I will admit to not liking “Caillou” when I first watched it. For years I loathed the little kid. I found him whiny and irritating.
Then I realized something. He’s just like every other 4 year old.
Why do we as parents find Caillou so irritating? Because his behavior is ridiculously accurate. Not only that, but the reason we put up with this behavior in our own children is because they are our own children.
If somebody else’s 4 year old child acted the way Caillou does, you’d be annoyed. And that’s what he is – somebody else’s 4 year old child. Yes, it’s kind of creepy that he’s bald (like Charlie Brown) but it is the constant whining that seems to draw the most ire.
The thing is, the show is presented from Caillou’s point of view, so in the main character’s mind, as well as the intended audience, it isn’t whining but simply query and exploration of the world around him. What I found interesting was how the adult viewer is able to understand the thought process and world view of a four year old by watching the show. It may be obvious to us how an activity can be fun, but the 4 year old doesn’t have the frame of reference for such knowledge.
By taking the viewpoint of the protagonist in “Caillou” instead of as an adult observer, one can gain insight into how children think. It wasn’t until Ciárán started watching “Caillou” regularly that I understood what the series was trying to convey.
It takes a little openness and empathy, but really, “Caillou” is not as bad as you think.