Scared Straight . . . out of the Backyard
If you were reading my blog way back in the dark ages (last fall, that is) you may remember my bafflement at how my kids were (seemingly) without any instruction picking up their father's phobia of lightning.
Now I know the truth. Terence brainwashes them.
Yesterday we had a little rainstorm. A really little storm, as in just a few sprinkles here and there. It wasn't even enough to cool us off below 90 degrees. My kids were taking advantage of the comparatively cool weather to play out in the backyard. However, Terence worked the day shift yesterday, so he was home by about 6pm, and he was just horrified at this behavior. What if the kids got struck by lightning????
Mind you, there was not a flicker of lightning in the sky, nor even the rumble of thunder in the distance.
M wasn't impressed by her father's dire warnings since she couldn't see anything to be afraid of either. Finally, in frustration that she just couldn't appreciate how dangerous the slightest, teensiest possibility of being struck by lightning could be, he ordered her into the computer room, where he proceeded to show her YouTube videos of things getting struck by lightning.
!!!!!!!!
Now, normally I try to be supportive of everything my husband does with the kids because we need to be a unified front or the kids will manipulate us to death. But this was not exactly something I was comfortable with. My pleading with Terence to NOT use this kind of fear-inducing tactic fell on deaf ears. It doesn't make any sense! If you are afraid of dogs, and you want your kids to be cautious around them, do you show them videos of people being mauled by dogs? Goodness, no!!!! Unless your goal is to raise paranoid freaks. Well, since I lost the battle with my husband before the fact, I tried to do damage control afterward. I had a long talk with M about how lightning does strike people but it doesn't happen very often, and she'll always be safe if she follows a couple of rules. But, I emphasized, you really don't have to be afraid of it. She seemed to believe me, but we'll see what happens the next time we have an actual thunderstorm.
Yeesh!!! I guess phobias make us irrational when it comes to parenting too.
Now I know the truth. Terence brainwashes them.
Yesterday we had a little rainstorm. A really little storm, as in just a few sprinkles here and there. It wasn't even enough to cool us off below 90 degrees. My kids were taking advantage of the comparatively cool weather to play out in the backyard. However, Terence worked the day shift yesterday, so he was home by about 6pm, and he was just horrified at this behavior. What if the kids got struck by lightning????
Mind you, there was not a flicker of lightning in the sky, nor even the rumble of thunder in the distance.
M wasn't impressed by her father's dire warnings since she couldn't see anything to be afraid of either. Finally, in frustration that she just couldn't appreciate how dangerous the slightest, teensiest possibility of being struck by lightning could be, he ordered her into the computer room, where he proceeded to show her YouTube videos of things getting struck by lightning.
!!!!!!!!
Now, normally I try to be supportive of everything my husband does with the kids because we need to be a unified front or the kids will manipulate us to death. But this was not exactly something I was comfortable with. My pleading with Terence to NOT use this kind of fear-inducing tactic fell on deaf ears. It doesn't make any sense! If you are afraid of dogs, and you want your kids to be cautious around them, do you show them videos of people being mauled by dogs? Goodness, no!!!! Unless your goal is to raise paranoid freaks. Well, since I lost the battle with my husband before the fact, I tried to do damage control afterward. I had a long talk with M about how lightning does strike people but it doesn't happen very often, and she'll always be safe if she follows a couple of rules. But, I emphasized, you really don't have to be afraid of it. She seemed to believe me, but we'll see what happens the next time we have an actual thunderstorm.
Yeesh!!! I guess phobias make us irrational when it comes to parenting too.
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