Two Kid Schoolhouse

• Apr. 24, 2007 - Global warming fears - It's for the children

Posted in Miscellaneous Ramblings and Rantings

The other day J started going on and on about global warming. I have no idea what started it - we don't talk about it around here. He sounded as if he was going to cry as he was talking about the temperature of the ocean rising and methane gas from the decomposing fish on the bottom being released into the air. Turns out he heard that during some PBS (figures) nature show.

Anyway, we talked about it a little, and he was supposed to ask Daddy about it - he can discuss things like this more intelligently than I can - but I guess he forgot. I'm sure it will come up again. Then my husband left me this post from Tim Blair on the topic. Seems like scaring kids is the preferred method for "educating" people about global warming these days.

While recent polls show that American adults are most concerned about the war in Iraq, terrorism, and healthcare, a survey of more than 1,000 middle school students across the country found that kids fear global warming more than any of these issues ...

Nearly 60 percent of children said they feared global warming and environmental disasters - such as hurricanes, tornados and flooding - more than terrorism, car crashes, and even cancer.

When I was a kid, fallout shelters were all the rage. We didn't have one, though our house did have a cellar. I do remember being afraid of nuclear fallout, but I think I was more afraid of being kidnapped for ransom, which is really laughable because my parents had no money! They'd have had to tell the kidnappers to keep me.

Anyway, I guess every generation has something to fear. I just wish the fearmongers would leave the kids out of it. Regardless of our beliefs about climate change and the causes, we shouldn't be terrifying our children.

• Apr. 25, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by norwezter

This is a topic that can really get my blood hot. I graduated in '86, so my HS years were during Reagan's presidency. All too well I remember the videos that we watched about nuclear war, we are all going to die, etc., etc.,. (And of course there was the unspoken-and sometimes even spoken-thought that this was all Reagan's fault and if the idiot would just wake himself up we would all get together and talk over our differences and get along fine.) And of course being children we had no idea that we were being used as political pawns. I was absolutely terrified. I had no hope really of growing up. Whenever I allowed myself to think of goals or anything I would think "well, the world will be over by then anyway." It's a huge part of what drove me to homeschool in the beginning. I'm sure it is only worse now.

Thank you for your nomination. I am having trouble signing in, but I was going to post on it this morning. I can't get my control panel to load. I'll try to get a chance this afternoon but I am going shopping for a weekend trip today and then I will be gone for a mother/daughter weekend till Saturday night. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't think I was ignoring it. :)

Does it seem like HSblooger is having more trouble these days? I wonder if they are getting more people than they can handle.

Ach. this is a long comment. I should have emailed it. Sorry.

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• Apr. 25, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by homeschoolingmommaof4

This is a good reason to homeschool so we can provide our kids with accurate information istead of the hype. This topic is one that just gets me going.

I also wanted to say thanks for the Thinking blogger award. It will probably be a couple of days before I get it posted because I'm having a hard time narrowing down who to give it too. I'll let you know when I post it. Thanks.

Have a great day!
JoAnn

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• Apr. 29, 2007 - from a comment to a blog entry

Posted by BeccaBeard

I started to post a comment to this entry, but it started looking more like a blog entry, so I scrapped it and made it a real blog entry. ;-) I also linked back to this entry in my own entry.

Love,
Becca

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