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Sheila, What is that movie rated?!!! I am absolutely appalled (my mouth was
hanging open) from your brief descriptions. I would never let my 11 or 13 yo. dd
(if I had one) watch that. I was planning on seeing it myself, but not anymore.
It sounds disgusting and exactly the reason why we don't "go to school."

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/11/04 11:55:45 PM, belstone@... writes:

<< Sheila, What is that movie rated?!!! I am absolutely appalled (my mouth
was
hanging open) from your brief descriptions. I would never let my 11 or 13 yo.
dd
(if I had one) watch that. I was planning on seeing it myself, but not
anymore.
It sounds disgusting and exactly the reason why we don't "go to school." >>

That's interesting.
If you're going to live your life in reaction mode, unschooling will be
difficult.

One reason I'm glad my kids don't go to school is that it's a place where
other people tell them what they should want and like, what is "not until next
year" and what is "too babyish."

Judging that movie by the list of "objectional" items, when the movie is NOT
about those topics is not good use of personal thought. If other people are
going to do your thinking for you, why unschool? You could buy a
pre-sanitized curriculum. There are several out there. They tell history and science and
everything in VERY sanitized versions.

Or there's the real world, which doesn't come all edited and cleaned up,
which is WONDERFUL, because by coming across things they didn't know, children
will learn. By sticking to the safest and most well-lit trails, life stays cold.

-=- I would never let my 11 or 13 yo. dd
(if I had one) watch that. -=-

NEVER? Never their whole lives or just until their birthdays?

My 12, 15 and 17 year olds watched it (the oldest again, with me) and they
were able to discuss characters, writing, comedic styles, the fantasy sequence
of the mall's fountain as an African watering hole, the motivations of the
characters, the awakening morality...

My kids are doing very well without being in an over-sheltered environment.
Is it genetics? I don't think so. I think it's openness and acceptance. I
think it's a willingness to look around and either ignore things or discuss
them. Hiding things from them doesn't contribute to growth.

Here's what I do hide: Murders and crazy abuses. I don't say, "Hey, did you
hear about this prisoner abuse?" They only very vaguely knew about the
kidnapped Mormon girl. Kirby and Marty probably read bits as AOL came up. I don't
think Holly ever knew. She might read about it someday, or not.

The opposite of sheltering children from the world is NOT shoving their faces
in it.

Again, there is a balance. If a child as old as 11 or 13 wanted to do or see
something, I wouldn't prevent it. I would discuss it, but what they do isn't
mine to decide entirely (in my way of thinking). Instead of controlling my
children, I try to just give them an open safe environment and they KNOW they
don't have to watch or do or be any way that makes them uncomfortable.

Sandra



Sandra

J. Stauffer

<<<<I would never let my 11 or 13 yo. dd
> (if I had one) watch that.>>>>

What an odd statement for an unschooling list.

We in America have a bizarre relationship with sex. We tell kids it is this
"wonderful gift" but don't open it until after you get married. Then
anytime it comes up when they are children, we act like we find this
'wonderful gift" disgusting.

Children are sexual beings. The Latency period is a fallacy thought up in
Freud's little noggin.

Julie S.
----- Original Message -----
From: <belstone@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 9:34 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Re: mean girls


> Sheila, What is that movie rated?!!! I am absolutely appalled (my mouth
was
> hanging open) from your brief descriptions. I would never let my 11 or 13
yo. dd
> (if I had one) watch that. I was planning on seeing it myself, but not
anymore.
> It sounds disgusting and exactly the reason why we don't "go to school."
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[email protected]

SandraDodd@... writes:


> Here's what I do hide: Murders and crazy abuses. I don't say, "Hey, did
> you
> hear about this prisoner abuse?"


Fourteen-year-old DD has been extremely interested in this, so not
only are we *not* hiding it, we're seeking out ways to understand more about it
together, as different aspects of it unfold. Her younger brother OTOH is
oblivious to it all and that is just fine with me! :) JJ


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