Disney is going too far! [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

CinderellasSister

03-18-2009, 05:22 PM

k5thbeatle

03-18-2009, 05:40 PM

:sad2: Egads!?

racefanof88

03-18-2009, 06:01 PM

I don't get what you mean?

TDC Nala

03-18-2009, 07:13 PM

Some groups or individuals (not sure exactly who) have been advocating changing St. Patrick's Day to Shamrock Day to remove the religious connotation.

What about St. Valentine's Day though?

MJMcBride

03-18-2009, 07:58 PM

KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

03-18-2009, 08:03 PM

What about St. Valentine's Day though?

One rarely hears it called St. Valentines Day anymore though, just Valentines Day.

BobK/Orlando

tink1969

03-18-2009, 09:05 PM

People want to change "St. Patrick's Day" to "Shamrock Day"?
Are you kidding me?

racefanof88

03-18-2009, 09:06 PM

Some groups or individuals (not sure exactly who) have been advocating changing St. Patrick's Day to Shamrock Day to remove the religious connotation.

What about St. Valentine's Day though?

Thank you for making this clear for me. Now, I must rant as this makes me so mad :mad:.

I guess we need to just outlaw all holidays and anything that makes any kind of reference to religion. Oh, well that means we need to change the names of some of our major cities like St. Louis, St. Paul and St. Petersburg just to name a few. Easter now becomes Egg Hunt Day or Bunny Day. Let's not forget Mardi Gras which is the last day before Lent begins. And since we can't celebrate any Christian holidays nor can we celebrate any other Ethnic or cultural days as I find THESE offensive.

Sorry folks, in my opinion all the PC stuff is going too far.

shellybaxter

03-18-2009, 09:18 PM

tflood

03-18-2009, 09:48 PM

Change it to Getting Lucky Day

:rotfl2:

ZeroToHero

03-18-2009, 09:49 PM

KYMickey

03-18-2009, 10:14 PM

I'm getting very tired of people trying to make everything PC! Is one thing to make something PC when its new but it's an entirely different matter to take something historic and change it to make it PC. Enough is enough let a few people get upset about something once in awhile instead of upsetting the majority by changing from something they know.

As far as blue being the official color of Ireland, that may be true but historically green and orange are the colors of the Catholics and Protestants and actually the white in the flag is supposed to symbolize peace between them!

CinderellasSister

03-19-2009, 04:21 AM

I don't know anything about the St Pats to Shamrock Day debate but I can tell you that children of the age who watch Mickey Mouse Club House are far more likely to relate to Shamrock Day than St. Pats Day.

Why would they relate to Shamrock Day more than St. Patrick's Day? That doesn't make sense. Every sign you see says "Happy St. Patrick's Day" or "Celebrate St. Patrick's Day". What are they relating to?:confused3

shellybaxter

03-19-2009, 04:44 AM

Why would they relate to Shamrock Day more than St. Patrick's Day? That doesn't make sense. Every sign you see says "Happy St. Patrick's Day" or "Celebrate St. Patrick's Day". What are they relating to?:confused3

First, let me tell you why I made the statement. It has nothing to do with the debate controversy. I've been working with the under 5 crowd for almost 20 years so I've had a lot of experience with what they understand.

St Pats Day is a hard concept for them. Christmas is easy; either Santa comes or the baby Jesus was born. Both are things they understand from real life - someone comes and brings presents or a baby is born.

Thanksgiving is a little harder but basicly "be nice to friends" is how it gets translated and eat a big dinner.

Easter - Well a bunny comes and hides eggs is not concrete but looking for the eggs is. Religious families sometimes also talk about the death of Jesus. Some children have experienced death and some haven't; those who haven't have a hard time with that part of Easter.

Same for St Patricks Day - Its either about driving the snakes out (no real life reference makes that make a lot of sense for most little ones) or a little man (lepracon) who finds gold at the end of a rainbow. This finding concept is easier than the snakes but its not easily relatable to their life. The concept of a shamrock is concrete; its just a shape. They work with shapes all the time. Shamrock day is really no different than circle day or square day, which we sometimes have as we study shapes. Also the color green is important in a shamrock and emphasising colors is also concrete.

