VariantVortex ([info]variantvortex) wrote,
@ 2008-08-04 14:23:00
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Current mood:Fatherly

I love my kids
me: "Let's watch Jurassic Park..."
DD: "What's Jurassic?"
me: "It's a time period about 175 million years ago"
DD: "That's *definitely* in black and white"

me: "So about that $7 you borrowed from me for Nora's present..."
DD: "Well, since Nora get's it, shouldn't she be the one to pay you back?"

V (who is 12) just came back from a week at "Jesus Camp" where every day they memorized verse, had "Jesus and me" time, and talked a lot about the bible. I picked her up from camp Saturday, and she talked for two hours straight about the camp and her whole new set of plans that included building a small cabin, taking up archery, and creating her own religion. She had an elaborate creation myth all worked out where the dragon creator hatched from a ball of dust and lots of other details I want to get her to write down. I need a video camera with me at all times!

Later in the day she says "Nora, do you know how Jesus died and what all those crosses mean?" It made me realize I wasn't spending any time at all on their religious education. The extent of it was reading them a kids book (the name escapes me) that says "Gods aren't real. They are made up stories that primitive man used to explain the world" and other unambiguous statements that I happen to agree with. I objected to the propagandic one sided nature of that book, but I needed to balance out their mother's sloppy New Age thinking. Anyways, I had been slightly worried about V getting converted or something, but I'm glad to see she's got her head screwed on right.




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[info]reichart
2008-08-05 01:26 am UTC (link)
"That's *definitely* in black and white"

LOL


http://auditd0rk.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/calvin-father-on-black-and-white-pictures.0.gif

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[info]variantvortex
2008-08-05 05:59 pm UTC (link)
classic! Calvin's dad can be a good parenting role model :)

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[info]bootygell
2008-08-05 03:11 am UTC (link)
I've been hearing all sorts of sordid "church camp" tales lately. First introduction to drugs and drinking and sex. Yup. At church camp. At 12 and 13! From more than one person, even. Good thing she didn't come home with stories like that.

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[info]variantvortex
2008-08-05 06:02 pm UTC (link)
Now I miss not going to church camp! It's a different world than 30 years ago though.

I naively trust that she'd tell me, well I'm cultivating the relationship for that purpose.

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[info]bootygell
2008-08-06 02:54 pm UTC (link)
That's what I thought when I started hearing those stories, "damn, I missed out."

I hope Z will tell me things like that too, as I am cultivating like crazy over here (with all my brutal honesty). But I'm not totally sure when it comes down to it she will. I *think* she will, but I guess time will tell.

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[info]variantvortex
2008-08-06 03:51 pm UTC (link)
Your comment prompted me to have a talk with her last night. I told her if she was thinking about sex or drugs ("I don't want to do either!") that I'd been a kid myself not so long ago and remember what it was like. I promised she'd not be "in trouble" for telling me stuff, that it was her life and I'm just here to answer questions. Now I just need to remember this promise if she comes to me :)

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[info]bootygell
2008-08-06 06:09 pm UTC (link)
the whole "you're not in trouble for telling the truth" thing has worked great for me. zina tells me stuff that she's pretty sure she'll get into trouble for, but admits to it all anyway. 99% of the time she has no repercussions, simply because she was honest. once in a rare while she knows there has to be some consequence, but she is well aware that it is deserved if it happens. mostly though, i just like keeping those lines of communication open.

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