Proceed with caution parents. These videos will end up burying themselves in your ear and you'll be singing them against your will for days...
Although we may think we’ve got one up on the kids by controlling their screen time, they prove us wrong yet again by using the limited time that they have to torture our ears with YouTube videos. Is that karma sneaking up on us? What is it about kids wanting to watch the same video over and over again? We’re convinced that these YouTube video creators are all on a global mission to drive parents to the wall…
Which brings us to the question – do Pinkfong and all these other YouTube video creators really have our best interests at heart or do they actually hate us? Why else are their videos so irritating? Here’s the HoneyKids list of our ‘favourites’.
WARNING: This may be the most annoying thing you read all week. Proceed with caution…
The YouTube videos kids love (but parents hate)
1. Baby Shark
There’s a reason why Baby Shark has reached the nine billion view mark. The lyrics are simple, the sharks are cute and colourful, the beat is infectious and actually quite fun to dance to. Kids and adults of all ages have succumbed in droves to the Baby Shark dance moves and plenty have even created their own videos for the world to see. HoneyKids writer Jana says, “As fun as it is to see a family of sharks living their best lives in the ocean, the saga has to come to an end, stat!”
2. Finger Family
There’s just so much wrong about this awful vid even aside from the immensely irritating tune. And there are sooo many versions of the song that it can keep the kids on a loop for months before they move onto a different irritating theme. “You just want to cut that damn finger off,” says Honeycombers writer Selina.
3. Pineapple Pen
“What the hell is a freaking pineapple pen anyway?” asks HoneyKids editor Tracy. “I tried removing the app from all devices but the kids loaded it straight back up.” According to Daimou Kosaka (the creator of this ultimate earworm song), he came up with the song while writing the lyrics with a pen and thinking about his hometown of Aomori Prefecture, Japan’s biggest apple-producing region. Coincidentally, there was an open can of pineapples on the table. Go figure!
4. Girl On Fire
“My older daughter’s obsessed with Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys after watching The Voice Kids,” shares HoneyKids client services manager, Yvonne. Research shows that Keys penned the song after giving birth to her son Egypt, and it’s often hailed as this generation’s girl-power anthem. It’s been covered by many artists since its release – to the dismay of many parents worldwide. “My ears are literally on fire,” says Yvonne.
5. Johny Johny Yes Papa
It’s weird how a song about a little boy (obviously named Johny) who was caught eating sugar by his father AND lying about it became such a hit. Firstly, it convinces kids that lying is OK and that they should be eating sugar by the spoonful. NO, NO, NO, NO! “I hate it! It teaches kids to hide things from their parents and laugh about it,” says mummy Annisa. And we say it’s also one of the most irritating videos ever. Our kids would disagree.
6. Xiao Ping Guo
HoneyKids writer Kate says, “The constant monotonous techno drone and inane lyrics are bad enough but if you knew the original source was a parody by a Chinese comedy duo, you’ll hate it even more. Sadly, it’s still an earworm for the kiddos. Embrace the madness and watch the SNH48 x Psy mashup.”
7. Peanut Butter and Jelly Time
The Urban Dictionary says that this song is actually about a car with a purple paint job, brown leather interior and a wood grain steering wheel and trim. To HoneyKids HR manager Angela (much to her dismay), it’s number one on her kids’ Spotify playlist. As yummy as this food combo may be, the repetitive lyrics and catchy beat could make you rethink your sandwich choices.
8. Let It Go
HoneyKids writer Tracy says, “Years on and I only have to hear one tiny snippet of this, or a whiff of a mention of Frozen, and I am singing Let It Go for days. My daughter was a huge fan, and even though she’s moved on now, this one still rings in my ears.” Sung by the indomitable Idina Menzel, it reveals Queen Elsa’s frustration with having to hide her true self. Conceal, don’t feel, people. After abandoning her kingdom and little sister, she realises she’s finally free to use her power freely and has a(n ice) blast. We feel you, Tracy. We feel you.
As the saying goes, “Great souls suffer in silence.” Whoever said that (Friedrich Schiller, actually) obviously didn’t have YouTube Kids or a toddler. Here’s to suffering together.
Do let us know the infuriating tunes you find yourself humming all day long! Or maybe not…
