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Post by rotefront on Jan 24, 2007 16:16:07 GMT -5
Hello All; This may be a bit of a stretch, even for the general section of this site. But I'm curious to know if there is any interest in discussing the challenges of parenthood in this world, i.e. trying to raise a happy child free of corporate brainwashing, or as free as possible. I am the proud father of a fifteen month old girl and even at this young age I am struggling with how to raise her without being totally indoctrinated by Disney/McDonald's/"Toys R Us" axis of evil. I'm an old punk-cum-skinhead with leftist values and sometimes feel a bit alienated at parents groups by well meaning but clueless folks who may be in vague agreement with me politically, but still have a "mainstream" attitude toward child rearing. I know this thread has a rather "hippy-ish" tone to it, but I would really like to hear from others on this board. All the best, Rotefront Papa
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scotto
Reds Strike The Blues
Posts: 90
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Post by scotto on Feb 2, 2007 19:18:26 GMT -5
Hi....I don't take it as hippyish, really. I'm a father of two boys here in the US: six and three years old. Mostly we just tell our kids straight up what's what. So a few weeks ago, my older kid was watching network tv (usually watches Public Broadcasting which has no commercials other than little sponsor messages at the beginning of a show)....anyways, it's one of the few times he's watched commercial tv--I walk by and he tells me "Wow, everyone's talking about ATT!" I ask, "Why do you think that is?" He answers, "Because they're great?" "Nah," says I, "ATT pays lots of money to have those spots on TV so you think they're great--the actors will say whatever they pay them to say." So we talked about advertising and how ads work. Sure, he's no 15 month old, but we've had conversations like this one about all sorts of things. The wife's big on healthy food and has explained that McDonald's food will eventually make you ill and our kids have internalized that. At any rate, we don't sugar coat anything. We'll see how that works when they're teens....
More later as the thread continues.
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Post by rotefront on Feb 9, 2007 19:42:59 GMT -5
Cool to here from you Scotto. The thread doesn't seem to be going anywhere at this juncture, but I may bring it up again. Sounds like your doing a great job with your kids. My daughter of course hasn't quite gotten beyond the goo-goo ga-ga stage but I'll follow your lead for when she DOES start talking.
Best, RF
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Post by leftxwingxscum on Feb 17, 2007 12:12:14 GMT -5
The wife's big on healthy food and has explained that McDonald's food will eventually make you ill and our kids have internalized that. McDonald's makes me horribly sick when I try to eat anything on their menu anymore. As a kid I had an iron stomach, I'd eat anything that tasted good. Only thing I can stomach from that place now is a breakfast sandwich
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Post by deebhoy on May 9, 2007 17:36:52 GMT -5
Its a cracking question because I have a kid the same age. How the hell you avoid so much crap that's thrown at us all - it is very difficult, there's no question about it. I don't really know but I do have some suggestions. There's so much pressure on kids these days to have the latest Nike etc gear, see the latest commercial bands, eat in the likes of McDonalds that its a minefield to avoid it without making your kid feel alienated.
I honestly think one is is really limiting them to the amount of TV they watch. A lot of people, especially kids, don't know how to read properly. Let them read all the classics, with a little bit of politics a la Animal Farm, thrown in. Buy a decent newspaper - there's too much shitty information we'['re subjected to. Educate your kid, take them to the country for walks, let them know theres more to life than what happens on their estate. Get them to question everything that promotes the establishment of their own thought.
These are just some thoughts on the issue, if I think of more I'll come back.
Good luck.
Deebhoy
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strike
Reds Strike The Blues
Posts: 79
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Post by strike on May 10, 2007 14:14:37 GMT -5
Hi, A very interesting thread this one so here's my contribution, for what its worth. I am 56 and aint ashamed to admit that I am an old hippie. I've got two kids in their early 30's from my first marriage and they got a real education during the Miners Strike of 84/85. I never stopped them from watching tv but I did answer them honestly when they asked me questions.As a Socialist as well, I like to think that I didn't do too bad of a job.The youngest,Sasha, became a nurse and is heavily involved with her union, Unison, though this has edged off a little since she became a mother herself. Her politics are sound.The eldest, Jen, is a teacher and she is equally politically sound. I always told them the truth as I saw it and I guess that helped them form their own opinions. The great poet,Kahlil Gibran, wrote a great poem in his book; 'The Prophet' about educating kids.Check it out because it is very profound, and full of good sense. It begins; 'Your children are not your children', and I won't spoil it by quoting more. I now have a 6 year old boy, Tim, by my second attempt at marriage, and I'm open and honest with him as well. I suppose banning kids from Mc shite and so on isn't the real answer.Knowledge is, and if my answer has confused you, then sorry, but the gist is let your kids do their own thing but make sure they know what you feel about each issue as it arises, and I guess my main message is,TALK, but more importantly, LISTEN as well.
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