Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years, you would have heard of one of the most popular pre-schoolers TV shows at the moment…Peppa Pig. It’s about a family of 4 pigs…Peppa Pig, her little brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. It’s become so popular here in the UK, not only do you find Peppa Pig themed toys in every supermarket and toy store but there’s actually a Peppa Pig World down in the South of England.
I have never encouraged S to watch any television or shows so until he was a little over two, he escaped the obsession that all the kids around him seemed to have with Peppa Pig. But when we were going on holiday earlier this summer, I downloaded 12 episodes as a back up for when he might need some entertainment. Let’s just say he’s now a fan!
Throughout our holiday he’d watch it for 20 minutes here and there and while listening in the background, I was surprised to find the image that was being portrayed by Daddy Pig. Call me stereotypical but when I think of Daddy Pig, I think of him being able to BBQ, set up a tent, read directions and hang a picture on the wall. All of which Peppa’s daddy isn’t able to do (or makes a mess of). And in walks mummy pig and gets it right so easily.
I honestly wondered if the show was being written by disgruntled single mother’s. And so I did some digging and it turns out the show is actually written by men (some of them dads). Am I taking Peppa Pig too seriously? I mean we all grew up watching Tom and Jerry but I certainly don’t believe that if I hit someone with a hammer across their head they’ll be alright.
And ironically, most of the angry mail directed at the writers of Peppa Pig is coming from women and not men. So are women not able to see the humour or are men just a lot more laid back about how they are portrayed on screen? Or, do men actually believe that Daddy Pig is a true representation of them?
I’m not sure what the answers are but one thing I do admire is the time Daddy Pig gives to his kids and even though he is “silly daddy” and “naughty daddy” and “messy daddy” according to his kids, he loves them very much.
If Peppa and George are able to laugh at Daddy Pig’s antics, shouldn’t we be able to as well? Let me know what you think.