Caillou – Just Like Daddy

Caillou is curious: he wants to know how he was born. Daddy explains. Caillou discovers that his daddy was once a baby too! When he gets over his surprise, Caillou has only one thought in mind: to be just like Daddy.

A child is born from the union of a man and a woman. The maternal bond is the more evident since the woman carries the child within her. Paternal bonds are more abstract and need to be identified. Just Like Daddy is written to help children understand the father-child link, a concept that can be difficult to grasp, as well as the grandfather relationship. Just Like Daddy aims to give children a sense of these filial bonds and open up a dialogue between parents and children.

Paternal bonds can be explored through physical similarities and this is how Daddy first broaches the subject with Caillou: "When you were born, I was so excited. Our eyes were the same color. We were like two peas in a pod." Looking at photos in a family album easily reinforces such observations. Caillou laughs when he learns that he is the baby in the photo! He is even more surprised when he sees a picture of his father as a baby. A difficult concept for a child to understand, the idea gradually develops.

Parental bonds help children learn that when they become adults, they too can have children. Daddy tells Caillou, "When you grow up, you can be a daddy too." Such an idea might make some children feel insecure since it conflicts with the present order of things as they see it. A worried Caillou asks his father, "Will you always be my daddy?" His question allows Daddy to reassure Caillou.

As they discover the bonds that connect them to their fathers, children are reassured about growing up. After talking about his birth and looking at the photo album, Caillou's desire to identify with his father is even stronger and he wants to dress like Daddy.

The text also provides an opportunity to explore the grandfather relationship. Daddy's daddy is also Caillou's grandpa. This relationship is even more difficult for Caillou to understand. He fears his whole world is crumbling and his response to this discovery is, "No! He's my grandpa, mine!"

At this age, when children need to identify with the same-sex parent, this book illustrates the bonds between Caillou and his father and grandfather as well as his desire to be like them.

*Originally released in the North Star series ISBN: 2-89450-256-7