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[Stumpokapow]

I think there's merit to trying to shape your child's media consumption to suit development goals (socializing the child, avoiding things you feel are age-inappropriate), but it's probably best done by either choosing content that does fit for your kid or reading/watching inappropriate content so you can discuss it and contextualize it. Editing content feels like a disservice both to the literary/artistic value of the content and a sort of bizarre micro-managing.

I also feel like the author took the wrong impression by the end. Her conclusion seems to be not that her method is not viable or useful, but rather that Harry Potter as a series would require too much editing to make it worth her while. I agree with her, Harry Potter progresses pretty rapidly from something more suitable for young children to something a lot less suitable for young children and it was able to do so because of the breaks between books allowing the original readers to age. Which is why her decision not to introduce subsequent books until later makes sense, despite her relatively poor reasoning about the difficulties of editing the texts.

 

[Mr. RHC]

Well, way to fix something that's not broken.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

I'm wondering if any of you guys complaining about this has a child. Not to judge mind you, but to give your thoughts about it as a parent.

Personally, I think it's fine.

 

[Alcotholic]

Children have a fascination with death and the idea behind it. I work with a lot of children whom, when playing games, talk about killing and stabbing. I may be making it sound more intense than it actually is, but it's just how kids are.
Children are often very understanding, you just have to take the time to sit them down and explain it.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Oh for the love of fuck. That kid's going to have such a boring life.

I'm wondering if any of you guys complaining about this has a child. Not to judge mind you, but to give your thoughts about it as a parent.

Personally, I think it's fine.

All I know is I read HP from 7 and I'm fine.

 

[Stet]

The kid's 5, I doubt he'll remember any of it anyway and he'll be able to read it again when he's the right age.

 

[genjiZERO]

Then maybe she should assert her authority as the adult and read something else to her child instead of crafting ridiculous lies to keep his world artificially "pink."

You don't spend much time with little kids do you?

ITT: people getting indignant over a mom doing a normal parenting thing likely have no experience with children.

 

[royalan]

Children have a fascination with death and the idea behind it. I work with a lot of children whom, when playing games, talk about killing and stabbing. I may be making it sound more intense than it actually is, but it's just how kids are.
Children are often very understanding, you just have to take the time to sit them down and explain it.

Bam

You don't spend much time with little kids do you?

ITT: people getting indignant over a mom doing a normal parenting thing likely have no experience with children.

And on what grounds do you say that? You know nothing about my life.

 

[Tapiozona]

Then maybe she should assert her authority as the adult and read something else to her child instead of crafting ridiculous lies to keep his world artificially "pink."

lies? Its a fantasy book for children. The entire book is a lie. Why does it even matter if she wants to modify HP or read something else? The important thing here is that she's taking an interest in her childs development. If I tell me child a story which is based off any number of books I've read, am I a shitty parent or are you just overreacting to something stupid?

The answer is the later.

 

[Danielsan]

Some parents are just hilarious in the ways they try to protect their kids from vulgar words, death, sex and reality in general. Sure go and edit out "shut up" (really?) to "shh". Your kid is 7. Chances are his vocabulary of curse words already exceeds yours.

 

[itsgreen]

For fuck sake.

 

[Raiden]

The obvious solution is just read the kid books appropriate for his age but hey ..

 

[t26]

One of my cousin wasn't allow to read Harry Porter because they heard it is witchcraft (no they are not religious).

 

[FlutterPuffs]

Oh for the love of fuck. That kid's going to have such a boring life.



All I know is I read HP from 7 and I'm fine.

I read worst books as a child too, but I wouldn't have minded if I found out now my parents child proofed stuff from me when I was a kid.

Being open minded and able to discuss about everything is great but sometimes... this works just as well.

(NOTE: I am not talking as a parent, just as an uncle to two lovely nephews that I love to death.)

 

[genjiZERO]

Bam

And on what grounds do you say that? You know nothing about my life.

Because if you interacted regularly with 5 year old you'd know how silly it is to get upset about something so innocuous.

 

[royalan]

lies? Its a fantasy book for children. The entire book is a lie. Why does it even matter if she wants to modify HP or read something else? The important thing here is that she's taking an interest in her childs development. If I tell me child a story which is based off any number of books I've read, am I a shitty parent or are you just overreacting to something stupid?

The answer is the later.

Who's overreacting? I have an opinion that runs counter to this mother's belief of how she should raise her child. That's what the thread is about. Disagreeing is not overreacting.