As an early childhood educator I can see why a show geared at preschoolers would choose to focus on the shamrock instead of the St Patrick Day lore.

Uncleromulus

03-19-2009, 05:48 AM

I suggest we just call it Three-Leaf Clover Day..

KYMickey

03-19-2009, 07:37 AM

Same for St Patricks Day - Its either about driving the snakes out (no real life reference makes that make a lot of sense for most little ones) or a little man (lepracon) who finds gold at the end of a rainbow. This finding concept is easier than the snakes but its not easily relatable to their life. The concept of a shamrock is concrete; its just a shape. They work with shapes all the time. Shamrock day is really no different than circle day or square day, which we sometimes have as we study shapes. Also the color green is important in a shamrock and emphasising colors is also concrete.

As an early childhood educator I can see why a show geared at preschoolers would choose to focus on the shamrock instead of the St Patrick Day lore.
My wife is also an early childhood educator so I asked her about this subject. She doesn't feel her children have any real problem understanding Saint Patrick's day anymore than any other holiday. The shamrock is a symbol of the holiday just like an Easter egg, a turkey or a heart are of other holidays. It's all in how the holiday is first explained to them. It may be partially a regional thing also, partially based on the dominant religions in an area. She also thinks it would be harder to explain why we have a holiday for Shamrocks but then Midwestern childrens thought processes are more based in reality and less on the abstract.

lxh11

03-19-2009, 09:04 AM

JasonDVC

03-19-2009, 10:54 AM

What's the big deal with "St. Patrick's Day"? It's not a national holiday or anything where people have a day off of work. It's just a day where the Irish celebrate their Patron Saint and booze it up. It's their holiday, let them celebrate, who is anyone else to decide what the day should be called.

It seems that there are just too many people nowadays who think they are holier than thou and know what's best for everyone else and want to force it on everyone else.

How about this...Mind your own business!!! No one is hurting you!

rebecca06261

03-19-2009, 12:17 PM

I would like to point out that it's really only in America that people celebrate St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland people don't even celebrate it that much. They also don't wear green. They wear blue.. it's called "St. Patrick's Blue". Americans just misconstrued the phrase "wearing of the green" (a shamrock) to mean green clothes. Ireland's national color is also blue.

Your interpretation is misconstrued and only applies to Northern Ireland. The rest of the country does celebrate St. Patrick's Day, albeit not by dying their rivers green or by drinking green beer... or by throwing beads from pirate ships as done in Tampa's St. Patty's Day nighttime parade. The Irish also celebrate St. Patrick's Day by wearing green- indeed not the colours of Northern Ireland, but certainly the color associated with by the rest of the country. The shamrock has traditionally been used as a method by which to teach children the Holy Trinity.

deej696

03-19-2009, 01:20 PM

I would like to point out that it's really only in America that people celebrate St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland people don't even celebrate it that much. They also don't wear green. They wear blue.. it's called "St. Patrick's Blue". Americans just misconstrued the phrase "wearing of the green" (a shamrock) to mean green clothes. Ireland's national color is also blue.

Not an attempt to contradict you or anything, but I celebrated St. Patricks day at an Irish pub in London a couple years ago, and it was quite an event! Many of the people I talked to were from Ireland living in London, and they were definitely celebrating quite hard:lmao: . Probably one of the most fun nights of my life:thumbsup2 Followed by one of the worst mornings as well...

shellybaxter

03-19-2009, 06:09 PM

Dumbing it down for kids it what it is. I would hope all educators would raise the bar and explain things the way they are. If you are going to talk about St. Patricks day, at least respect it enough to get it right.

Oh and please tell me that the word leprechaun is not now being Americanized into "lepracon" to make it simpler for children to spell?

Nope - its just that I have dyslexia and can't spell. As for dumbing it down - these are children under five. I was not suggesting that they never be told about St Patricks Day - just that they are far more equiped developmentally to understand the shamrock shape and color than the rather abstract and complicated legends that surround the holiday.

I still believe that Mickey Mouse Club House was being developmentally appropriate for their age group.

