Ok let's stir the waters of controversy 'cuz it's fun! I LOVE HARRY POTTER BOOKS and am very excited the last installment is coming out July 21. I literally have another 32 year old girlfriend who's so excited she may camp out at Barnes and Nobles with the other 15 year olds for the midnight release. How funny. Let me first of all say that I DO NOT think this series is for young children at all. Like, kids only 10 and older maybe, depending on whether or not the child is capable of distinguishing real from pretend and all that. Having said that though, this series of literature is very thought provokin on EVERYONE'S struggle within themselves for the potential to be good or evil, and the ability we all possess to use our gifts for other's benefit or for their detriment. It's really, really good. The other praise I have is that the author has created this whole Harry Potter "universe," much as George Lucas did with Star Wars and the creator of Star Trek with the Klingon language and all that. It really is genius even just from an academic standpoint. I have strong feelings around the "controversy" of Christians reading such material, which I'll save after I read some of your opinions! I'm excited!
29 comments:
Okay, see I'm busy today and now you want to stir up controversy. lol. I have read the first book, and I do agree the book was written very well. I believe that if a person allows their children to indulge in Wizard of Oz, then Harry Potter is not much different.
My only concern, however, is for the time period we are in. We are in a time period where we are becoming numb to sin and its surroundings. Every thing is becoming relative, you know. The "What's right for you is not right for me." My concern is can a child, even as young as ten know "white magic" versus "black magic?" Isn't magic still magic?
I guess I luck out on this argument, because I don't have to form too much of an opinion (just a minor concern that I haven't thoroughly established to be honest because I liked the book too), because my kids aren't into Harry Potter. Ariel, my oldest, just didn't get into it, and with the last book coming out now - it probably won't be as popular when the younger two get older as it is now.
By the way, I do not indent to offend anyone, I just am expressing concerns.
I kind of thought this was what it would be on when I got the email. I feel that for myself, due to things of my past and unhealthy curiousities about things like sorcery, I will not go here. My daughter will not have these books. Yes, they may be wonderfully written, and yes I have watched Lord of the Rings and have had thought provoking talks with Day and there is a wonderful lesson behind them. Harry Potter has always given me a "check" in my spirit. I agree with Gina about becoming number and number to stuff in this day and age. I know there are great arguments for and against and if one puts one's mind to it long enough and deep enough, we can come up with convincing arguments either way. We can "catch" each other doing things that we can say "well if you watch this then this is not so bad..." I am just saying for me, I am staying away from this. I believe in our present day, time will tell about stuff like this. We start little and get curious about bigger things and just again, stating for me, I will not let this into my home. SOmetimes all the research in the world and time spent on looking for the good in something does not really matter or is not as important as that little voice inside that you hear saying "...just don't..." so that's what I'm listening to on this one. And I do not feel I have the time or energy to ask God "...well...why..." and search out answers. I am content with the "check" and "still small voice" I am taking the word for it....that still small voice that I have not listened to TOO many times in my life. So, I still love you all for anyone that likes it and thinks it's great........as for me and my house........nope.
I have to agree with both of the previous comments. As a teacher, I am surrounded by many who think these books are miraculous because they get kids who normally hate reading to love reading. But I have to say, I read the first book for a class in college and It was very entertaining. It is so well written that it was disturbing. I feel that it very slyly draws you in. I cannot think of alot of specific examples as it has been a long time since I read this book. But I totally know what Patt means about having a check in your spirit. I think these books provide a spark of curiousity about witchcraft, spells, etc that can be very dangerous. I really don't feel like the issue is a matter of kids understanding fantasy versus reality because witchcraft really does exist in real life. WHile the events in the book may be fantasy, the ideas behind them are not. I don't think that we as Christians need to be afraid of evil spirits because we have Christ but I do think we need to be wise in our approach when dealing with these things and I don't think the door needs to be opened. That being said, I do know other Christians who have read the books and are not at all anti-Harry Potter. I do have to point out that typically that are people from churches who do not talk about spiritual warfare, etc.
