Rabble Raiser - Latest Comments

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

againstagamemnon — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:10:06 -0000

While I think a TARDIS that one could drive around with Doctor phrases would be a lot more fun (and I would have preferred it myself as a kid) I see the DalekMobile as pretty harmless. Daleks are fiction, thankfully.

Re: ‘Daddy Leaving Me?’

twistedxtian — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:11:36 -0000

Awww... sad times.

My kids just started at the day home this past week and my son runs in the door, and as soon as his coat and boots are off I get a quick, "bye bye daddy," and he's off to play. When I pick him up at the end of the day he doesn't want to go home. lol

Happy #CommentDay!

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Eric Williams — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:26:43 -0000

It's nice to see that civil dialog hasn't died. ;)

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Seriously what are you doing — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:16:48 -0000

Oh no, its the fun police, taking everything too seriously! Jesus Christ, I don't think there were any Daleks in World War II. They are funny, enjoyable and very amusing enemies. So stop being such a baby. Its not hurting anyone, nor is it offensive.

There is a difference between reality and fantasy. And it seems you can't distinguish between the two.

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Eric Williams — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:34:44 -0000

I guess I'm not communicating clearly.

1) My problem with the toy is that it treats a very dark episode in human history a bit too lightly. I can't help but wonder what my grandfather, who fought in WW2, would have thought of it if he had lived to see a toy like this. I wonder what Jews whose relatives survived the Holocaust think. 2) I'm not making a huge deal out of this. I just think it's in rather poor taste.
3) Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of weapon play. However, I don't think pretending the engage in combat, itself, entirely bad, even if it makes me a bit uncomfortable.
4) Playing cops and robbers is hardly the same as pretending to be genocidal monsters based on real genocidal psychos who killed over 6 million people just a couple generations ago.

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Jill — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:05:15 -0000

Um... do you also have a problem with kids playing cops and robbers and playing with toy guns? Nerf guns? Laser guns? Foam swords?

That's fine if you do, just saying that one play-killing toy is no different than another. And the Daleks are damn fun to make fun of and I think this toy is actually a great way of showing the silliness of running around trying to exterminate your foes.

My neice doesn't even know who the Rugrats are nevermind Dr. Who, otherwise she'd be getting one of these for her birthday :D

Also I'm quite certain no parent nor the makers of the toy were intending to get children to pretend to be Nazis. Nor do I think the children will ever make such a link.

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

1994zig — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:11:41 -0000

thinkgeek.com

Re: Sorry, Mr. Dad. Not in My Catholic Household.

Ruben Nunez — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:18:41 -0000

Many Catholic youth lose interest in mass while in there teens. Honestly, I think this has to do with the parent not leading the child to have a personal relationship with God. Sure, you can force them to go anywhere "unpleasant" when their kids, but when their teenagers they start to think and evaluate everything themselves. We need to remember that our first church is our household.

Most Catholics unfortunately are only Sunday Catholics. They just go through the motions, and occasionally say a prayer when in a bind.

If the child and later teenager knows Christ and truly understands the meaning of mass, they would find it to be nourishing and necessary for their life, not as a boring requirement of their religion.

Re: Surprise! It’s a Funeral!

AMOR_ROMA — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:37:05 -0000

I feel you on not wanting to make your kids paranoid or anxious about death, btdt. I don't think it was wrong at all to attend and the soul of the person who died is probably quite grateful for the extra prayers, either for his soul or for other souls in purgatory. Also, you got some good spiritual work of mercy action in.

Re: Fr. Beavis and Fr. Butt-head?

Fr Joshua — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:58:11 -0000

Sign 'em up!

Re: Sandboxes, Sharing, and Socialism

Eric Williams — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:12:13 -0000

"First is that teaching a child to share and take others needs into
account sets up an attitude of giving which I do not think is a horrible
thing."

Nor do I. :)

"Second is on the subject of entitlement. When we teach a child to share,
we are not saying that they are giving away their toy FOREVER just
because someone else decided they wanted it. Sharing is done with the
understanding that we will return the 'property' in a timely manner."

Well, the point, I think, is that if a toy is a child's private property, violating a child's property rights to transfer that toy to another child may be teaching an undesirable lesson. That the toy will be returned in a timely fashion is a bit irrelevant in this context.

"Good topic to speak out about!"

Thanks :) Share with friends. ;)

Re: Sandboxes, Sharing, and Socialism

Melissa Carey — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:58:27 -0000

Pretty insightful stuff. I'd add two things- similar but in different wording than yours.
First is that teaching a child to share and take others needs into account sets up an attitude of giving which I do not think is a horrible thing.
Increasing the chance that someone will share their toy because you asked politely rather than 'screamed til you got it' creates the beginning of good social communication that will help a child thrive in adulthood. There are many studies on the value of play therapy that back these ideas. Turn-taking through play also teaches children that sometimes it is our turn to be heard and sometimes we need to listen. (turn taking is noted to be the precursor to the verbal communication idea of "give and take") These are all good human goals- no matter what political affiliation you subscribe to.
Second is on the subject of entitlement. When we teach a child to share, we are not saying that they are giving away their toy FOREVER just because someone else decided they wanted it. Sharing is done with the understanding that we will return the "property" in a timely manner. (I'm singing "Lean On Me" in my head now)
To me, that debunks the idea that as a parent, when I insist my child shares with siblings or friends, I am letting the other child feel they are entitled to my child's (i.e. my) property. I'm not trying to do anything other than show them how great it feels when they have a nice time with one another.
Good topic to speak out about!