CinderellasSister

03-19-2009, 08:46 PM

Nope - its just that I have dyslexia and can't spell. As for dumbing it down - these are children under five. I was not suggesting that they never be told about St Patricks Day - just that they are far more equiped developmentally to understand the shamrock shape and color than the rather abstract and complicated legends that surround the holiday.

I still believe that Mickey Mouse Club House was being developmentally appropriate for their age group.

Dumbing it down for kids is exactly what you're doing. Explain the truth, that's what educators are supposed to do. Making things stupid for kids makes them grow up into stupid adults who have to be told things like "the coffee in this cup is hot" or "don't give a plastic bag to an infant". This world certainly doesn't need more people with no common sense.

shellybaxter

03-19-2009, 08:55 PM

Dumbing it down for kids is exactly what you're doing. Explain the truth, that's what educators are supposed to do. Making things stupid for kids makes them grow up into stupid adults who have to be told things like "the coffee in this cup is hot" or "don't give a plastic bag to an infant". This world certainly doesn't need more people with no common sense.

No actually what we're doing is giving children a good developmental foundation so that they don't need dumbed down education. Early Childhood Education is about where a child is developmentally; what they are ready for. what logically comes next on their developmental continuum. A study was completed on children and when they learn to tie their shoes. They first tried to teach 3 and 4 years olds to tie their shoes; it took more than 20 hours on average for them to learn. They weren't ready yet. They then taught children ages 5 and 6, judged to be ready for the task and that took 45 mins on average.

It is far more appropriate for a good preschool teacher to use their knowledge of development to determine the level of cirrculum needed for individual children (as in child development) than for the government to determine a level of cirrculum based solely on a child's age.

ZeroToHero

03-19-2009, 09:19 PM

No actually what we're doing is giving children a good developmental foundation so that they don't need dumbed down education. Early Childhood Education is about where a child is developmentally; what they are ready for. what logically comes next on their developmental continuum. A study was completed on children and when they learn to tie their shoes. They first tried to teach 3 and 4 years olds to tie their shoes; it took more than 20 hours on average for them to learn. They weren't ready yet. They then taught children ages 5 and 6, judged to be ready for the task and that took 45 mins on average.

It is far more appropriate for a good preschool teacher to use their knowledge of development to determine the level of cirrculum needed for individual children (as in child development) than for the government to determine a level of cirrculum based solely on a child's age.

I will add to this: I'm a psychology major, and I don't know if any of you know who Piaget is, but he's a famous child psychologist. Here are my notes from his description of what a 2-7 year old will function at, on average:

Piaget's Stages of Development
2) Pre-operational Stage (Age 2 → 7)
-Symbols
-One Relationship at a time
-Language leaps (By end of stage, words = symbols)
-Symbolic Play/Animism - Imaginary Friend

As you can see, they're at a symbolic stage, and cannot make multiple comprehensions of one thing. You cannot give a child the color green and a three-pronged leaf and explain that this is how we celebrate this holiday that may or may not be true about this guy from a really long time ago who did this thing with snakes, and that's why Mom and Dad are putting green food coloring into their drinks tonight. See how little that makes sense already? So. Shamrock Day it is.

And rebecca and deej, my family's friend lived in Ireland for 30 years and was the one who told me that they don't celebrate it over there. I don't think she's lying to me. It is possible that things have changed drastically in the past few years.. but not entirely likely.

I think that it was an Irish pub in a different country might have been the reason - maybe they were there because it's celebrated more in London than Ireland? Who knows. I haven't been during St. Patrick's Day myself to know firsthand.

SatninDis

03-20-2009, 08:08 AM

delete

WebmasterCricket

03-20-2009, 08:26 AM

I'm laughing because you haven't even brought up the "Happy Thanks A Bunch Day" episode yet.

They do have an Easter and Christmas episode though and don't PC those at all.

Maistre Gracey

03-20-2009, 08:36 AM

They do have an Easter and Christmas episode though and don't PC those at all.
Well... The Disney florist no longer sells Christmas trees. They are now "holiday trees".
I have wrote Disney on a couple of occasions saying I didn't like that practice.

