Someone once remarked that the British “rear children,” but Americans “raise kids.” While most parents try to stifle the goat and bring the human out in their kids, it's always nice to have a helping hand. The grammatically-challenged Politekids 101 follows the same workbook/stop tape formula used by the producer in the grammatically-challenged Safekids 101 (VL-11/03), with children performing skits demonstrating the right and wrong ways to behave, while host Julie Hunt outlines rules for basic courtesy, introductions, manners at mealtime, and telephone etiquette (she also interviews an elementary school teacher who offers additional advice for polite kids). Emphasizing that manners are for every day not just special occasions, the program even includes a nod to regional distinctions, such as the Southern tradition of referring to elders as “ma'am” and “sir” (a custom that, unfortunately, is dying out). Despite the problems presented by a workbook (not seen), this is an effective introduction to social skills (my three-year-old now asks to be excused from the table after supper instead of simply leaping up to go play), and is recommended for both school and public libraries. Aud: E, I, P. (R. Reagan)
Politekids 101: Social Skills Your Child Needs for Success in Life
(2004) 35 min. VHS: $19.95 (workbook included). SmartKids 101 (dist. by Big Kids Productions). PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 0-9729706-6-5. Volume 19, Issue 4
Politekids 101: Social Skills Your Child Needs for Success in Life
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.