Was that a pile of tosh or what?
Leading questions (we’re going to dress you up as a dad – now how do you behave?), odd interpretations of results (when Big plays mummy and daddy she is manifestly not pretending to be me or Tim – we’ve talked to her about it, it’s a game!) prejudice, half of the story – and followed up by the news and the comment that mothers who withhold access to their children might be given curfew orders or community service. Might I enquire what is going to be done to parents who don’t attempt to maintain contact?
Anyway, I think I’ll watch next weeks as it’s about school – that should be good for raising the blood pressure 😉 and then give up on it. Pop pyschology, manipulative science, and truly disappointing.
And the rest of my day? Barbara brought back a daughter for me, and left me one of hers 😉 The girls played reasonably well together, but Big wasn’t on her best behaviour and they got more and more excited despite my attempts to head it off – until Small got caught up in the backlash and knocked over on the wooden floor. Ouch.
So then it was bath and bed, and they were all asleep by 8.10 which is some kind of record. I have to be out of the house pretty early in the morning, so I’m not going to be up much longer myself. We won’t be taking a particularly authentic victorian packed lunch I don’t think – can’t think what I can do for drinks! Not sure how long we’ll stay at the museum anyway – I’m going to have to beetle off to Meadowhall afterwards to get clothes and see if I can get my hair cut for this interview. Better go do a bit more revision before bed.
Comments
7 responses to “Child of our time”
No, my lot iron (for example) when they’re playing ‘babies’, so clearly not pretending to be me or Chris!
rofl – unless they are ironing hama beads?
SB also seems to know what an iron is, somehow. i thought also was rubbish. can remember a consultant anaesthetist at york laughing, as her daughter had told all her friends mummy was a cook at the hospital, as couldn’t poss be a doctor. i think that stereotypes ingrained in culture and family values do not necessarily counteract these.
I watched it last night too and was grimacing through the whole thing, although I am tempted to try a couple of the experiments … did have to laugh a little bit at the Etch a Sketch one. Where clearly (I thought) they did the Mums before the Dads, because none of the kids had a clue what to do with it at first!
Yeah, i laughed at the Etch-a-Stetch one because it reminded me of the Family Tree making experiment, although to give Max credit, on that occasion he did relinquish his grasp at a gentle reminder the point was to engage the kids!
Its the first time i’ve watched it and it did all seem terribly leading. I think Max quite enjoyed being told his role in the family was important but the only bit that really moved me was seeing the lady with no arms breastfeeding. That’ll be the last time i complain about big boobs making it hard then!
“Might I enquire what is going to be done to parents who don’t attempt to maintain contact?”
THAT is a very good question, Jax. Do you feel inclined to don a superhero costume and climb up the outside of Buckingham Palace to ask it? If so, and if you stay up there long enough to catch the early evening news on all 5 channels, I’m 100% sure someone will answer it with a prompt change in legislation for you :o(
Yes, I only saw a bit of COOT and what I did see was utter rubbish – it might as well have been that stupid program where they get children to say funny things, cant remember what was called. I was disappointed in the prog I mentioned due to review in Independant (on race stereotypes), which was, as is often the case, more interesting and informative than the program itself.
That thing also riled me about threatening to penalise mothers failing to grant access- this is not protecting children. I spent over 10 years allowing access to uselss absent father as I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I regret it as he was a consistently crap parent: I am still finding out, years later, exactly how bad.
Good Luck today, thinking of you with fingers crossed 😉