Also, it's one thing to craft stories that fit the moral guidelines you feel your child should be exposed to at a certain age. It's another thing entirely to alter the established lore of a popular series that your kid is likely going to be exposed to in its unaltered form somewhere down the line anyway just to keep them sheltered.

One is telling a story. The other is lying to your kid.

Because if you interacted regularly with 5 year old you'd know how silly it is to get upset about something so innocuous.

Who is upset?

 

[fabricated backlash]

First reaction: Kid's going to be very popular in school
Second reaction: Eh... might be ok.
Third reaction: Could be a good idea, but it might be unnecessary.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Some parents are just hilarious in the ways they try to protect their kids from vulgar words, death, sex and reality in general. Sure go and edit out "shut up" (really?) to "shh". Your kid is 7. Chances are his vocabulary of curse words already exceeds yours.

This is probably not possible, unless curse words really do become obsolete and one has to replace them by new ones every new generation.

 

[Chinner]

hope she edits breaking bad. i really want my 2 year old nephew wants to watch it but i think it's a little to adult!

 

[gcubed]

The Grinch Borrowed Christmas

Gently Fall on your Father

I don't get the editing of things like "shut up" that's a little extreme. Next thing you know this kids going to be 20 on a video game forum talking about how he pees sitting down

 

[LoneTraveler]

So what's gonna happen when the kid goes over to a friend's/cousin's house and they happen to be watching the Sorcerer's Stone movie?

 

[royalan]

So what's gonna happen when the kid goes over to a friend's/cousin's house and they happen to be watching the Sorcerer's Stone movie?

And this right here highlights (I'm sure jokingly) the core issue: this type of parenting does nothing to help prepare kids when they're inevitably exposed to the real world. It creates a false reality that really only exists in the home.

 

[Lumination]

Yeah, at least she's taking an interest in the kinds of things her kid's exposed to. At the same time I agree with the "this is silly" sentiment; seems like it would be a lot less work to just find a book series more appropriate for a seven year old.

Like if my ten year old wanted to play GTA and I were uncomfortable with that, I wouldn't mod the game to replace guns with water guns and blood with sprinkles and ice cream. I'd just let them play another game. Kind of a weird article.

But this doesn't require that much work. She's going to be reading, regardless, and her edits are on the fly. I'd find it a bit fun, actually.

Well, it's kind of a shitty parenting technique.

Frankly, I think editing a book to suit your own warped sense of morality and shoving it onto your kids is taking the easy way out, instead of reading the books with your children and using them as a tool to discuss the messages contained within, and how they should (or shouldn't) apply to real life.

One way actually helps your kids grow. The other is just slapping a bandaid on the problem (and lets not even get into the tidal wave of "WTF Mom!? You've been censoring books for me my entire childhood!?" this kid is going to experience when he inevitably reads Harry Potter on his own. Talk about fucked up.).

The kid is 5. Not 10, not 7, 5. Maybe we should teach them about the reality of taxes as well? You have to draw the line somewhere. I don't think it's unreasonable to do that here. I'm not even worried about explaining the concept of death, but more about depicting the idea that delinquency can be rewarded as heroism.

 

[Danielsan]

This is probably not possible, unless curse words really do become obsolete and one has to replace them by new ones every new generation.

Kids can get pretty inventive with cursing. I feel that over time adults lose a big chunk of that vocabulary by simply resorting to the tried and true selection.

So what's gonna happen when the kid goes over to a friend's/cousin's house and they happen to be watching the Sorcerer's Stone movie?

He'll be spending a lot more time at his friends place. That's what's going to happen.

 

[Stet]

And this right here highlights (I'm sure jokingly) the core issue: this type of parenting does nothing to help prepare kids when they're inevitably exposed to the real world. It creates a false reality that really only exists in the home.

He's five. When my cousin was five, we used to hand her an unplugged Turbo Grafx controller while we played Bomberman, and tell her she was the red guy.

 

[genjiZERO]

Who is upset?

Well, it's kind of a shitty parenting technique.

Frankly, I think editing a book to suit your own warped sense of morality and shoving it onto your kids . . . Talk about fucked up.).

Who's overreacting?

One is telling a story. The other is lying to your kid.

Clearly, you are. I mean you kinda said the mom - who neither said the child could never be exposed to unedited HP nor said everything in his life must be shielded - is somehow "lying" to a five-year-old. Sounds to me like she's trying to expose her child to HP in an age-appropriate manner.

As a side, I just called my mom to ask her her opinion on censoring media for a 5-ear-old. She laughed, and said "of course you do. I censored stuff for you guys all the time".