okay, jen. Where are you? I'd like to hear what you have to say on the subject.
yay! i'm so glad people are responding! first of all my kids are just now 9 and 6 so 12 years ago when the first book came out no one in my house cared! once my girls got older however i decided it was time to develop an opinion for myself (rather than just going on everyone else's) and read them so that then i could make a decision for my children. there is an EXCELLENT book out ther called "The Christian Parents Guide to Harry Potter" that covers both sides of the argument and then presents the potential solution that #1 the books are for older children if they're for children at all, and #2 parents read the books WITH THEM. this way there's discussion, question/answer time, maybe a chance for it to lead to family devotions where together you can go look for the answers in scripture, etc. I LOVE THAT IDEA because what i had found was that most of the christians who had an opinion had not even read the books!!!! i'm glad to hear you guys have so that at least you're opinions are educated ones! i do think that although morality is "absolute" in my house and not "relative," there are some Christian houses that don't even allow Cinderella because the fairy godmother does magic. my house does allow that cartoon but i certainly understand why some houses do not, and i don't judge the members of those houses at all! i also know that every child is different, and just like with medicine/education/makeup/boyfriends and whatever else i may encounter with these 2 kids of mine i never have and never will take a "one size fits all" approach to decision making. i pretty much have to customize everything around here! we take it as it comes, per kid and per situation. when they're 18 i'll let you know if they're totally screwed up as a result!!!!! :)
I firmly believe that the Harry Potter books and movies CAN be a fantastic tool for parents to use. Notice that I say "can be" and not "are," because it's all in the hands of the parents who are allowing their children to witness media such as this. As responsible parents, it's our duty (I include myself in that 'our' even though I'm not a mother yet, because I will be soon) to teach our children not only the truth of Christ, but also the truth of the world that we live in and have a duty to minister to.
I was raised in a very safe little Christian bubble and was told that any song by a non-Christian artist was evil and that certain movies were evil and that books carried demons. There certainly ARE songs and movies and books that portray evil and that I think Christians should be very careful about, but let me just tell you that I not only missed out on a LOT of good experiences that could have been extremely beneficial to me in understanding the world around me, but I also grew up with a skewed sense of reality. I couldn’t relate to my friends, I developed a very cliqueish attitude, and I was completely unprepared when the reality of our fallen, evil world hit me square in the face. I’m still dealing with the ramifications of being raised in this manner, though I don’t hold any bad feelings toward my parents, because I know that they were just trying to do what they felt was best. The “Christian bubble” that parents are so eager to keep their children in seems to keep them safe, but it is really the device that’s going to keep them out of touch with their peers, out of touch with the reality that there are absolute horrors and evil in this world, and ultimately all it’s going to do is make it more difficult for them to reach the world around them with the truth of the Gospel.
In allowing non-Christian media into our lives and the lives of our children, there is definitely a certain level of vigilance that is necessary. Obviously it needs to be done in stages that the child is mature enough and prepared for. When reading your children the Bible, you start out with the story of the Christ child, you might also discuss Noah and the flood, Adam and Eve in the garden, and Queen Esther. These stories can be comprehended by a young mind, even the sin issues. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, Queen Esther’s husband took some very bad advice from a bad man, etc. You can use simple language, and children will understand what you’re talking about. You don’t start out your children’s Biblical understanding with the story of the 42 youths who got mauled by she-bears after making fun of Elisha. You don’t regale them with the “good one” about how Lot and his daughters had a big old drunken incestuous orgy, nor do you tell them how Lot offered his daughter to be gang raped by an angry horde. These are not things that very young minds are prepared for but they are important things that, as the child matures, they are going to HAVE to be exposed to and understand.
Someone mentioned that they had a problem with these books because we’re living in a time where we’re becoming numb to sin. But I believe that we do a very great disservice to children when we protect them from the reality of sin. I think that lessening it is what makes us become numb to it. For instance, if all children hear about the story of Noah is about the animals and a bunch of rain and a birdy with an olive branch, they are NOT going to get the full, brutal picture of God’s complete and total destruction of mankind, nor are they going to understand fully the devastating consequences of sin. Of course, all things in time. Dan and I will have to discuss when it will be appropriate to begin discussing these things with our children.
