Okay so this isn’t my usual rant. There is nothing really to be upset about, no stupid people involved, no one being rude. But as I sat pondering my next post while my kids watched Max and Ruby, I heard myself thinking what I always do when that show is on: where are the parents?
Seriously, do any of you watch this show with your children? Well for those of you who haven’t, it is a show about two bunnies, “Max and Ruby, Ruby and her little brother Max.” In many shows, the children will take a bus or walk over to their Grandmother’s house, but never is their any mention of parent bunnies. And I have to wonder, where are they? Why aren’t they ever even mentioned? There is no indication that they are at work, or away on vacation, or even deceased. They are never mentioned at all. Over and over again Ruby, the big sister, (who is only seven) takes care of little brother Max who is so young he only says one word at a time, so he’s what, maybe two? Max is there when Ruby has a friend over, when she is going to bunny scouts, when she is doing her homework. And at bedtime, it is Ruby who tucks Max in and handles lost stuffed animals and nightmares. She feeds him; fixes his boo boos, and generally does everything you would expect his parents to do.
So again, there is no reason for ranting or raving. No one to blame (well maybe the writers.) I am just perplexed. Why did they write this show so that a young bunny is solely responsible for her toddler brother? I’m not going to get all social justice on you or pretend that I think there is a message about the independence of children, or the political correctness of working parents, but I do think it is odd. It is noticeable enough that every time my kids are watching the show I find myself thinking where are the parents?
Does anyone know?
I think it has something to do with the fact that, like dogs, bunnies have seven years to each human year, so Max is really 14 and Ruby is actually a very mature 49! I once heard that Disney had only 4 movies in which the protagonist was a child with two parents together. This was years ago, so there might be another by now, but if you start doing the math you realize just how many movies/shows have a child that is either an orphan, or at the very least has only one parent.
ReplyDeleteMadison-
ReplyDeleteMy kids and grand kids are past the Max and Ruby stage, but I did some research for you. Hope it helps! Check out: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1513465/max_ruby_parents_are_alive.html?cat=49
I don't watch that one, but I was relieved to see Arthur's parents this morning on PBS. Lots of the shows kind of squeeze out the adults. Maybe that's the way our kids see us!
ReplyDeleteRae,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the research. It does answer the question doesn't it. But I don't like the answer because if the author contends the parents are alive and living with the bunnies, I don't see why Ruby would ever at age 7 be responsible for feeding a 3 year old breakfast, or putting him to bed. I get wanting to show how siblings can resolve issues, and she does have the more appropriate issues in some of her shows, like when Max interrupts Ruby by flying a plane near her, or wants to make mud pies to sell at her lemonade stand, but I still contend that issues such as nightmares, meals, and bedtime should not be handled by a 7 year old but rather a parent. But that is just my opinion, obviously not that of the author.
I have heard people talk about this before and we too wonder where the parents are.
ReplyDeleteWe were at a kiddie parade this summer and 2 kids went as Max and Ruby. Their parents were behind them and I yelled, "Hey, they DO have parents!" They totally laughed!
Heh heh! I never thought about this before, probably because I've only ever seen about two episodes of the show.
ReplyDeleteI know of a local woman who lives in a duplex who uses Max and Ruby to retaliate against her neighbour when he stays up too late with loud music, or with the TV cranked loudly at all hours. In the morning, as she's leaving for work, and Night Owl Party Boy next door is still trying to sleep off all the beer from the night before, she pops in a DVD of Max and Ruby, cranks up the sound, and sets the machine to repeat all day long. From what I hear, it's quite effective.