| Not every kid wants to see the Easter Bunny or even Santa, but it's one of the initiation rituals that our culture deems highly valuable for children. Every year, thousands of children are traumatized in this rite of passage when we tell them to believe that these characters are real. Later, we'll fill them in that these terrifying setups were especially designed to promote creativity and bolster the development of their imagination. Only later when they reach full maturity will they be able to appreciate the time and effort we put into the whole elaborate hoax. It's okay, really...if it gets too bizarre for them, their minds will blank out the entire event. Children are amazingly resilient that way. When Linda Jo was around 3 years old, she saw a man at the Mt. Shasta Mall who was dressed like a giant hot dog... |
| it scared the living daylights out of her. She literally climbed up the front of me and was halfway over my shoulder before I realized what was happening. Hollering and kicking her legs, she yelled, "Go away, Hot Dog man!" I don't know why on earth he was dressed like a hot dog...that is most likely a story all its own. The little girl in the picture is a family friend. She is also scared of Bobo, my mom's little Jack Russell Terrier. Bobo senses this and is the only one who can keep her seated at the dinner table. Bobo is an amazing disciplinarian and obviously has some strong ideas about what is appropriate behavior for little girls. Because Bobo merely chases, barks, and growls, I asked this girl what might happen if she didn't run away from him. "Bobo will eat me." she said solemnly. |
| Pondering the subject of rabbits and childhood development... I was recently reading the story of Peter Rabbit with Daisy as part of her nightly reading for school. I was taken aback to learn the fate of Peter's father. There it was, written in a second grade reading textbook...he had an accident at Mr. McGregor's and Mrs. McGregor put him into a pie. "That is so sad!" I interrupted. "What?" Daisy asked. "The McGregors ate Peter's dad in a pie!" I answered. Daisy continued reading. I interrupted again, "Daisy, don't you think it's sad?" "No. I want to keep reading." I thought that the line was a bit too graphic for a children's book but Daisy was done discussing it. Then I began to reason it out. Father Rabbit was where he didn't belong and maybe he got what he deserved, but then I wondered, Ought we to be teaching our children the concept of natural consequences? |
| They may never need them. Looking to the future, our country seems to be headed toward being a socialist state. If you mess up, the government will bail you out...if you're lazy, you'll still get the same as everyone else. This story should be rewritten. We need the story of "Socialist Peter Rabbit" In this new version, Farmer McGregor will need to give the rabbits their fair share. The rabbits can hold signs, "Open that garden gate!" Mrs. Rabbit can add to her brood doing what rabbits do best and old McGregor will foot the bill, working like die-hard capitalists do best. Socialist Peter Rabbit... now that's a rabbit that should cause any thinking person to be alarmed. Contact me Sign the Guestbook Back to the Hompage at www.redbluffismytown.com |