As far as Harry Potter goes, I think that many people have a problem with it because there are wizards that are “good guys” and wizards that are “bad guys.” I believe it would make people more comfortable if the “bad guys” were practicing magic and the “good guys” were, I don’t know, praying or something. First of all, we have to look at the characters in the book. What makes the “good guys” the good guys? Their use of magic is to protect, to preserve, and to defeat the forces of evil who want to kill, steal, and destroy. Does that sound familiar to anyone? And what makes the “bad guys” the bad guys? They are greedy, power hungry, lustful, and bloodthirsty. Certainly there are common threads that we share with the “good guys,” and things in the “bad guys” that we see as sins.
So what I’m saying is that Harry Potter books and movies, when used in a proper way, can be an excellent teaching tool for Christian parents, to help children better understand the world around them and get a broader, more eclectic picture of the struggle between good and evil.
I have more to say, but I’ll let Dan jump in now.
that's a good perspective mrs. sara; i was raised in a christian home where people loved jesus but didn't walk any kind of christian walk whatsoever. everyone did absolutely whatever they wanted because "we're all just human" and there really was no moral code so to speak. so i wasn't sheltered, and now here i am wondering when and how and IF i should shelter my own children. ok dan, your turn!
Well, I have never read any of the Harry Potter books. First, I have no interest in that sort of thing. I read basically non-fiction stuff. Maybe I have too much drama in my life already...LOL! But, when I think of Harry Potter and the few clips of the movies that I've seen I don't feel good about it. My kids are younger than yours as well. So, we choose to not do Harry Potter in our house.
I do have a comment though about something Mrs. Sara said:
"But I believe that we do a very great disservice to children when we protect them from the reality of sin. I think that lessening it is what makes us become numb to it." I know where you are coming from with this statement, but there are times that I try to explain certain things to my kids about "life" and I get the most perplexed, crushed, sad little faces. They still think almost all people are nice, that the world is a good place, and I just cannot expose them to the reality of this world just yet. In time they will learn the harsh reality of things, and I want to be the one they run to about the injustices. Then, I can explain. But, maybe it's because of their ages, but for now I choose to protect them from any and all hurt that this world can bring.
Well, apparently I'm going to comment now ;)
Let me start off by saying that I don't think the Harry Potter books are great literature. They are good pop literature, easy to read, amusing at times, plenty of action and twists but they certainly shouldn't be up for a Pulitzer or anything. So on those grounds I would hope that my kids read other books just as a matter of taste.
As far as the morality of the Harry Potter books, I could make a decent sized list of problems in the books, but witch craft would not be one of them. I see the occult and witchcraft as the churches attempt to resurrect the boogyman that humanism has taken from them. Before I go any further let me be clear that I in no way deny the reality demons, evil powers, etc. But in western culture the occult whether it be witchcraft, satanism, satan worship (which is different than satanism, if anyone is confused i can clarify), etc are not even a shadow of what witchcraft was in scriptural times or the centuries following. They are poorly made tapestries of various religions, philosophies, and fiction that self important people put together for various reasons. It is not an epidemic in our culture. The scare drummed up by Christian conservatives about Harry Potter being a gateway to witchcraft is no more valid than the satanic ritual abuse scandals of the 80s (which i would bet is in the back of many anti-Potter advocates' heads).
I personally see the major criticism of Harry Potter by Christians as proof of 1) Evangelical Christians' growing cultural illiteracy and 2) Ev. Christians' selective memory. In the latter we see Christian rallying against the flippant use and glorification of magic when their video collections are full disney movies which, if my memory of animated films is correct, ALL SHOW MAGIC IN A GLORIFYING LIGHT! Aladdin has a genie in it for crying out loud. A genie in just an anglicized word for jinn which is a demon in islamic tradition. i realize that some people don't let their kids watch even that, but I know plenty of people who are out protesting harry Potter while their kids are sing "You ain't never had a friend like me" with a soldier of Satan!
