...on relaxed parenting which is certainly not all the rage as far as the government is concerned.
She writes:
"Along with my seven siblings, I was home-educated on little more than a diet of classic MGM musicals, Moonlighting and cheese, and we all seem to be doing fine. My general assessment of how important a formal education is could be summed up with a shrug, and “meh”."
Disappointing article though. It's a real cop out to say 'children should be bored'.
ReplyDeleteD
I didn't take that bit terribly seriously as I thought she was sending herself up...you know the post-rationalisation of the lazy adult thing. It fitted with her tone in eg: the para re considering play dates a roaring success if there were no obviously bloody headwounds.
ReplyDeleteI might be wrong of course, though I do think the main theme of the article (about avoiding helicopter parenting) - was serious.
Significance of Caitlin's article for me was that she didn't diss her home ed experience.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2525077.stm
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interview--atrocious-mess-precocious-mind-meet-caitlin-moran-newspaper-columnist-television-presenter-novelist-screenwriter-pop-music-pundit----and-typical-teenage-slob-1436595.html
Fiona
There are a few parenting books at the moment that advocate letting the child get bored - and if she is talking in that vein, I think she isn't doing any favours to children since parents I know interpret that to mean that it's ok to make the child's life boring. It's another thing entirely for children to apparently be doing nothing in the eyes of adults. Anyway, I don't know if you see what I mean...
ReplyDeleteD
I do agree that in the current climate it was a risky thing to say, but Caitlin is renowned for being politically incorrect in the service of humour and shock-factor rather than genuine intent, so if read in context, I doubt that most would take the "be boring" message as serious.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know!! Having suffered loads of enforced boredom (school included) I wouldn't recommend it!!
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