Comments on: What every kid should know

By: Darryle Pollack

Darryle Pollack — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:32:50 +0000

You guys are pretty feisty yourselves.

Only, Debi–your friend has 11 kids—and no reality show?

By: Debi Drecksler

Debi Drecksler — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:48:17 +0000

My best friend has 11 kids… All the births were single births, none of the labors were long and all the babies were born healthy. They are the most wonderful, loving family I know. Judi and I have been friends for over 55 years!! When she was just a little girl, she used to play at my house and tell my Mother (who had a houseful of kids), “When I grow up, I am want to be just like you!”

By: Maureen@IslandRoar

Maureen@IslandRoar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:27:13 +0000

Crap! Something else I screwed up!

By: By Jane

By Jane — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:31:05 +0000

Oh I do love it when you get all feisty! And those Duggars? Michelle is always smiling because she’s been lobotomized. If that’s what a fervant belief in God does, I’ll stick to my somewhat agnostic self.

By: Darryle Pollack

Darryle Pollack — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:52:05 +0000

Susan–If your kids can sew on buttons I think they’ll master the toilet paper.
Amy–Very sensible—and you sound like a woman after my heart–who teaches kids what’s really important—independent thinking and caring about others—which I’d rate somewhere above ironing a shirt—or even knowing which way to hang the toilet paper.

By: Amy Sue Nathan

Amy Sue Nathan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:25:10 +0000

My mother forwarded that article to me – I found it silly and didn’t even realize the advice came from the Duggars.

I’ve taught my kids to be independent thinkers – to make decisions – to say no when they mean no and yes when they mean yes and to make scramble eggs.

They also know what not to do. They don’t answer the door if I’m not home, they don’t flush the toilet if someone is in the shower and they don’t leave the gate open (we have dogs).

I’d say they’re set — wouldn’t you?

By: Susan @ 2KoP

Susan @ 2KoP — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:43:37 +0000

So funny about the Duggars and birth control. (At least I haven’t failed at that one; if I’ve taught my kids one word, it’s “condom”; followed immediately by their traditional comeback “Mo-om!”) My sixth grader was all excited when I picked him up after school yesterday because he learned how to sew on a button — so I’m off the hook for that one. I’m still working on the TP thing. It’s not that I haven’t tried (over and over again), they have just developed a severe case of selective hearing about this one.

By: Darryle Pollack

Darryle Pollack — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:06:56 +0000

Gail–thanks for letting me know you share at least some of my faiings and I’m not alone either. And V is a great sport about everything–after all, he’s lived with me all these years.

David–Definitely agree these lists and ages and experts are all ridiculously arbitrary—which is my whole point. I think most of us end up “making it up as we go along.”

…and as for the Duggars, Marla, you said it: it boggles the mind.

By: Gayle

Gayle — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:41:13 +0000

Thank you Darryle. I know I’m not alone in the world when I read about your ‘failings’ as a parent or of the condition of your desk…that blog made me so happy when I saw the accompanying photo! I ran into V in the grocery store one day and said “she’s just like me!” Poor guy, how often do middle aged hairless women run up to him and say that?

By: David van Sunder

David van Sunder — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:24:59 +0000

The list has some strange things on it in my opinion. They mention sewing, ironing, cleaning dishes, cooking, but they don’t mention any yardwork or any use of tools besides a screwdriver and changing a tire(which is what AAA is for). I know how to do everything on this list because I wanted to as a kid (with the exception of making a screwdriver, but that’s because it’s not a drink I want to make.)

If your kids didn’t know all these things, I think they’re fine. And some of the ages on here are completely arbitrary and depend on the kid. It’s too bad they had to involve the “experts.” Half the time they’re just making it up as they go along.