... I could just pine for the good 'ol days!

[Hack&Lube]

I agree, I shudder at what passes for children's television since the 80s ended.

[foofighter15]

has anyone else notice that if you toss on treehouse and kill the sound on a show involving muppets or anything along those lines, and toss on some tunes, it makes for an awesome music video?

[Buff]

As a father of two, one who is old enough to watch Treehouse, I don't have a problem with the channel.

The problems you describe aren't with the TV that we let our kids watch, it is with the time we spend (or don't spend) with our kids. Kids become annoying or do whatever they can to get attention because they aren't getting enough from their parents.

For the record my eldest son is nearly three and he has been doing his alphabet since about 18 months and can count to 20... but we let him watch Treehouse TV, he can't possible do those things. Yes, its true. Why? Because we don't use the TV as our teaching tool.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by fotze

The circle of life is complete, once you started saying how stuff sucks today and how it was so much better when you were growing up, you know you are old enough to have kids of your own. Our parents bitched about the same thing and so did their parents. We were all raised the absolutely correct way which explains our extreme life successes and nobel peace prizes.

Q.F.T! Go have a kid already. You're ready!

Treehouse has good and, extremely, bad programming, just like every other TV channel out there. Monitor what they're watching and they'll be fine. My four kids have watched Treehouse from time to time and, whatta know, they're still really good kids!

Nice rant though..

[McMack]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Babar, Magic School Bus, Arthur, Sesame Street. Gone from the airwaves, all great kids TV shows.

Good rant.

Arthur and Babar are both on Treehouse.

[moon]

I am not going to defend Treehouse but I think some of the "memories" of how great the shows were back in the day might be skewed a bit by time. I watched many of the same shows and have big doubts as to whether it made me any better in math or not. My brother watched them as much or more and was worse at math than I was.

There is a surprisingly lot of research that goes into some of these shows today to find what will not only best keep kids attention but also teach them skills they need to know.

Personally I would like a mix of some of the old school shows with some of the better new school shows, but given a choice I would probably prefer to go with the shows we have now.

Seasme Street may seem like a great show now that we are older but personally having seen some old ones recently it looks like nothing but crap to me.

[photon]

You just have to pick and choose which ones to watch.. I mean most kids should only get a few shows a day anyway right?

Babar is still there and I like that one. Dora and Diego are not bad, Blues Clues is pretty good.

My favorite one for my son is Toopy and Binoo, total imagination show which he really likes.

[McMack]

Treehouse has a wide mix of programming. I don't imagine you got a complete sampling of it; in fact, I'd worry if you did. Like every other channel, there is the mandatory CanCon component and those are some of the weaker programs. Perhaps these newer shows place slightly less emphasis on numbers, but in my opinion sesame street had too much repetitive stuff that was of diminishing value.

As for the bigger picture, I'd say, if anything, kids receive way more parenting and adult supervision than ever before in history. When I was growing up in a family of 6 kids in a smaller town, we basically just ran free in the neighbourhood like wild animals. Didn't seem to do me too much harm.

On the other hand, the other childrens channels like YTV, Teletune and the family channel are just awful.

[Save Us Sutter]

Obviously good parenting is going to trump a bad TV show. I appreciate that and I didn't mean to imply that anyone here was a bad parent if they let their kid watch these shows. Like I said, TV as entertainment certainly has it's place when it's balanced with solid educational stimulation as well.

Perhaps my history of working in group homes as well as my own childhood has skewed my view of the typical parent. For me, for various reasons, the TV was a big part of my childhood and without MATHNET making me think math was cool, or Reading Rainbow or 3-2-1 Contact! I honestly don't believe I would have turned out as I did.

And I guess I unfairly targeted Treehouse with my venom. Just seems like every time I flip through it's just dribble on there.

[Ironhorse]

Never mind Treehouse, my youngest (20 m/o) loves watching Mega Machines and Frontiers of Construction. As long as there are diggers or some resemblance thereof, he's happy as a clam!

Treehouse does have good and bad shows, you have to pick your spots. As long as you're not using it as a babysitter each day, its all right.

[RougeUnderoos]

The rant does sound like something of a "when I was a kid things were better grumble grumble grumble" style routine.

I don't know if "impressed" is the right word, but I am impressed that you have been able to sit through those Treehouse shows long enough to get offended.

Whenever I'm around the tykes I have to leave the room if they are watching that annoying channel. All I've ever seen o is that bizarre show with the oversized furniture and women who are dressed up like Raggedy Ann talking in little-kid voices to some strange blue creature. Oh yeah, and the one with the Thunderbird-esque puppets that are telling "Native" stories.

Sesame Street was a favourite of mine when I was a kid, but looking back I don't know how "wholesome" or beneficial most of the kid-geared programming was. I remember a lot of hippy-dippy nonsense. The Hilarious House of Frankenstein, HR Puff'n'stuff. Scooby Doo, Fat Albert, that stoned Bill of Rights.

Mr. Rogers talking to a giraffe, Kaptain Kangaroo and all that -- good shows, but did kids watching those learn any more than what kids learn watching TV today? I doubt it. It was bright colours (so long as you owned a colour TV) and a bunch of sing-songiness. Doesn't sound much different from what Treehouse programming is today.

[macker]

No harm with Treehouse. Good website also that has many resources/games/coloring pages etc. for the kids. I like the fact that they don't have "adult commericals". I find that my kids ask way too many questions about the commercials if a game is on etc. If you ever get a chance in your kid tv viewing check out Yo Gabba Gabba for no other reason then the indie bands that they often feature such as the shins, the postmarks, shinny toy guns etc. I can actually sit through this one! I am still waiting for them to decide if they are going to release a CD or not with all the bands featured on the show. Just curious as to which shows annoy you the most? If you say Barney or something like that I can see it and I am being draged to South Centre mall tomorrow to see his 20th anniversary "celebration...." and I expect that my 3 year old will be in awe whereas my 5 year old is soo over Barney....Anyways isn't the point of these shows is to be entertaining and to allow the kids to use their imaginations and I think most shows on tree house accomplish this (wonder pets, super reader etc. and Judy & David which has adults....I almost think that the quality of the shows is better then what we sat through....Everything in moderation of course and my kids prefer to play in the park then to watch Treehouse but on days like today it isn't that bad...I don't think your theory on kids behavior has anything to do with Treehouse IMO. I think the problem is the amount of time that many parents actually spend with their kids and some act out for attention as I used to when my parents worked all the time....

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Oh yeah, and the one with the Thunderbird-esque puppets that are telling "Native" stories.

That has got to be one of the creepier shows going.

[Save Us Sutter]

My problem started with "Wiggle and Learn".

After some research it appears that these guys are HUGE. Like selling out MSG for 9 straight days or something like that. To me it was all wiggle and no learn. Just offensive. Once I realized how rich these guys had become off such mindless crap.... well that's when the angry rant had to be written!

I'm not sure about other show names... the one that Rouge described with the Raggedy Ann thing was definitely one, as well as one that just had barnyard animals screaming at each other incoherently. That "Wiggle and Learn" was the only one I made it all the way through... like a car wreck... I just couldn't change the channel.

I think you guys are right though. I attacked the wrong target for what is really a larger societal problem. Or maybe, as others alluded to, I am just getting old and cranky.

Yo Gabba Gabba eh? Well... I can honestly say the LAST thing I thought I'd get out of this thread was a new show to check out.