The kid is 5. Not 10, not 7, 5. Maybe we should teach them about the reality of taxes as well? You have to draw the line somewhere. I don't think it's unreasonable to do that here. I'm not even worried about explaining the concept of death, but more about depicting the idea that delinquency can be rewarded as heroism.

Your reply is so mature and well-reasoned. It's almost like you have had exposure to children and can tell the differences in ages.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Harry Potter, whilst it's no literary masterpiece, deals with the matter of death incredibly well. What happens when one of this child's relatives dies? They will have no concept of it, and it will be all the more traumatic.

 

[Danielsan]

He's five. When my cousin was five, we used to hand her an unplugged Turbo Grafx controller while we played Bomberman, and tell her she was the red guy.

When my sister was five I handed her a SNES controller and she ripped me to shreds in Mortal Kombat II. Kids are a lot smarter than they get credit for. Adults tend to forget how much they could process at those ages.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

When my sister was five I handed her a SNES controller and she ripped me to shreds in Mortal Kombat II. Kids are a lot smarter than they get credit for. Adults tend to forget how much they could process at those ages.

I definitely would have noticed the controller thing at 5. Hell, it pissed me off that Tails wouldn't stay on the screen in Sonic 2.

 

[ronito]

It's her kid, who gives a fuck?

I give a fuck because she decided to waste my time reading her stupid attempts to coddle her kid.

Sorry, you put stuff out there , prepare to be judged.

 

[royalan]

The kid is 5. Not 10, not 7, 5. Maybe we should teach them about the reality of taxes as well? You have to draw the line somewhere. I don't think it's unreasonable to do that here. I'm not even worried about explaining the concept of death, but more about depicting the idea that delinquency can be rewarded as heroism.

Taxes aren't something that's marketed to young children. Harry Potter is, though.

I'm sorry, I just don't see the benefits of lying to children about things they're being exposed to. I believe in exposing kids to the realities of the world in a responsible but honest way and communicating with them. Not lying to them.

And I believe this because I came from one of those uber-religious families that went to ridiculous lengths to shelter kids. And it didn't help me grow up into a well-rounded teenager/adult. It actually made it really hard for me to connect with, and relate to, other people my age in what I learned were actually normal ways. And, as I got older, it actually made me resent my parents, not appreciate their efforts.

Clearly, you are. I mean you kinda said the mom - who neither said the child could never be exposed to unedited HP nor said everything in his life must be shielded - is somehow "lying" to a five-year-old. Sounds to me like she's trying to expose her child to HP in an age-appropriate manner.

As a side, I just called my mom to ask her her opinion on censoring media for a 5-ear-old. She laughed, and said "of course you do. I censored stuff for you guys all the time".



Your reply is so mature and well-reasoned. It's almost like you have had exposure to children and can tell the differences in ages.

If anyone is getting upset, it's you. Because you continue to make assumptions about my personal life, of which you know absolutely nothing about.

 

[Irnbru]

I'll never forget having andromeda strain read to me when I was super young by my sister, nothing cut just raw D:, especially when the big words were explained to me. I think it's kind of disingenuous to nuter books, I feel if you lay things out completely in your own vision and explain it completely you're just going to stunt critical thinking development, and if you think it's too much for the kid, find stuff that you feel appropriate, but let him develop and think, ask him questions about what you just read. Make the kid think not regurgitate, even at a young age.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Can't wait to read my kid some erotica and take out the naughty bits. So many lessons to teach the little ones!

 

[angular graphics]

Is eg stupid really a word that needs censoring?

 

[mclem]

She'd have a field day with Doctor Who. Good luck papering over genocide!

That said, it's a fair point that Harry's content grew up with the original readers. I think there's content in the later books I wouldn't be comfortable sharing with very young children. Ideally settling on one book a year would probably be good, but that doesn't really fit with the interest the kid would have.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

You don't spend much time with little kids do you?

ITT: people getting indignant over a mom doing a normal parenting thing likely have no experience with children.

I have a six year old and I think this is dumb. You are not doing the kid any favors by hiding the dark side of the world from him. The brilliant thing about children's stories is they expose the young to the world as it really is, slowly and safely.

That said we stopped watching the movies at Prisoner of Azkaban because the latter movies get really dark, also PoA is the best movie too.

 

[Lamel]

that poor kids life

This.

 

[Nokagi]

Well at least she is letting them watch it. I know a couple who absolutely refused to let their kids watch the Potter movies because "witchcraft is from the devil".