Re: Go Bald With Me?

Nope — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:08:52 -0000

Check with your brother-in-law. He'd gladly do both of the last two. The first, not so much.

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Paul — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:38:39 -0000

Nazis are Real. Daleks are Fiction. It's a toy. Again, it's a toy.

Re: Three Years of the Bear

spoon — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:40:02 -0000

Happy birthday little man!

Re: Coming Soon: Genocidal Cyborg Riding Toys! Wait – WHAT?!

Gwmort — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:30:35 -0000

Anyone know where to order these things yet? My kids have been running around yelling "exterminate!" for ages, they'd love it.

Re: Watch Out, World!

Roz — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:45:05 -0000

Awesome little Goddaughter! :)

Re: Suffer the Children

Eric Williams — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:48:39 -0000

That's an interesting point I hadn't thought of.

Re: Suffer the Children

Terry — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:35:46 -0000

I'm no canonist, but don't baptized children have a right to be at Mass?

Re: Suffer the Children

Eric Williams — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:13:21 -0000

I always tell my kids to walk instead of running down halls of the Oratory. I consider that part of my due diligence. YMMV.

Re: Suffer the Children

Rebecca — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:03:26 -0000

We have three boys who are active and vocal. Sitting quietly is an ordeal under the best of circumstances.

One older man in our church told us - there are two types of people at church: those who are running in the hallways and those that are yelling at the runners to slow down and walk. Pick one. He is a runner.

I see this intolerance of children at church and other places all over! I think smaller families and older parents are the two main contributing factors. We are young parents with a larger family (although I consider three children a small family!).

Re: Suffer the Children

redpenmama — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:56:03 -0000

I wouldn't limit hostility to fecundity to Catholics. If you have more than two children, you are judged immediately and hostilely. I'm sure you know this.

I was asked to leave church with Kate once. She was throwing the mother of all tantrums (yes, pun intended) and I had no where to go: no cry room, no place aside from the bathroom with a door that closed, and it was cold outside. It totally sucked.

We don't go to that church anymore.

Re: Suffer the Children

Andrea — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:41:44 -0000

> Is it just me, or are an awful lot of Catholics hostile to fecundity?

I suspect that it's more that due to smaller families, fewer and fewer people have direct experience with two-year-olds, so their patience for childish behavior is lower.

Re: Sorry, Mr. Dad. Not in My Catholic Household.

Rebecca — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:19:59 -0000

Can the kid bring a book to read? It can be nominally religious / spiritual (as opposed to a Twilight novel!).

I agree with respectful attendance. We all have to learn to do things that are boring and that we don't like. It is part of being an adult. That being said, I hope that church isn't boring and that the people going do like it or at least get enough out of it. Part of being a family is participating in things you don't find wonderful.

Kids should go to church without being forced. They should still have to go - even if they really don't want to. I don't know why. They just should. (from a 7 year old)

Re: Sorry, Mr. Dad. Not in My Catholic Household.

Eric Williams — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:06:15 -0000

"How about giving her the option of which Mass she wants to
attend? When she's an adult, she may attend Mass at different times due to
her schedule/travel/etc, and instilling a habit of independently taking
responsibility for her Sunday obligation could be a way of defusing this
battle without diluting the catechesis. No, she doesn't have to go with the
whole family, but she does have to go. Or, as you point out, go to
Confession the next week. The choice is up to her."

There's some appeal to your suggestion, but I feel strongly that a family,
as the domestic church, should worship together. The Church only insists
that we attend mass. I insist that we attend communally (when
feasible), for the good of all our souls. I'm trying to make prayer and
worship an integral part of my family's daily life and routine, and not just
something we do once a week to fulfill an obligation.

"I'd let her go to LifeTeen though, if she wants, while the rest
of the family goes to a regular Mass."

I'd really rather not. I don't think LifeTeen
is good for the Church or my children.

" Part of bringing a teen up Catholic is forming their
independent faith; otherwise they just go to college and stop going to
Church entirely because nobody's forcing them to anymore."

I agree with the sentiment, but I'd hope there are better ways to keep our
kids Catholic than sending them to sing kumbayah folk or pop-rock praise and
worship tunes. If the only way I can keep my kids in the Church is to appeal
to their pop culture tastes, I've already failed. Mass is more than warm
fuzzies. As I said above, I'm endeavoring to make Catholic faith and
practice an integral part of my family's communal life. My oldest isn't
quite 3, so I don't know yet how successful my efforts are, but I can say
confidently that both my almost-3yo and almost-2yo get excited about, and
enjoy participating in, daily mass and saying prayers at meals, bedtime,
etc. (e.g. 1, 2, 3).