Review of Teddy's TV Troubles by Rabbi Jim Michaels
My granddaugher had a problem a few weeks before Pesach. She heard the Passover story in preschool and was very afraid of the frogs which plagued Pharaoh. My daughter called to ask what I would recommend; the three-year-old couldn't be persuaded that Pharaoh was a very bad man who deserved this punishment. She was more worried that frogs would be in her bed when she woke up.
By coincidence, I had recently seen an advance copy of Teddy's TV Troubles, a children's book by Joanne Cantor, professor emerita of media studies at the Universtiy of Wisconsin--Madison. It address the very same problem my granddaughter experienced.
Teddy Bear sees soemthing frightening on television; he didn't know what to do about it. Teddy's mother tried a strategy all parents can use: she talks about how she was scared when she was a child, and how the comfort and love of parents helped her overcome her fears. She then suggests that Teddy draw a picture, play with toys, and then look through his bedroom until he is certain that there is nothing scary.
The book has beautiful illustrations by Tom Lowes. My favorite has Teddy falling asleep with his own copy of Teddy's TV Troubles under his arm. There's also an Afterward for parents, giving pointers about how this book can be used. One especially useful point is that what children say is frightening often isn't the real cause of their fears. Some comforting talk can help bring out the true concern. At the very least, it will assure them that there's no shame in being afraid.
I can see several uses for this book in our work as chaplains. First, of course, those who work in pediatric hospitals will find immediate application for children in potentially frightening situations. If our patient population consists of adults, they may find that their children are experiencing imaginary fears when the true problem is a prolonged separation or the possibility of death or long-term disability. Teddy's TV Troubles would be helpful for them as they deal with these additional issues.And, of course, we should always be mindful of our own children's needs. I'll keep this book handy for the next time my granddaughter's vivid imagination produces another crisis.
Rabbi Jim Michaels is the Director of Pastoral care at the Hebrew Home for Greater Washington.
-- Reprinted with permission from the Newsletter of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains, May/June, 2004, p. 5.
Return to Joanne Cantor's Home Page