 

[G.ZZZ]

Who the hell hate on artichokes. They are the food of gods, mmh i could really go for some right now

 

[Lumination]

Taxes aren't something that's marketed to young children. Harry Potter is, though.

I'm sorry, I just don't see the benefits of lying to children about things they're being exposed to. I believe in exposing kids to the realities of the world in a responsible but honest way and communicating with them. Not lying to them.

And I believe this because I came from one of those uber-religious families that went to ridiculous lengths to shelter kids. And it didn't help me grow up into a well-rounded teenager/adult. It actually made it really hard for me to connect with, and relate to, other people my age in what I learned were actually normal ways. And, as I got older, it actually made me resent my parents, not appreciate their efforts.

I don't think Harry Potter is being marketed to 5 year olds. Again, there's a HUGE difference in maturity and understanding between a 5 year old and even a 7 year old, let alone any older.

I totally understand where you're coming from regarding your childhood experience. Let me ask you though, how much do you remember from when you were 5? Forget your 7-11 years. Do you resent being lied to at age 5? I know that my parents lied to me all the time. They weren't being overly strict at Christmas, they just couldn't afford to get me a gift that year. The hunter in Anaconda didn't just give up, he was eaten and my parents covered my eyes and ears for that part. I know they did it out of love and that they only did what they thought was best for me. I'm sure it was no different for you. I don't think we're expecting this lady will censor her kid's exposure his entire life; she even admits that Harry Potter sounds like a great 10-11 year old's book. When that time comes, she'll probably just let him read it himself.

 

[alfredofroylan]

Poor kid, but to be honest there are better book for a kid than Harry Potter, I tried to like that series but the ending of the first book was such a dissappointing (yeah... give the prize to Harry and his friends despicte the fact that they didn't win that house cup) that I decided to quit.

 

[The Adder]

But this doesn't require that much work. She's going to be reading, regardless, and her edits are on the fly. I'd find it a bit fun, actually.


The kid is 5. Not 10, not 7, 5. Maybe we should teach them about the reality of taxes as well? You have to draw the line somewhere. I don't think it's unreasonable to do that here. I'm note even worried about explaining the concept of death, but more about depicting the idea that delinquency can be rewarded as heroism.

Poe was my favorite author when I was five.

 

[adamsappel]

I have edited the sex out of horror movies so my kids could watch them. Specifically Halloween.

I'm part of the problem, but damn if more kids couldn't benefit from being exposed to the original Halloween.

How are they going to learn that premarital sex is punishable by death?

 

[Rhomega Beta]

The book is a novel. I didn't start reading novels until I was 8, but then again, I was slow to move away from the visual-oriented picture books.

 

[nomster]

Is there some rule about mommy bloggers having kids with somewhat unusual names? I'd like to see one where they refer to Steve or Mike or Matt.

 

[Josh7289]

Wow, you hear about parents over-sheltering their children, but to actually read about it from one of them directly is something else...

 

[Fireblend]

On the one hand, I think censoring is stupid in general, people should be exposed to art as the author intended and not have any content cut. There's plenty of other material she can read to her child while waiting for what she considers is a good age to introduce him to HP.

On the other, most of the "edits" she mentions like replacing expletives with softer words and softening some of the most gruesome details don't seem like experience-ruining stuff to me, and I'd probably do it unconsciously if I was reading to a small child (specially one that's just learned how to read). Maybe not to the same degree as her, but I could see myself replacing a word here and there and not thinking twice about it.

I can't imagine how she'd handle Coraline or The Graveyard Book though, which I think are great kids books and at the same time pretty tense/creepy reads. Although to be fair if I'd read those when I was 7 I would have probably had some sleepless nights

 

[MC Safety]

Reading to a child is one of the best things you can do for him or her.

I guess mom was trying, but you can let stories be stories. Not everything you ingest has to agree with your particular world view or moral compass.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I give a fuck because she decided to waste my time reading her stupid attempts to coddle her kid.

Sorry, you put stuff out there , prepare to be judged.

You 'wasted your time' because the headline grabbed your attention because it was something you reflexively find appalling. But in the end, it's her kid .. so all your concern and outrage is wasted effort.

The book is a novel. I didn't start reading novels until I was 8, but then again, I was slow to move away from the visual-oriented picture books.

This is the thing that I found weird. There are gifted children, but the vast majority of children at the age of 5 are horrible at reading comprehension and retention. So, the child actually retaining any of these small details or nuances for more than 10 minutes is highly unlikely.

 

[MJLord]

If her kid isn't ready for HP then don't read it to them.