Looking now at the former, witchcraft has been part of western culture for the entirety of Christendom. Just look at fairy tales, the King Aurthur legends, the stories of the Saints, Shakespeare, Chaucer, etc. Children have grown up with this stuff for millenniums and if anything I think it has benefited society. In fact the majority of stories about witchcraft (and I would say 90% of what Rowling took her concepts from) are Christian in origin.
Personally, i wish that everyone who has signed a petition, written a letter, or protested against the harry Potter books would shift their attention to the Girls gone Wild videos which i would say has had an almost immeasurably worse impact on young Christians.
Elizabeth said,
"I know where you are coming from with this statement, but there are times that I try to explain certain things to my kids about "life" and I get the most perplexed, crushed, sad little faces. They still think almost all people are nice, that the world is a good place, and I just cannot expose them to the reality of this world just yet."
I understand what you are saying here and I would say that their is some benefit to playing it safe in regards to protecting ours kids. But at the same time, it is our duty to hurt our kids in order to keep them from being hurt even more. Trying to save our kids from any sort of pain or discomfort leads some people to not punish their kids when they should or not tell them they can't have another ice cream sandwich. Pretty soon they end up on Maury as 400 pound 6 years old who stole a car and need to go to boot camp ;) I realize these examples are extreme but I think it illustrates my point. The fact of the matter is that kids are going to see things that disturb them and hurt them. They will see dead animals, they will accidentally see something terrible on the news, or a loved one may pass away. I think exposing them to "controlled" evils will better prepare them for life. This was the point of fairy tales. Telling children stories about old women in the woods who would take them and eat them if they strayed kept them from being taken by someone and experiencing real life horrors.
Children are far more resilient than we give them credit for. I think of Lilian Gish's line in Night of the Hunter, "You know, when you're little, you have more endurance than God is ever to grant you again. Children are humanity's strongest. They abide."
In fact, i think it can be harmful to kids if we shelter them and can in fact make them more callous. Think of the story of Noah's Ark. We tell children this story from the time they are infants and have fun little books with cute pictures of all the animals, yet we completely gloss over the fact that millions of people drowned! We tell them the story but don't ever go into how horrible of an event this is. So children grow up with this thought in the back of their mind that the death of millions of people can be spoken of with such "casualty" (if any of you hate the Jewel poetry book as much as i do, you will get that ;). Yet we are surprised when people can overlook genocides in Darfur, Kosovo, and Nazi Germany.
Now please don't think i am saying that you are raising your children to overlook genocide. My point is that kids are tougher than we realize and, no matter how much it may upset them, we need to prepare them for the bigger suffering that is no respecter of age. Think of it as setting a bone to keep to from growing crooked and leaving a child crippled.
thanks dan; you'll be proud i did in fact mention cinderella in my other comment! (people are often surprised to learn that most participants of witchcraft deny being involved in anything satanic, because "satan" is a christian concept and witches don't participate in christian concepts. now as a christian i obviously believe these participants are misled, that witchcraft is indeed of the devil...whether or not harry potter is of the devil remains to be seen however!)
