Classic ‘ageist’ nursery rhymes should be replaced because they portray older people as ‘incompetent, unlikeable and irresponsible’, woke academics say
Researchers say it is raining, pouring, but suggesting that the old man might be snoring is ageism.
According to a new study, classic nursery rhymes that have entertained children for centuries are now out of date and need to be ‘revised’; because they portray older people as ‘incompetent, unlovable and irresponsible’.
Despite being an essential part of Britain’s cultural history and long helping to build children’s literacy, nursery rhymes expose children to ‘negative stereotypes’, giving them a pessimistic attitude towards ageing, the study found.
Researchers note the traditional story of Old Mother Hubbard, whose closet was so empty she couldn’t even find a bone for her dog, and lament her portrayal as forgetful and weak.
According to the research, it is implied that the Old Woman, who swallowed a fly and then ate a spider, a bird, and a cat, suffered a decline in her mental abilities.
Researchers note that a close examination of The Old Woman Who Lived in Shoes also reveals a highly suspicious and even exploitative approach to parenting; for this woman feeds her many children with broth without bread, and maintains discipline by whipping them all.
And Desperate Dan, who washes his face in a pan and combs his hair with the leg of a chair, is portrayed as extremely unhygienic.
Singapore researchers say their study is the first to look at how aging is depicted in classic nursery rhymes.
Old Mother Hubbard, pictured here from a Garlic Theater production, is one of the nursery rhyme characters opposed by scholars.
Michael Finnegan is portrayed as an accident-prone old man who eventually dies after catching a cold.
And they say their findings suggest they should be revised to be more positive about aging or replaced with entirely new stories.
Writing about their research in the journal JMIR Aging, the team said: ‘Although nursery rhymes may seem like fairy tales that should not be taken seriously, they are powerful cultural artifacts that can shape thought processes.
‘Our study highlights the need to provide children with access to more accurate and nuanced stories about older adults.
‘The presence of negative age stereotypes in more than half of the nursery rhymes raises significant concerns about their potential impact on children’s beliefs.
‘In the context of an aging population, it is crucial that people have a less pessimistic view of aging.’
The researchers based their study on an analysis of 735 nursery rhymes and found that old age was, in fact, a topic rarely mentioned.
Only four percent, or 29 rhymes, involved an elderly person.
But almost two-thirds (59 percent) of these contained negative stereotypes.
This involved portraying older people as physically weakened, cognitively impaired, unhygienic, helpless, unlovable, irresponsible and incompetent.
Examples they reference include the old man in the book It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, first published in the USA in 1912, who snores so much that he cannot get up in the morning after hitting his head.
Michael Finnegan is also shown as an accident-prone old man who eventually dies after catching a cold.
Although briefly mentioned, Goosey Goosey Gander (which originates from the Protestant reformation) suggests that the only way to deal with an uncooperative old man who refuses to pray is through violence – the man is grabbed by his left leg and thrown down the stairs.
As for Old Mother Leary – a US folk tale based on the legend that her cow kicked a lantern, causing the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 – portrays her as irresponsible and uncaring about her role in the tragedy.
The National Literacy Foundation says nursery rhymes are an ‘infinitely valuable’ tool that supports children’s early language and communication development, builds confidence and prepares children to read and write when they grow up.
They are also part of the tradition of oral storytelling and folklore, and often refer to dark historical events such as the Black Death and the English Civil War.
But the researchers said: ‘Repeated exposure to negative messages about older adults can influence children’s perception of reality.
‘As well as perpetuating ageism and hindering the development of intergenerational solidarity, it also affects them personally.’