MG

rebecca06261

03-20-2009, 09:54 AM

A study was completed on children and when they learn to tie their shoes. They first tried to teach 3 and 4 years olds to tie their shoes; it took more than 20 hours on average for them to learn. They weren't ready yet. They then taught children ages 5 and 6, judged to be ready for the task and that took 45 mins on average.

After 20 hours, the 3 year old was still 3 years of age... he was able to successfully able to complete this task 2-3 years ahead of the 5-6 year olds.
Based on that standard, the 5-6 yo would then be considered developmentally delayed. ;)

shellybaxter

03-20-2009, 10:02 AM

After 20 hours, the 3 year old was still 3 years of age... he was able to successfully able to complete this task 2-3 years ahead of the 5-6 year olds.
Based on that standard, the 5-6 yo would then be considered developmentally delayed. ;)

I will have to respectfully disagree. The study findings showed that, while you can use repetitive teaching techniques to drill information into a child it is not necessary. If you simply wait until the child is ready they will learn much faster. Do you really think the three year olds were excited about tying their shoes after 20 hours of instruction? And how frustrated do you think they became during the process?

Pecobill

03-20-2009, 10:19 AM

I will have to respectfully disagree. The study findings showed that, while you can use repetitive teaching techniques to drill information into a child it is not necessary. If you simply wait until the child is ready they will learn much faster. Do you really think the three year olds were excited about tying their shoes after 20 hours of instruction? And how frustrated do you think they became during the process?

My parents taught me how to do everything rather early.I also knew the true meanings of all holidays by the time I was 5.Because of my parents teaching me early I did a lot better than anyone else at my school.I had a 4.0 gpa in high school,1500 SAT score,88 ASVAB score,and I aced the FCAT.I was homeschooled for k-8th grade.In the 9th grade I started going to a public school and I instantly out did most people in the school.The reason I did so well is that my parents pushed me hard to do well.They didn't try to make it easy on me or wait till the state said I was ready.They started me as soon as they could,which I'm very thankful for.

shellybaxter

03-20-2009, 10:47 AM

My parents taught me how to do everything rather early.I also knew the true meanings of all holidays by the time I was 5.Because of my parents teaching me early I did a lot better than anyone else at my school.I had a 4.0 gpa in high school,1500 SAT score,88 ASVAB score,and I aced the FCAT.I was homeschooled for k-8th grade.In the 9th grade I started going to a public school and I instantly out did most people in the school.The reason I did so well is that my parents pushed me hard to do well.They didn't try to make it easy on me or wait till the state said I was ready.They started me as soon as they could,which I'm very thankful for.

It sounds like you have a high intelligence and that you were probably ready for the education your parents gave you. The individualized education available through good home schooling is great. Planning for individualized education is a cornerstone of good early care and development programs (birth to 5). Unfortunately its not emphasized once a child reaches the K-12 system.

As a preschool teacher my job is to design a cirriculum that is age appropriate for the entire group (i.e. Shamrocks and the color green for St. Pats) and then enhance the learning for students who are ready for more. Some might show a lot of interest in the holiday and then I would talk with them about the more abstract legends. However, some might struggle with the concepts of shapes and color. I have to plan for them too. Pushing is not the answer. Pushing a child who is not ready will frustrate them and cause them to give up on learning. Wouldn't that be a shame at age 3.

I was schooled in the public school system. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 3rd grade. Due to my disability I was a child who struggled with some concepts. However, I graduated from university with a 4.0 GPA. I am 3 courses away from finishing my Masters Degree and I currently have a 3.97 GPA (one A-). This is at Gonzaga University - a pretty good school.

I believe that our differing experiences, both with positive outcomes, go to show that individualized education is important and understanding the developmental level of a child is critical.

racefanof88

03-20-2009, 12:46 PM

It sounds like you have a high intelligence and that you were probably ready for the education your parents gave you. The individualized education available through good home schooling is great. Planning for individualized education is a cornerstone of good early care and development programs (birth to 5). Unfortunately its not emphasized once a child reaches the K-12 system.

