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comment by Loogawa
Loogawa  ·  3828 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are the little things to look out for during child development?

Kids always become like obsessed with me, which is strange because I'm a mid-20s male with no huge interest in kids, nor any real experience. I think it's because I always talk to kids the same way I would talk to an adult friend. That doesn't mean I will ask them if they had productive afternoon, or ask them about the doomed American economy, but I have some dumber friends who I wouldn't ask them stuff like that either.

You can talk to kids without patronizing and talking down them, while at the same time not flying over their heads. Everyone I see who does this has kids love them so much, because I think kids realize they aren't being treated like an equal when adults talk to them in a baby voice or ask them the same stupid questions like "do you like barbie/cars?".

Now for your actual question on things to look forward to, I don't know since I have no experience. Although I'm really looking forward to teaching my kids everything, and trying to inspire a love of science, hopefully teaching them to ask lots of questions and question the answers and all of that jazz.

On a slightly unrelated note, is it strange as a guy to hope I have girls? Whenever I picture my kids I have a daughter who I teach about video games and dolls and science and tea parties and lego and Star Trek.





cauliflower  ·  3828 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I hear you on the science thing. I'm normally broke, so when I got some extra money this past Christmas I went ahead and bought her some things for the years to come. That included three dvd sets by They Might Be Giants (ABCs, 123s, and Here Comes Science). I just don't want her to think that science is automatically a boy thing.

I don't think it's strange at all! My niece already loves the music from A Link to the Past and enjoys watching my brother play Minecraft (I think it's the green). And she's totally going to be introduced to Star Trek as soon as possible. My childhood was changed by Capt Janeway, I'd love to share that with my niece.

The_Hubbo  ·  3824 days ago  ·  link  ·  

My sister just had a son, and Im kinda freaking out over whether or not Ill be a good uncle. And that whole patronizing adult-thing is exactly what I worry about. How do you avoid that? Just ask the guy "what up dude? good day? see the latest breaking bad? it was messed UP yo." ?

Loogawa  ·  3824 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No, it's possible to talk to them like an adult without talking to them about adult things or things that they don't know about. When you see them playing or doing something seem interested. Ask them about their day. If they're playing say something like "What are you playing?", or "That's a cool toy", but not in a super condescending tone like "cool tooyyyyyy" like most people do.

When in doubt ask them questions about what they're doing as if you didn't understand. Then when they answer just say "That's pretty cool"