Headscratchers / Horrid Henry

• Instead of telling Great-Aunt Greta that Henry is a boy, why doesn’t Henry’s parents tell her that “Henrietta” is a tomboy who hates girly things?
  • If Greta can't remember Henry's gender, it's highly unlikely that she'd be able to remember what types of stuff he likes/dislikes.
• What is preventing Henry's mom and dad from sending him to a therapist?
  • Because they'd have to admit that their parenting of him is abusive.
  • Wait when?
  • They probably expect him to "grow out of it" as he grows up. They're not exactly good parents, in case you haven't noticed. That, or There Are No Therapists.
  • At least Henry’s parents are indirectly called out for their behavior at the end of an episode being called bad parents but in a different way.
  • If Henry’s parents sent him to see a therapist, then Henry’s parents would have to admit the flaws in their parenting. And the parents want to appear as though they are perfect, so sending Henry somewhere to talk about his life and what it’s like at home would ruin their act. Of course, Mum and Dad both seem to think they are doing a good job, and that the public don’t see how screwed up their family is. Though everyone seems to know what they are really like, Mum and Dad believe that they are role model parents, which to be fair, they probably are. Don’t forget they aren’t just Henry’s parents, they are Peter’s parents too. As such, this may be where the belief that they are perfect like Peter in terms of parenting comes from. In an episode in series 5, which is Henry’s parents evening, they talk about how similar all the parents are to their children. That’s when they become shocked that the other parents think they are just as horrid as Henry.
• Why don't Henry's parents just send him to military school/reform school in order to correct his 'horrid' behavior?
  • Henrys family is poor, so they probably can’t afford it and even if they could, Henry would just weasel his way out of it.
  • Uhhh, because those types of schools are usually into really shady shit?? Boarding School of Horrors exists as a trope for a reason. There's a highly good chance that sending Henry to a reform school would just make him worser, both in personality and mentality.
  • Henry is from a Lower-Middle Class family, paying fees for Henry’s education at a Military school or Boarding School would probably be unaffordable. Of course, Great Aunt Great or Rich Aunt Ruby could pay, like Greta did for Henry and Peter to attend Our Lady Giddiantus School and Brick House School respectively, but Greta thinks Henry is a girl called Henrietta and that they are an angel. As such, Greta wouldn’t be able to understand how a good “girl” like Henry could be sent to Military school and thus wouldn’t pay, and Ruby suggest sending Henry to Brick House (the private school her son attends) but doesn’t offer to pay herself, so that’s probably why. As well as that, sending Henry to Military school would ruin the reputation Henry’s parents are trying to uphold.
• How exactly did Peter beat up Bossy Bill in Perfect Peter Pumps Up?
  • There's implications that he was using a spoon, but we don't get to see the beating itself.
  • Not seeing it was what actually made it funny.
  • Truth in Television. I know of someone who apparently did not look like the type to be able to be up a bully. And they did. Peter was probably really set off.
• In the episode wherein Henry's mum makes cookies out of carrots (Carrot cake cookies?), and he finds out and gags, everyone makes fun of him for eating carrots. Why would they laugh at him for eating carrots? They ate carrots, too!
  • They make fun of him specifically because he gagged at the carrots. Also, they're shitty kids. Do you really expect them to use that kinda logic?
• Where exactly is Henry's mom's name is said to be Desiree?
  • Another name the Internet has given her is Suspicious Sally. Again, there’s no proof for THAT, either.
• Assuming Henry never stops nicknaming everybody... what will Vera's nickname be when she's older?
  • Viscous Vera, most likely.
  • Henry currently calls her Vomiting Vera. Depending on if she is horrid like Henry once she’s his age, she could be called Violent Vera or Viscous Vera (though there’s already a toddler called Vicious Vicky). Vera is shown to be quite brave, so maybe when she’s older if she still has courage she could be called Valiant Vera.
• Given their treatment of him throughout the show, do Henry's parents just hate him or something? And if that's the case, what's stopping them from sending him to live with another relative or something?
  • If you were related to Henry, would you be willing to take him in?
    • No, but let's just assume that his parents don't care about the feelings of whatever relative they choose to leave Henry's care in. They just want to get rid of Henry in whatever way they can so that they can focus all of their attention on Peter.
    • Then in that area, they're probably out of luck. Besides Aunt Greta, I can't see anyone else that is willing to take him in. Because Aunt Greta is old, it probably isn't feasible for her to look after Henry.