As a preschool teacher my job is to design a cirriculum that is age appropriate for the entire group (i.e. Shamrocks and the color green for St. Pats) and then enhance the learning for students who are ready for more. Some might show a lot of interest in the holiday and then I would talk with them about the more abstract legends. However, some might struggle with the concepts of shapes and color. I have to plan for them too. Pushing is not the answer. Pushing a child who is not ready will frustrate them and cause them to give up on learning. Wouldn't that be a shame at age 3.

I was schooled in the public school system. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 3rd grade. Due to my disability I was a child who struggled with some concepts. However, I graduated from university with a 4.0 GPA. I am 3 courses away from finishing my Masters Degree and I currently have a 3.97 GPA (one A-). This is at Gonzaga University - a pretty good school.

I believe that our differing experiences, both with positive outcomes, go to show that individualized education is important and understanding the developmental level of a child is critical.

I must ask then, if holding the childen back, that are developmentally ready to advance, because a few are not "getting it" is not dumbing down what would you call it? Education is about teaching someone something new, not just letting them run around in circles building on what little they already know.

This is why I homeschool. I do not want my child to be held down, because a few in the class are just not getting it. Education is supposed to be about bringing people up to a higher level, not bringing someone of a higher level DOWN because we don't want little Tommy feeling bad because he didn't know the right answers.

These are the fundamentals that have sunk the American education system.

shellybaxter

03-20-2009, 01:32 PM

I must ask then, if holding the childen back, that are developmentally ready to advance, because a few are not "getting it" is not dumbing down what would you call it? Education is about teaching someone something new, not just letting them run around in circles building on what little they already know.

.

In early care and development (birth to five) we do not hold children back. We start with a baseline of developmentally appropriate activities and then enhance the activities with individual children as they are ready to move forward. While I think we agree for the most part - I disagree that learning is not a building experience. All learning begins with a foundation (reading begins with letters and alpha sounds, rthyms, teaching the eye to track from left to right, and even just learning to enjoy books by being read to.) and then progresses.

nmdisfans

03-20-2009, 01:37 PM

Change it to Getting Lucky Day

Awesome! I was thinking of Lucky Charms day, but I guess that's copyrighted already.

karrit2000

03-20-2009, 02:12 PM

chicagoshannon

03-20-2009, 03:39 PM

We had a local school principal on Long Island who decided that the students were not going to be allowed to celebrate "St. Patrick's Day" this year in her school and sent a letter home with all the students. She said the day was to be referred to as "Heritage Day" and they would be celebrating everyone's nationality/ethnicity/heritage. Parents were up in arms, lawsuits were set in motion, the school board intervened and St. Patrick's Day was celebrated. Principal is in trouble big time over this one.

Does this school still allow Christmas and Easter celebrations? I would hope that if they're allowed to celebrate St. Patrick's day that they would still be allowed to celebrate the other Christian holidays also.

CinderellasSister

03-20-2009, 05:52 PM

These are the fundamentals that have sunk the American education system.

:thumbsup2 ABSOLUTELY!!!!! :thumbsup2

As a preschool teacher my job is to design a cirriculum that is age appropriate for the entire group (i.e. Shamrocks and the color green for St. Pats) and then enhance the learning for students who are ready for more. Some might show a lot of interest in the holiday and then I would talk with them about the more abstract legends. However, some might struggle with the concepts of shapes and color. I have to plan for them too. Pushing is not the answer. Pushing a child who is not ready will frustrate them and cause them to give up on learning. Wouldn't that be a shame at age 3.

But what if just taking a little longer to explain a concept to the ones that are struggling will make them understand? Aren't you then selling them short? Not giving them the opportunity they deserve based on personal opinion? How do you explain Christmas, by calling it green tree day? Or explain Hanukkah as candle day?

racefanof88

03-20-2009, 07:36 PM

:thumbsup2 ABSOLUTELY!!!!! :thumbsup2

But what if just taking a little longer to explain a concept to the ones that are struggling will make them understand? Aren't you then selling them short? Not giving them the opportunity they deserve based on personal opinion? How do you explain Christmas, by calling it green tree day? Or explain Hanukkah as candle day?

:thumbsup2

shellybaxter

03-20-2009, 07:44 PM

We will have to agree to disagree. I've explained the tenents of qualiy early care and development. Another poster was kind enough to explain some of the thoery behind it. Mickey Mouse Club House was being developmentally appropriate when they had Shamrock Day which may or may not have been the reason behind their programing decisions. I will never agree that pushing children to the point of frustration is a good way for them to learn.