p.s. i do, indeed, believe this series will remembered as great literature, considering the author's intended audience (youth). just because it's an easy read for the masses doesn't discount it as academically sound! it can be great and not be exclusivist... jmo
well, lots of good comments. Again, my biggest thing FOR ME and my house is when I get the "check" I have to listen. I refuse to test God when I feel He's already told me something. Annalynn never wanted to watch the 2 "knights" hit each other in "veggie tales Duke and the Great Pie War." Is it wrong for me to take it out of the house because she came to me very distraught and asked me to "take it out"(the video)" no way. god made her like she is. She is very sensitive to when people are hurting each other. Do I need to force her to watch it to get the "reality of reality" or to discuss it and make a statement? Nope. Not at 3 years old. Yes, we will have talks. Yes, mommy will tell her about her abortions, yes she will find out mommy was married once before, yes she will find out pets die and people can be mean. Does she need to know that now? Absolutely not. Will I shield her forever? no. We foster Boston Terriers for a rescue. 2 dogs have come thru that she got to adore. Zoe left first with her new family.Annalynn was screaming ZOE YOU STAY HERE as they carried her out and mommy let them. Annalynn cried and cried and bit me she was so upset. So we talked about what happened to Zoe. "Remember honey, we asked Jesus to find Zoe a new family....now we can get another doggie to help out." It still broke her heart. It hurt her really bad. Along came Petey. Petey got a new family too. Annalynn cried and cried when I took Petey to the van and put him in his new crate and we petted him and said "goodbye Petey, God bless you." We went thru the talk again...........see, we have difficult things that happen and she is learning. Do I need to put any more negativity in her face at 3 years old? Nope. Mommy keeps getting doggies and we love them then she gives them away and makes everyone, including herself, cry. So we have emotional stuff we can learn with here. I agree with Elizabeth, I want to be the one she comes to and says "wow mom, what's up with THIS..." and for now I am building trust. She will learn that we are helping the dogs.........she will eventually learn that if we don't do what we do, they might die. does any of this make sense? I don't think kids need to take on or learn more about things they are not ready for. I don't even watch the news. There's a reason. I decided to finally get the paper to keep up on what's going on in the world around me. I get to read all about the lady who was watching the kids and the 3 year old got out the front door and the cops saw the toddler walking down a street with a bloody cut on his foot and they had to drive up and down several streets to find a house with a door hanging open. Thank God the child did not get hit or stolen. I get to read about the drunk guy strangling his wife, I get to read about all these wonderful things. Just because I don't WANT To know about it, am I not dealing with reality? If I don't want to see/read about/listen to bad crap, why do I want her to? Okay,now I'm just rambling. You all probably think I'm a freak. So FOR ME, I will go back to my original statement. When I feel a "check" or hear that voice say "don't" I will listen. And that is just good enough for me. Like you said Jenny, I don't buy the one size fits all either. We will deal with each thing as it comes up. DO I want her to enjoy innocence for as long as possible before she has to learn people kill each other for wearing the wrong color hat?sure I do. However, I don't want her to be curious just yet about certain things. There's a reason society is like it is. Too many DO buy into the "everyone else is doing it" mentality. Won't work here.
Pat,
You bring up some interesting points. I certainly can't disagree with you as far as what God is telling you to do or not do. If God tells you to avoid certain things or not subject yourself to the horrors of the world then he has a perfect reason and purpose for that.
As far as raising children is concerned, I certainly wouldn't advocate having every Christian parent explain abortion to their child. My point is that, no matter how much we protect children, evil will get to them. We can throw out the TV, we can monitor everyone they are around and everything they here, but bad things can always find their way in.
My parents were great parents in my opinion and they protected me from a lot of bad things, but there was no amount of security that could have shielded me when my brother died of SIDS when I was 4. My parents could have shut off the TV, closed the drapes when a funeral drove down the street, etc but that wouldn't have stopped me from having to deal with an unexpected death in my own home. Plenty of kids experience much worse even younger than that. I can't give any one answer as to what parents should do to deal with this, ultimately it depends on a lot of factors. But i think we need to be well aware that we can't shield children from everything and I pray that everyone here's children get to experience a childhood being able to see the world more for how it was intended that what it is. I also pray that God show us all how to prepare them for when they realize how things are, however that may be.
Pat said,
"Do I want her to enjoy innocence for as long as possible before she has to learn people kill each other for wearing the wrong color hat?sure I do. However, I don't want her to be curious just yet about certain things."
I will assume that you are speaking of dealing with your daughter in this way while she is still, but I would still probably say that it is better for these matters to be discussed before they become curious about them. i feel that this is more the case with older children who may not tell you about their curiosities and go elsewhere for answers, but i think even with small children, curiosity can become a dangerous thing depending on the subject matter. I think that witchcraft would actually be a great example of this point. i would much prefer to broach the subject of different religions, especially the more unsavory ones, before my child becomes curious about them. This allows them to see you as a safe source of information before they get curious and in my opinion makes it more likely to come to you if they do get curious.
