Is The Cat In The Hat A Good Role Model?
The Cat in the Hat is a classic.
There is no denying this. It’s catchy, memorable, and iconic in a way that only Dr. Seuss can be. It is many children’s first introduction to rhyme, and it’s funny. But….
Does the Cat in The Hat teach the right lessons?
Is it morally ambiguous in some areas?
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Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE Dr. Seuss. I grew up on the Cat in the Hat. It’s a classic.
But…
Some of it strikes me as just plain wrong. What, you ask? Well…
Neglectful parenting, for starters.
I mean, these kids are left alone ALL day with a FISH as a guardian. Seriously? Nobody has a problem with this? I mean, I get that these kids were probably old enough to be alone for a little bit, but ALL DAY? And the FISH isn’t going to help anything. He’s a fish.
Also, they let a stranger in the house.
This is the biggest no-no I can think of as a parent. We stress in our house that our son should NEVER open the door for somebody he does not know, and that he should immediately get help if someone tries to come in without permission. These kids seem totally okay with the fact that some stranger just waltzes in. I mean, the fish has an issue, but clearly they don’t listen to him.
And then there is the End.
The end always struck me as bit iffy from a parent’s perspective. Throughout the book, good old Mr. Fish keeps reminding us that the Cat SHOULD NOT be there while mother is out. He keeps pointing out that there are rules The Cat is breaking, and there are consequences for those rules. (If anything, Mr. Fish is the role model in this one.) When the cat piles up too many things, they fall. Flying a kite inside leads to disaster. I’ll even give the cat credit for taking responsibility and cleaning his mess up. Everything gets cleaned up just in time for mom to come home and then….
The book suggests that these children should LIE TO THEIR MOTHER.
And this is where it loses me completely. And maybe I’m splitting hairs. Maybe I’m being too sheltering and over-sensitive as a mom, but we promote honesty in our house. Even if there is a huge mess, something broken, or something my son would definitely get in trouble for doing, he’s encouraged to tell the truth at all times. I’d like to think I’m not the only parent that feels this way.
I’m not the kind of person to normally get up in arms about these things. I’m not as strict about TV content as I could be and I generally let things slide that other people think are “iffy” in children’s media, but this one has for some reason gotten under my skin. Enough for me to want to say that the Cat in the Hat is not a good role model for kids.
But…
The Cat in the Hat has changed.
He’s not the same cat he was in the original stories. They have the Cat in the Hat Learning Library now. There are books about the human body, money, space, and several other aspects of science. The books go hand in hand with a TV show called “The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That”. They teach science and math concepts to kids, and the Cat himself has been given a completely new role.
The Cat is now a teacher.
He represents curiosity and learning in children, and he acts as a sort of guardian for the kids on their adventures. They even through in a moment, in the show, where the kids ask their mother if they can go with the cat. I still find the mothers lack of concern a bit appalling, but in terms of whether or not the NEW Cat is a good role model, I’d have to say yes. He even made it into a list I will be posting this week on role models for toddlers.
Indeed, the Cat has come a long way since he first stepped in on the mat, and I for one am all in favor of the change.
What do you think?
Am I the only one who takes issue with Original Cat in the Hat?
Is the New Cat an improvement?
Does anyone else have a classic book that rubs them the wrong way as a parent?