KYMickey

03-20-2009, 08:03 PM

We had a local school principal on Long Island who decided that the students were not going to be allowed to celebrate "St. Patrick's Day" this year in her school and sent a letter home with all the students. She said the day was to be referred to as "Heritage Day" and they would be celebrating everyone's nationality/ethnicity/heritage. Parents were up in arms, lawsuits were set in motion, the school board intervened and St. Patrick's Day was celebrated. Principal is in trouble big time over this one.
And well he should be! We've got to quit trying to be so politically correct at the expense of our heritage. There's nothing wrong with Saint Patrick's day, Saint Valentine's day or any of the other longtime holidays. These and many other things developed during the forming of our heritage and are thus part of it. Leave them alone and get over it. You as an individual don't have to celebrate it but don't try to change it and ruin it for those and enjoy it for what it is.

EMom

03-20-2009, 11:19 PM

And well he should be! We've got to quit trying to be so politically correct at the expense of our heritage. There's nothing wrong with Saint Patrick's day, Saint Valentine's day or any of the other longtime holidays. These and many other things developed during the forming of our heritage and are thus part of it. Leave them alone and get over it. You as an individual don't have to celebrate it but don't try to change it and ruin it for those and enjoy it for what it is.

Amen to that! We always celebrated St. Patrick's Day every year in school. Heck, it was a week long celebration in our part of Texas. For the record, I never had a minute's trouble grasping the concept of St. Patrick's Day and am happy my parents didn't "simplify" it to a shamrock, etc. For that matter, DD was given a children's book about St. Patrick when she was 3-4 (her GMom brought it back from a trip to Ireland) and she had no difficulty with the concept either.

So it's St. Patrick's Day for us! :thumbsup2 And we'll keep our Christmas trees and stick the holiday trees where the sun don't shine. :rotfl2:

lxh11

03-23-2009, 08:24 AM

No matter an individuals opinion of education and how to educate, one thing cannot be disputed - Americans do NOT stack up well against their international counterparts. The % of high school students that do not read at grade level is appalling.

It is the laziest education system I have encountered (and I was educated in 3 different countries) and panders to the lowest achievers, rather than raising the bar, for fear we disappoint those that are average.

The "everyone's a winner" mentality has created a nation of average joes.

racefanof88

03-23-2009, 01:25 PM

Shelton123

03-23-2009, 02:43 PM

I'm not a Christian and I still call it St. Patrick's day. It was a holiday created by Catholics, so I should respect that. Soon enough we're going to call Hannukah "Candleday" and Christmas "Treeday". It's kind of ridiculous.

karrit2000

03-24-2009, 03:20 PM

Actually the principal was a she. The town this happened in once had a large Polish population. I don't really know what it is today because we have a lot of areas that are getting a large influx of Central & South Americans. When I first heard about the incident I wondered if she had changed Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, MLK, or any of the Jewish Holidays that appear on the school calendars. I know that some School districts no longer specify the names of some of the holidays in order to be PC and ward off complaints. I'd like to see if this woman would have the audacity to go into Manhattan & ban all the various parades that occur each year that celebrate the many different heritages that are found in this country.

Keyser

03-24-2009, 04:54 PM

Actually the principal was a she. The town this happened in once had a large Polish population.
Wow - when I saw you mention this and where you live, I guessed that this was my hometown (which I haven't visited or lived in for several years). Sure enough, I was able to find a reference to this via web search! Kind of a weird way to see a reference to my (what used to be not so big) hometown...

M-I-C-K-E-Y

03-24-2009, 05:15 PM

:goodvibes:goodvibes

Paddy O'Brien: They're always after me lucky charms.

[Dr. Evil and Frau Farbissina laugh]

Paddy O'Brien: What? Why does everyone always laugh when I say that? They *are* after me lucky charms! What!

Frau Farbissina: It's a television commercial. With this cartoon leprechaun, and all of these children are trying to chase him, "Hey, leprechaun, leprechaun man, we want to get your lucky charms." Oh! And there are these little tiny pieces of mashmallow just stuck right in the cereal. So when the kids eat them they think, "Oooh this is candy, I'm having fun!"