Now I hope I haven't offended you by anything I have said so i just wanted to respond to one more thing to make myself clear.
You said,
"Just because I don't WANT To know about it, am I not dealing with reality? "
i would say that you are not dealing with a particular aspect of reality, but i don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. I think that people are called to different things. I know that for myself, God has called me to look at these horrible things and to in fact carry out my vocation within it. He has given me the ability to look at the uglier side of life without flinching and hopefully shine His light their. Other people I feel he does want to shelter from these things just as He called Eremitic monks to separate themselves from society to keep from being corrupted. Both sides have their benefits and both have their possible downfalls. Ultimately I think no matter which side of this spectrum we fall on, we have to retain some aspects of the other side lest we risk becoming part of the world on one hand and putting of head in the sand on the other.
For example, God has called me to not watch zombie movies. YOU HEAR THAT DAN? NO ZOMBIE MOVIES!!!
;)
To give a broadening example from my own life of what I think Dan is saying in his last paragraph:
Many of you know that I am extremely sensitive when it comes to suffering. I absolutely can NOT watch horror movies, seeing people die in action movies or movies like Gladiator can destroy me for days, I cry when I listen to the news, I cry when I see those Christian action commercials with the little starving African babies, heck I pretty much cry every time I see something remotely sad (or happy, for that matter).
That is the way that God has made me, and I recognize that there is not only a great strength in my sensitivity, but also the potential to be completely crippled by it and stripped of my effectiveness. You see, I believe God has called me to a number of possibly distasteful things in the future. I believe I will be working, at least on a short-term basis, with AIDS orphans, possibly in Africa. I also believe that God has called me to consider fostering and adopting children with special needs or issues that may have been caused by abuse or neglect. In my CURRENT state, if I saw a child who had been abused within an inch of his life and was suffering with the long-term devastating effects of that abuse, I would be absolutely paralyzed. I wouldn't be able to function or be as good a parent as possible because I would probably spend all my time just weeping at the awfulness of the situation. (I'm crying now, just thinking of a hypothetical situation.) If I saw an African child that was living alone with his four siblings, trying to raise them on his own because his parents were both dead from AIDS, I would probably just hug him and cry. Does that kid need a hug? Probably! But he needs SO much more in order to be able to function and thrive in the terrible, unfair situation he's been placed in. But in my current state, who knows whether I'd be able to provide that type of support.
I recognize God's working in my life to actually toughen me up. Yes, my sensitivity is an amazing gift from Him, and his grace is the source of my empathy and my DESIRE to help. But in order to be effective, I'm going to have to witness some awful situations and not be mortally wounded by them. I will still recognize sin as sin, and I will still maintain the sensitive and empathetic nature that God has given me, but it needs to be tempered, in a way, by being able to actually stand in the presence of evil.
And I see that God has been doing that in my life, especially recently through me marrying Dan. His family has gone through some shit circumstances, whereas I'd never suffered any of those situations in my family, and just being around them has helped me to deal with and understand that type of suffering. I've gotten tougher just by listening to their stories and witnessing not only their struggles, but their resiliency and faith in God.
Now, I'm not gonna go out and start watching Saw 3 to try to numb myself to this stuff (Don't even get me STARTED on the evils of the Saw movies). But there are Godly ways where I can recognize that it's exactly what God's doing to me, and I embrace it.
Because my children will (hopefully) be voracious readers like their mama, they'll probably read the Harry Potter books, but I will encourage them more toward C.S. Lewis and especially J.R.R. Tolkein, who created much more detailed, literary, and all-encompassing universes in which their fiction took place.
Starting with the beginning of time and the creation of all things in the Silmarillion, and continuing through thousands of years, Tolkien's stories not only have a very Biblical quality in scope, but they are some of the most meticulously crafted tales I've ever had the pleasure to read. His mythology encompassed not one made up language, but at least 35.
