MetaFilter posts tagged with kids and parenting

Why Can't She Walk To School?

william_boot — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:21:02 -0800

“She’s just so pretty. She’s just so...blond.’ A friend said, ‘I heard that Jaycee Dugard story and I thought of your daughter.’ And they say, ‘I’d never do that with my kid: I wouldn’t trust my kid with the street.’”

Buyer Beware

GatorDavid — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:50:35 -0800

Thinking about becoming a parent? You might find the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's list of recalled items fun! It looks like there's just under a zillion things out there that might harm your new tot. And that doesn't include ... y'know ... toys.

The Chuck E. Cheese Ouroboros

batmonkey — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:33:36 -0800

In 1977, Nolan Bushnell allowed Gene Landrum to bring Chuck E. Cheese [yt] to life as a family-friendly access point to Atari games. This, perhaps, explains the pizza. During a search for a unique attraction, Bushnell offended Aaron Fletcher. They then lost a potential major investor, Bob Brock, who was more impressed by Fechter's animatronic wizardry - or put off by the mascot: a giant rat [yt]. Brock instead created the competition, Showbiz Pizza Place*, which would soon surpass and absorb Chuck E. Cheese...by uniformly converting into CEC restaurants or closing completely. The ascendancy of the rat [.pdf] hasn't been without challenges and scandals, though. The effects of alcohol on adults and the child-filled environment have proven to be a contentious combination [nws; yt], leading to some changes and criticism**. While the germ issue may be overblown, it's true that the toys aren't the safest. Skeeball might lead to video poker. Chuck might be pro-military. The food [yt; 1:03] isn't the healthiest. And, most worrisomely, their Child Check program doesn't always work. Probably no killer gnats, though. And at least the condoms are unused. Despite bitter [nws], sometimes even frothing [nws], post-childhood assessments [nws] by the disillusioned and jaded, CEC/SPP [yt] speculation, collecting, monetisation, and inspiration*** abound. Some wonder [nws] if there's anything in it for the legendarily* disaffected [yt], long-suffering [yt] employees...beyond the shenanigans of their infamous, self-important, clueless and sometimes plain ol' famous patrons. Selling tokens to the nostalgic, maybe? It's surely not Chuck. Maybe General Tommy Franks (yes, that one) can turn it around. How the rat will come off in Leonardo DiCaprio's upcoming film is uncertain, but it looks like Gene will be just fine, regardless. [previously: *SPP/RAE post; **WSJ CEC violence article; ***Aaron Fletcher & Chris Thrash (update); Clapton @ CEC; shifting demographics?]

Back-to-school in diapers

grounded — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:57:46 -0800

Kids at school in nappies. Another report claims the average age of toilet-training is now 3 or 4, compared to the former norm of 18 months. Teachers don't want to change diapers; parents say they don't have time to toilet-train. Is our future a continuum of diapers to Depends?

We're friends now!

miss lynnster — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:15:42 -0800

PBS Frontline explores Growing Up Online. Here's what they learned.

Discipline help

mediareport — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:06:30 -0800

The Blurter. The Complainer. The Know-It-All. The Spoiled Darling. You can handle them all.

Just fill the catapult with one or more cupids, pull the trigger, and aim at the person of your dreams!

margarita — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 20:47:34 -0800

Just fill the catapult with one or more cupids, pull the trigger, and aim at the person of your dreams! This "love gun" alarms me, but maybe I overreact as a parent about my kid's exposure to violence. Is this just a harmless novelty, or a disturbing example of how desensitized we are to guns? At least it's for kids over 3.

Postroad — Thu, 05 Sep 2002 04:35:16 -0800

Teens, sex, and power of parents How did you "discover" sex? from mom? school? Or the pals down the block?

Animus — Fri, 02 Feb 2001 05:36:33 -0800

Pennsylvania School cut father's opportunity to lunch with his son after he has been there every day for four years. Due to his work schedule this is the only time he has to spend with his son.