  • 1) Henry’s parents do not hate him. They love him. It’s just they favour Peter over him, and they are trying to seem like perfect parents because they don’t want people to think they’re horrid. Mum had a happy childhood (despite having a mean older sister) and she knows how to be a mum because Henry’s grandma was sweet and funny and kind. However, it is implied that Mum may have been a rude and horrid girl in her youth and is shown to be short-tempered. And Dad seems to have shared a lot of interest and traits with Henry as a child. As such, They discipline their children greatly to look perfect so they look like perfect parents. Peter is willing to conform and is naturally academic and well-behaved, and as such Peter is praised and receives a lot of affection, while Henry is rebellious. 2) Rich Aunt Ruby has a big mansion to spare so she could let Henry stay with her (she’s shown to care for him, just not be fond of him), but she has a son who despises Henry and Ruby knows that Henry is not the sort of child she wants in her house permanently, and she definitely doesn’t want to raise Henry or pay for his fees to attend Brick House (her house is too far away from Ashton Primary and implied to be in a different town). Polly and Paul are raising a baby, they are young and inexperienced as parents who haven’t raised an 11 year old boy or girl yet, their only child is still a baby. As such, the only relative left who likes Henry and would probably want to take him in is Great Aunt Greta. But Greta is old and frail, she’s implied to have some form of Dementia, as well as poor sight and hearing. As such, she would be considered unfit to raise Henry. 3) If Henry’s parents sent him away, then they wouldn’t be able to keep up their act of appearing perfect parents.
    • Ok I actually believe Henry’s mom might actually hate him at times... But as for Henry being able to live with other relatives it wouldn’t be ideal.
  • Prissy Polly and Pimply Paul. While Henry eventually has a friendship with Paul and also likes their baby Vomiting Vera. He still doesn’t like his cousin Polly very much. It’s also unlikely that they would be able to support Henry in addition to Vera. Paul is a milk man and we actually don’t know if Polly has a job, and both are very young, in their late teens or early 20’s. Also Henry even at his nicest still likes to be horrid and he could possibly lead to Polly and Paul’s divorce (even without meaning to) and if Paul lost Vera to Polly he’d never forgive Henry and the boy would be put in foster care. As well as that, us much as Paul likes Henry later on, even he knows that Henry is a loud child, and having Henry in their home would not be a good environment to raise their baby.
  • His rich aunt Ruby could in theory give Henry everything he wants but Henry would have to adopt a rich persons attitude. He would not like that and even then she could say no to anything he asks for (even things she gives her son). She could also actually be WORSE to Henry because of who he’s related to. He would also have to move into Steve and Ruby’s house, which is outside of his school district, which means he’d miss his friends. He’s only have Stuck-Up Steve (and maybe Bossy Bill?) for company. So in the end it would be like his current life only worse.
  • Great Aunt Greta is loosing her mind. His great aunt believes Henry’s a girl she once tried feeding him dog food. She actually didn’t mean any harm however and she is able to help Henry on some occasions, and she does care about him (odds are Henry could have a lot of fun living with Great once he got used to it). However, Great’s home is a small bungalow with only two bedrooms, one is Greta’s and the other is a small spare room that is quite old-fashioned. Peter is allowed to stay with Great for a weekend at her bungalow, and they have fun, because Peter is good with old people. Henry could always have the spare room decorated, but it’s still much smaller than his room at his house. As well as that, Greta struggles with her sight and hearing, and seems to have Dementia of some sort. So unless they have a live in nurse or two that could look after them, Henry living with them would be impossible.
  • Doddery Donald, Great’s brother is shown to be more sane than his sister. However, judging by Mum’s reaction it’s implied that he rarely maintains contact with most of the family. As well as that, in a later episode he was shown in the Old People’s home, implying he has started living there. This would mean it’s impossible for him to look after Henry.
    • Okay, so sending Henry to live with another relative is off the table. Why don't his parents just drop him off at an orphanage or something instead so that he'd be someone else's problem?
  • Perhaps they don't dislike him enough to kick him out of the house. Alternatively, they're worried that other people will judge them for abandoning their child.
• In “Who Stole Mr. Kill?”, Mum scolds Henry of accusing her of stealing Mr. Kill. She sorta technically did but blamed it on her son anyway.
• Why is Dad smiling “Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend” when he tells Henry not to be horrid.