Re: instructions

["Jane S." <judydh -at- total -dot- net>]

>
> I'm just guessing here, but sometimes one does not "let" a 10 year old
> do something. Rather one finds out, too late, that a 10 year old has
> already done something "brightly, brightly and with style." Then you
> get to teach clean up techniques and discuss what we might have learned
> from all of this. <g>


YYYYEAAAHHHH!

Finally someone who GETS it.

Several other people (I nearly said "reasonable" but I don't mean to attack
John, only his reaction) have contributed healthy opinions on child care and
cooking, so here's a "me too"--but I made the investment to write it, I'm
sending it in.


You boomer parents, y'all suck. So overprotective. You got the benefit of
having parents that grew up in the depression with nothing, so they did
quite well to provide you, their kids, with much more than nothing, and then
y'all go out and spackle your histories with gold and then pretend to do the
same for your kids by spoiling them, laying on pressure to acheive,
legislating and censuring everyone else about 'irresponsible' parenting,
blah blah blah. No wonder everybody's in therapy. Instructions, y'all think
you've got them for kids. Sounds to me like you're all brainwashed by the
insurance and legal and school system. Used to drive me nuts when the
principal would announce "Have a safe and happy holiday!" As if I was only
kept safe by being at school, under too much supervision.

When I was a kid (and I still am, as many of you would say having met me) I
didn't get no stinkin' candy or Kraft Dinner or any other junk food that
seem to be on the required grocery staples lists these days. I ate what was
on my plate: meat, potatoes, vegetable, salad, and canned fruit or rice
pudding, custard,  ice cream or pie for dessert, with tea. So for kicks I
was constantly on the stove (probably started at age 6) making my own darn
candy with sugar and water and cocoa and corn syrup or molasses. It was
usually a sticky mess and I'd have to soak and wash the pots myself too or
else I'd get a real chewing-out or worse, a cuff on the ear.

At age 10, I made my mom a birthday cake and the recipe called for 'beaten
egg-whites, folded into the batter'. I didn't know what that meant so I just
separated the eggs, beat the whites with a fork, and mixed them in last. The
results were outstanding in spite of the mistake. A couple of years later, I
won first prize for the cake contest at one of the county fairs. Someone
stole my cake and my prize.

I've written no cookbooks but I've taught a fair number of people how to
cook something without a recipe book. I think, when it comes to cooking,
that seeing how is far superior than reading about. And I am shocked by the
eating habits of most people.

As an aside, I was at a decent restaurant last night and I two boys (around
my age) wearing baseball hats and toques at the table.

And as for ORAL thermometers, I administered them to myself if I was sick. I
broke one in the toaster trying to find out how high it would go. I think I
was eight.

Tongue out of cheek/Moral of the story: Cuts and burns heal.  John may have
seen some horrible accidents but I think his attitude is too common and
overreactive.



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