That guys was a frickin genius.
*guy
not guys
thanks for the tolkien stuff mrs. sara b/c now i can also admit i LOVE LOVE LOVE the lord of the rings movies...and i'm a CHICK:) (for the record i'm not all that into the "fantasy" genre in general, but there are particular works that spark my interest. i am also a voracious reader, love lewis and tolkien AND rowling--though admittedly she is not yet within the realm of the other 2, i stress the word "yet" because i think she has the potential to be). as for my kids, their daddy really is into the fantasy genre, sometimes dangerously so, and as the "sane" parent (for lack of a better word!) i'm preparing myself ahead of time for the fact that the children i share with him may also be curious about the stuff he's into. rather than be uneducated about those things i think it's wise for me to know what the heck they are, so that with the help of the Holy Spirit i'll be equipped to deal with it all! ignoring the enemy doesn't make him go away...
Yeah, Jenny, Tolkien was a brilliant storyteller. Those movies were so good not just because of Peter Jackson being awesome (though he is) but because the Lord of the Rings books are an absolute DREAM as far as storytelling goes. I can't WAIT for the Hobbit movie... coming soon, hopefully!
And as far as kids loving fantasy, it's GOING to happen, you can count on that. Fantasy books and movies are pretty much the only thing that can match up with a kid's overactive imagination. :)
About the kid stuff:
I think there is a time and place for everything. Most of us here do have small children. In Zoe's 6.5 years she has experienced prolonged sickness and death of her grandma which she was very close to, death of my grandfather, our cat ran away and we could not find him, moving a few times and having to leave friends behind, having her dad get deployed after 9/11 for 1 year and not be with us, among many other painful things. My Lord, she has had to deal with alot if you think about it! Bad stuff does happen, and we deal with things head on. All of these things were things that I COULD NOT shield my children from. But, there are things that I can. So, for now I choose to not really emphasize the fact that there are people starving, dying, killing, raping, murdering, etc... in this world.
In time, we will talk about these subjects and lots more when opportunities come up or when I feel she is ready. I want her to enjoy life and still think this world is good, b/c once she figures out the truth, there's no going back. There's no getting back your childhood innocence.
Elizabeth
Are you freakin' kidding me? 23 comments! You go girl!
no flippin kidding! i talk about somethin cute the girls do and i get 2 comments. brings on harry potter or sex toys (see "no boys allowed" if your'e not scared!) and let the comments fly baby
I think we may have veered a bit with this discussion. I in no way am saying that we need to show our kids all of the horrors of the world. My point was that, no matter how hard we try, they will witness bad things.
How this applies to Harry Potter, Scary movies and fairy tales is that, I feel, these things give children a way of preparing for tragedy and horror in their own lives. In books and movies, children encounter monsters, sinister villains, evil armies, etc. and they get scared. But in these mediums it is a controlled fright in which there is no real danger and (in the case of most literature and media aimed at children) things work out in some way. There have been many studies done on this phenomenon as well as "violent" play (i.e. children pretending to be commandos and shooting one another with plastic guns) that show that these activities teach children how to be brave and face fears in a controlled environment. I would go as far as to say that these types of things are essential for a child's development.
Don't get me wrong here, I'm not suggesting that parents go out, rent Saw 3, and sit there kids down in front of the TV to help them build character. But I would say that reading things like the Grimm fairy tales or watch The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad can be beneficial.
I agree with you Dan! My only point is that the age at which you do that is totally up to the parent. I have all young children, so I'm totally not even at the point of entertaining the idea yet. But, I'm sure it will happen one day whether I'm a willing participant or not. As my children get more mature and start watching more mature things these subjects will come up naturally, I'm sure.
Jen-I know! Same with me. When I post about my kids I get a couple Awww's but post something semi-controversial and the whole world's got an opinion. LOL!
thanks everyone!
holy crap! 28 comments...you rock!
can i say it's 29 if i'm the one commenting? or is that blog-cheating?!
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