The case for "seen, not heard"

[depechemodefan]

I’m approached by a mom and her kid. The kid is maybe 6-8 years old. Mom asks me how to get a new library card and the kid feels like adding his own two cents about the lost card and “I need a card to play the video games.”

So I just talk over the kid. Of course, the mom looks at me confused because I’m talking, the brat is talking, and she can’t hear me.

I hand her two forms (as the kid still rattles on) and my phone rings. I answer the phone as the mom tries to ask for a pen, and she walks away since I’m not giving her my undivided attention.

[Mnemjian]

Did anyone read the Little House on the Prairie books when they were kids? It always amazed me how respectful the children were. It was expected. If a child was rude at all that was reason enough for a whipping! Extreme, yes, but damn were the children well-behaved. And I bet they didn't grow up to be SC's either

[AmethystSquirrel]

Did anyone read the Little House on the Prairie books when they were kids? It always amazed me how respectful the children were. It was expected. If a child was rude at all that was reason enough for a whipping! Extreme, yes, but damn were the children well-behaved. And I bet they didn't grow up to be SC's either

I have to agree. If I did HALF of what kids do now a days my arse would have been so black and blue I wouldn't sit for 3 years! I am not saying I was 'beat' but I did get a good swat on the butt when deserved!

I was drilled "children should be seen not heard" , "pretty is as pretty does" and "santa sees you all year"!

[Docmayhem]

Did anyone read the Little House on the Prairie books when they were kids? It always amazed me how respectful the children were. It was expected. If a child was rude at all that was reason enough for a whipping! Extreme, yes, but damn were the children well-behaved. And I bet they didn't grow up to be SC's either

Of course there's also the part in Farmer Boy where they discuss the schoolteacher who was beaten to death by his students...

[Mnemjian]

Of course there's also the part in Farmer Boy where they discuss the schoolteacher who was beaten to death by his students...

I don't remember that, but I do remember when the meek schoolteacher borrows a bull whip to scare the christmas out of the bullies

OT: Now that I think about it, I'm surprised they haven't remade all those books into movies just like everything else.

[Docmayhem]

I don't remember that, but I do remember when the meek schoolteacher borrows a bull whip to scare the christmas out of the bullies

The 'meek' schoolteacher was a friend of the one that died. Almanzo's father helped him get revenge (lent him the blacksnake whip).

[EricKei]

Mom asks me how to get a new library card and the kid feels like adding his own two cents about the lost card and “I need a card to play the video games.”

Meaning, the Mom brings the kid to the library to play Flash games on your computers...? o_O If so, it seems that her attentiveness and control over him, or lack thereof, extends to more places than just the line when she's speaking with someone...

[XCashier]

OT: Now that I think about it, I'm surprised they haven't remade all those books into movies just like everything else.

There are a lot of parts that won't resonate well with modern audiences. The spanking children scenes and the minstrel show bit come to mind.

Still, they were good books, a good bit of history and I learned a lot from them (like how food was stocked up for the winter; quite interesting).

[depechemodefan]

Meaning, the Mom brings the kid to the library to play Flash games on your computers...? o_O If so, it seems that her attentiveness and control over him, or lack thereof, extends to more places than just the line when she's speaking with someone...

Actually, it's for the Wii. There are stations to play at, but you need a library card to check out the games (which can only be played at the library; you don't get to take home the games).

[Cat]

There are a lot of parts that won't resonate well with modern audiences. The spanking children scenes and the minstrel show bit come to mind.

Still, they were good books, a good bit of history and I learned a lot from them (like how food was stocked up for the winter; quite interesting).

can I embarrass myself and say that I still like reading them, and I'm 31?

[BookstoreEscapee]

can I embarrass myself and say that I still like reading them, and I'm 31?

I have the boxed set, plus On the Way Home: The Diary of a trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri in 1894, and West From Home: Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, San Francisco, 1915. I haven't read them in a long time but one of these days I would like to read them all again.

[Cat]

I have those all too....though I'm missing a few

[XCashier]

can I embarrass myself and say that I still like reading them, and I'm 31?

What's embarrassing about that? Well-written books appeal to all ages. Heck, if grownups can read Harry Potter, they can certainly read the Little House series!

I haven't read the series in about thirty years, but I think I'll check them out from the library and re-read them (and keep putting off reading the dozens of other books piled up here that I've been meaning to read...!)

[Mark Healey]

Heck, if grownups can read Harry Potter, they can certainly read the Little House series!

Unless you're British and the "adult edition" isn't available. I don't get it. Only the cover art is different, yet they seem to sell. I run across them a lot and I'm 1/3 of the way around the world from the U.K..

[EricKei]

It was my understanding that certain edits were reverted in the "adult" edition. Nothing hugenormous, but maybe the equivalent of a chapter's worth of material in each book, possibly spread out amongst the pages of each...?

I brought up HP with my roomie the other day, and he immediately went into some tirade about Rowling herself, saying that the books were just for little kids (warning sign number one that he had obviously never even LOOKED at one), and, at one point, even complaining that -- and I quote -- she threw in "more mature" content towards the latter books to get older readers to buy them.

The latter books. The ones where the main characters are what, nearly 20...? Having them act like young adults makes perfect sense to me...

I was able to straighten him out somewhat (tho he still won't read them); I happen to like them, myself. They've got nothing on LoTR (sorry, I'm a Tolkien nut), but they are, imho, the modern era's equivalent, in their own way.