:goodvibes:goodvibes

yitbos96bb

03-24-2009, 07:05 PM

Ok, maybe I'm crazy, but sometimes Disney doesn't need to jump on the politically correct bandwagon. Is it me? What do you all think?

"Shamrock Day
Well, whaddya know ... something serendipitous has happened at Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse on this March day: A radiant rainbow has appeared, and below it, clovers of the greenest green have sprouted. What's behind this magical event? Why, it's Shamrock Day, friends, and it's time for the wearin' of the green and some happy-go-lucky party capers with Mickey and his pals!"
http://tv.disney.go.com/playhouse/grown-ups/celebrationcenter/home/shamrockday/index.html

I couldn't care less either way. Frankly, I think its become a stupid holiday anyway. Very few people know what the story behind it is... most people use it as an excuse to get way to drunk and make fools of themselves. Just like Valentine's day has become a Hallmark holiday, time to get rid of both of them.

yitbos96bb

03-24-2009, 07:12 PM

Well... The Disney florist no longer sells Christmas trees. They are now "holiday trees".
I have wrote Disney on a couple of occasions saying I didn't like that practice.

MG

Why would you care enough to waste time doing something like that?

marymouse1987

03-26-2009, 02:30 PM

Wow, this topic seems to be getting people angry lol. Anyway, I'm also a psyc major (actually reading my textbook right now about children's memory capabilities), so I thought I'd put my 2 cents in as well. It seems that very young children do not seem to have the ability to understand symbolism. A great article titled "The Credible Shrinking Room: Very Young Children's Performance With Symbolic and Nonsymbalic Relations" taken from Psychology Today, 1997, 8, addresses specifically this issue. An object was hidden in a miniature model of a room and the children were told to find the object in the larger room. Anyway, they found that children aged 2.5 years were unable to draw a relation betwen the miniaturized model of a room and the actual room itself, upholding their theory that very young children are unable to create "dual representations." Interestingly, when the children were told that the small room was actually the larger room and had been put in a "magic shrinking machine," 80% of the children had no problems finding the hidden object. It was not until age 5 I believe that children were able to construct the "dual representation."
Also, going along with psychological theory, one of Vygotsky's theories was that of the zone of proximal development-"the region of sensitivity for learning characterized by the difference between the developmental level of which the child is capable when working alone and the level she is capable of reaching with the aid of a more skilled partner." So, basically all children have a level at which they max out no matter how much you push them. If they do not already have above average intelligence, you cannot push them to reach a 1500 on their SAT no matter how hard you try. I know everyone has been posting about "dumbing down the schools" which to a certain extent is true. But if all lessons were structured around the most intelligent children, the children lowest in intelligence would lag behind. If you want to campaign for more gifted classes, etc, I'm all for it, but I don't think that the slower children should be punished with lessons way out of their understandings.

p.s. before I get all kinds of posts about how your child understands symbols etc, remember that there are always exceptions to everything.

pepperw23

03-26-2009, 07:21 PM

KYMickey

03-26-2009, 07:51 PM

Why would you care enough to waste time doing something like that?
Maybe because he like many others care about preserving heritage and history and could give a rat's *** about political correctness! People are slowly but slowly destroying everything that makes up our heritage and memories of our childhood. There is nothing wrong with calling something Christmas, Saint Patrick's, Saint Valentine's or any of the many other things people are trying to change to become PC. More people need to be like Maistre Gracey and fight to save our heritage. :thumbsup2

King Triton

03-26-2009, 08:56 PM

Let's call it Green beer day.:lmao:

racefanof88

03-26-2009, 09:21 PM

Maybe because he like many others care about preserving heritage and history and could give a rat's *** about political correctness! People are slowly but slowly destroying everything that makes up our heritage and memories of our childhood. There is nothing wrong with calling something Christmas, Saint Patrick's, Saint Valentine's or any of the many other things people are trying to change to become PC. More people need to be like Maistre Gracey and fight to save our heritage. :thumbsup2

:thumbsup2