Why doesn't mother bear just eat them?

My family watches a lot of TV. We like TV. The kids watch a lot of TV too. I know there are a lot of people out there who don't think children should watch TV. I disagree. My brother and I grew up watching a lot of TV. We turned out fine. He watched more TV than I and he's more fine than I. My kids learn a lot of interesting things from TV. There are a lot of really well done programs for preschoolers on TV now. It's not a waste of time. I often watch TV with them. It leads to interesting conversations about things that might not otherwise come up.

All that being said, there's the one preschool show on Nick Jr. called Little Bear that always has me thinking, "Why doesn't the mother bear just eat them?"

For those of you who don't have small children. Or if your children don't watch TV. Little Bear is about a bear who is sort of preschool aged. He lives in the woods in a house with Mother Bear and Father Bear. He learns about typical things like sharing and putting his toys away. Mother Bear and Father Bear are patient and kind and there are a couple of funny episodes where Father Bear gets impatient and it's really cute. (Mother Bear says that Father Bear has his feathers in a bunch.)

Little Bear has a bunch of friends who live in the forest. They are Duck, Cat, Owl, Hen, Mitzy (who is a monkey), and Emily (who is a human girl). Each has his or her own personality and is pretty entertaining.

Cat is my favorite. Cat sometimes makes sarcastic comments or points out the obvious.

So, in this one episode, Duck, Cat, Mitzy, and Little Bear are all at Little Bear's house and are making Duck Soup. They've gotten out a big pot and filled it with water and Duck is swimming in it. Cat, Mitzy, and Little Bear are all taking turns adding things that Duck likes to the pot. They put in cinnamon, flowers, and salt. Then they start to stir the pot. Cat, Mitzy, and Little Bear are all around and as Duck spins in front of them they each start to say how hungry they are. They talk about how delicious Duck looks and how hungry they are and Duck starts to get a little anxious and a little dizzy.

Then, Mother Bear comes in and asks what they are doing and they say they are making Duck Soup. She looks alarmed and suggests that she make them all some delicious soup with animal crackers in it. So she does. And they all sit at the table and eat their soup with animal crackers. And I just think, "Why doesn't mother bear just eat them?"