Willow Tree

Dangerous Book?

Maybe I had a very different childhood than most. Or maybe we were all just prefeminist waiting to happen. Or maybe we just were kids and our parents didn't bother to worry about all this stupidity so much.

However, in a backlash against modern type child raising, which is suppose to be gender neutral and oh so safe, to men two men have written a book titled THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS.

Below, according to one website are the chapters that are included in the book.

In bold are the games I played as a girl, with my friends or with my siblings or with myself, and those subjects that interested me.

Chapters include:
The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World,
Conkers
Laws of Football,
Dinosaurs,
Fishing,
Juggling,
Timers and Tripwires,
Kings and Queens, when I was older, but I'm not much into history
Famous Battles, ditto
Spies,
Making Crystals,
Insects and Spiders, well, now they interest me.
Astronomy,
Girls, um, okay
The Golden Age of Piracy, not a lot but yeah, fun to think about.
Secret Inks,
Patron Saints of Britain, I'm Jewish, okay?
Skimming Stones,
Dog Tricks, not really interested in making my dog do anything special
Making a Periscope, yep, fun stuff.
Coin Tricks, yes,
Marbles, yes
Artillery, knives, had my own pocket knife that I treasured, bows and arrows, guns no. But yeah, I love archery and knives.
The Origin of Words, Most fun
The Solar System. wasn't big on it but yes, enjoyed learning about it.

My girls have made or requested that I make them swords, the Monkey loves marbles and has collected them since she was two or three, she likes taking things apart and putting them together.
The artist loves the stars and consetellations.
My sons have loved a mix of things.
My oldest is in law school and loves the logic of it. She likes fixing problems.

What gives?
Other things covered were making paper airplanes (the Artist and the Monkey loved that) , the Monkey would love a tree house (the Artist doesn't like being up to high) . The Artist would like a "cave" to retreat to when she wanted to be alone.

Bumps and bruises were the expected lot of my life as well, if I wanted to learn how to do more than stand in one place and stare.

We gathered as a group when we were kids to play a variety of games; baseball--- I wasn't good but others were, spud, tag, Ghost in the graveyard.

If I had a tree that could have held a treehouse I'd have been up it all day long when I could. As it was I was up in a tree as much as I could with a book in my hand.

I loved Harriet the Spy, identified with Jo .

My girls love Pippi Longstocking; about as far as you can get from the sugar and spice set as you can.

Why can't parents just allow children to play? Why must they be shot into politics.
What is the real fear here? That a girl may also want to play these things or that a boy wouldn't?

Because I've known boys who have played quite gently with their dolls, including fashion dolls like Barbie, and have grown into men who carry guns.

Give the kids a break and stop worrying about what they play so much people.

This sounds like a great book for kids, so don't fear the title and let your girls know that two guys who are too stupid to know that everyone is differnet wrote it, and many girls like, want and can have fun doing these things too if they want.

Or better yet, give your kids the tools to play the various games listed and let them make a wreck of things. Give them books that inspire imagination and fun. Let them read about pirates or monsters and myths and legends. Show them how to make swords and bows and arrows and yeah, give them a pocket knife.

Then stay out of it.

They'll be better for it.

Posted by Rachel Ann at July 6, 2006 12:47 PM | TrackBack