Be Careful What Your Kids Watch!
Posted: Thursday, February 11, 2010
by Kevin D. Moore
Knowledge Driven & Moore LLC
I always find it amazing when a "so called" expert on children tries to tell people how to raise their kids. I especially find it amazing when the expert doesn't have any children of their own. Better yet, I find it amazing when the expert now has children who are adults and for some strange reason believe that their parenting techniques in the past were perfect and infallible. One would think that they could write the "book of all books" on raising children.
Take for example the time I experimented with electricity. After watching a Frankenstein movie, I got the bright idea to bring a dead fly back to life. So, I cut off the plug to a lamp that my parents no longer used; stripped off the protective coating of the wire; plug it into the electrical outlet in the wall; and proceeded to touch the fly with the exposed wires. Guess what? Nothing happened. I figured that something must be wrong with the fly; therefore, I touched the wires together. Once touched together, the wires sparked, I heard a very loud "POP", and all the lights throughout the entire house suddenly went out!
After the lights went out, everything was a little foggy. All I can remember was my father yelling from the upstairs of the house and bounding down the stairs toward my direction. But what's important is that I learned a great deal about electricity which I wouldn't have learned otherwise.
Another example of how wrong the experts are is my love for Super Heroes. As a child, after watching my then favorite Hero (i.e. Superman), I decided it was time for me to show the whole world my special abilities. Of course, I was not stupid enough to believe that I could stop speeding bullets or jump over buildings in a single bound. However, I was smart enough to realize that, like an airplane, with enough speed I could fly.
So, I walked as far back as I could in the hallway of my house and started running at a blinding speed. Prior to running out of hallway, I launched myself into the air. And, guess what? I was right! I did fly just like Superman!!! Unfortunately, on my downward approach back to the floor, my head hit the side of a coffee table. It turned out the table was harder than my head. Well, that's at least what the doctor said. But what's more important is that I learned two things.
One - Always make sure that coffee tables are nowhere near your Superman Hallway Takeoff and Landing path.
Two - Run faster than the fastest person you know or run as fast as my father did when he ran to the emergency room with his bloody son (i.e. Me.)
So, you see The experts don't know everything. Kids can learn a lot from being able to watch whatever it is that they want.
Just make sure the electricity is turned off, you have a very long hallway, and there are no coffee tables around.
Copyright 2010 Knowledge Driven & Moore LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)I have always said this about the so called experts Kevin. Its like those darned midwives who tell women not to scream and shut up while giving birth, and yet they have never had children themselves. I am 100% with you on the point you raiseKeep wellKacyKacy,Thanks for taking the time to comment...God Bless...Kevin
Great article Kevin! Just the thing we need in these times of unrest !Ravi,Many thanks for the comment! A little laughter goes a long way...Peace to you,Kevin
Hi Kevin, I really appreciated your article.When I was a little boy I made the same things, but my errors were a little bit different.They let me grow well, I experimented many dangerous things, but my parents were always behind me :)Thanks again.AlessandroAlessandro,It's great to hear that I am not the only one that has done some dangerous things in my childhood. I'm just glad my parents were there to ensure I survived them all and also convince me that some dangers were not worth the risk.Thanks for commenting.Kevin
Watching TV or movies - there are lots of pros and cons. Some of my friends restrict their kids from watching cartoons until the holidays. Personally, I think this is cruel. Some suggest to watch TV with the kids (interestingly, those who suggest are those with no kids or who don' t take care of kids) . That takes us adults from the things we need to do - not very practical if done all the time. There is probably no real answer perhaps. But there is good in movies and there is bad - as parents we need to be vigilant and talk to our kids. Kevin has done just that - made the movies work for him!Harv,Since every person is different, I think you are correct when it comes to there probably is no real answer. However, what I do know is that there were things I watched that caused me to have nightmares, things that I retain good memories of, and things that my parents truly had to explain to me. I guess it all comes down to one's parents and their ability to communicate, mentor, and coach their children.Many thanks for your thoughts!Kevin
Entertaining, funny and very visual. I enjoyed reading your article, it took me back to the days of my youth.Martin,Thanks for the kind words... When it comes to visual, I competely agree with you. I still have the mark of Superman on the side of my head. Ok...ok...I still have the mark of Coffee Table on my head! Smile...Kevin
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