# My son doesn't start school until Monday and I already hate a parent **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 9, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020 "2007-08-09T15:03:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/101 "2007-08-10T16:49:48Z")
I broke up with a boyfriend, who after a year…and I thought I knew him… got wildly upset when someone gave his niece a “Barney” stuffed animal. I thought it was cause …well ick its Barney…but no it was because “dinosauars aren’t in the Bible.” Yeah we broke up that day. Ten minutes no waiting. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/102 "2007-08-10T20:48:10Z")
[QUOTE=TommyTutone] My new concern is seriously, what the fuck. Admittedly, we’ve only had our kid for a little over two years, being adopted from Ukraine, but a couple of kids it sounds like read well and one is already writing cursive? I feel like a horrible parent for not having my kid know calculus already! [/QUOTE] Kids do develop at different rates (and parents do tell lies about their kids), so not to worry. The one thing I would check – does he seem to be talking at about the same level as other kids? If not, have his hearing checked. My nephew had problems with this, and after he was checked, the doctor said he was only hearing at 20% in one ear and about 60% in the other. Took antibiotics, tubes in his ears, etc. to fix that up. But as soon as it was fixed, he started talking like crazy (and hasn’t shut up since then). But it took a while for us to realize he was not hearing properly – he got real good at lip-reading, and at echoing what people said, so we didn’t notice it at first. After we realized, it seemed so obvious. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/103 "2007-08-10T21:11:38Z")
[QUOTE=Juliefoolie] I broke up with a boyfriend, who after a year…and I thought I knew him… got wildly upset when someone gave his niece a “Barney” stuffed animal. I thought it was cause …well ick its Barney…but no it was because “dinosauars aren’t in the Bible.” Yeah we broke up that day. Ten minutes no waiting. [/QUOTE] Did you not notice when he switched all the pre-sets on your car radio to Christian Rock? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/104 "2007-08-13T12:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=TommyTutone] At the school today with the wife and kid, signing him up for lunch, seeing his bus schedule, etc. Monday is his first day at kindergarten and we are very excited and proud to see our only son getting ready to move on from pre-k to this new school. In his future classroom, we met his teacher and chatted for a bit, and I sat and filled out paperwork needed for the new year. As I sat, I heard another parent introduce himself to the teacher (there were probably a half dozen in the room when we were there) and closed with the statement ‘oh, you probably heard about me, I’m the parent that you all are going to hate’. My interest was piqued by this so I continued to listen and he apparently mentioned that he caused, or is trying to cause, an amendment to be passed so that evolution is not mentioned in the educational system. The teacher mentioned that the kids are far too young to go over that still, but he was offended because there was a poster in the hallway that had the phrase ‘millions of years ago’ and that ‘evolution is just another religion’. It was only proper manners that I didn’t jump down his throat at that point to see what the hell kind of backwoods upbringing he had to learn this and why he felt the need to pass off his fallacies to others. Still, we have a non-kid, parent only meeting tonight at the school, and if he is there, and I am there, and he brings it up, I may not be so polite. [/QUOTE] If Evolution is a religion, why isn’t it tax free? :dubious: Attend those meetings and make sure common sense is heard. Oh, and evolution isn’t taught in Kindergarten. It’s the time to learn Goat Sacrifices and Naked Pagan Dancing. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/105 "2007-08-13T13:34:22Z")
[QUOTE=netsplit] Dear \*\*TommyTutone \*\* Have you considered writing his name on the bathroom wall? [/QUOTE] And we all know what number that will be, now don’t we… ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/106 "2007-08-13T17:41:02Z")
777-9311? No, wait, that was The Time No one ever remembers 777-9311. They’re always stuck on 867-5309 … ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/107 "2007-08-13T19:42:41Z")
I remember 777-9311! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/108 "2007-08-13T21:01:08Z")
[QUOTE=TommyTutone] My new concern is seriously, what the fuck. Admittedly, we’ve only had our kid for a little over two years, being adopted from Ukraine, but a couple of kids it sounds like read well and one is already writing cursive? I feel like a horrible parent for not having my kid know calculus already! [/QUOTE] Don’t fret it. First of all, at least some of those parents are “exaggerating.” Some of those kids can read - it isn’t unusual to be reading when you start kindergarten. But it isn’t an indication of problems if you aren’t - some kids were in preschools where pre-reading was taught, some pick it up from parents or older siblings. Some wait to learn until first grade. On the school front - pick your battles. The real kindergarten/first/second grade religious battle isn’t evolution - its Santa Claus. Believers line up on one side, non-believers on the other - hearts are broken, friendships shattered, jihad begins. School is a good time to learn tolerance - and any parent worth their salt is going to “extend” the lesson plan anyway. (My own pet peeve is the pledge - the Under God part is disturbing - but more disturbing to me is that you have kindergarteners and first graders pledging to uphold concepts like liberty and justice - they can’t possibly understand the pledge - and I think its unethical to have kids pledge something they don’t comprehend. But I’m not going to make a stink about it - I talk to my kids about it). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/109 "2007-08-14T02:12:01Z")
Well, in a way he’s right-evolution obviously hasn’t happened in HIS case. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/110 "2007-08-14T09:51:31Z")
The proper orientation of a vacuum-cleaner tramp stamp would be with the handle pointing downwards. This way it would be visible in the proper orientation when performing the act most would assume such a tattoo indicates you are interested in/proficient at. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/111 "2007-08-14T11:10:50Z")
[QUOTE=Lightray] Wouldn’t worry about it overmuch; kids develop at their own pace. My Number One Nephew has _two years_ to go for kindergarten, yet, and can already read pretty well on his own. But he’s 9000 thumbs when it comes to anything physical. His bestest little friend, however, was doing chinups (seriously) at 3, and is still uninterested in reading at almost-5. [/QUOTE] Me, age 3. Pre-k. The director calls my parents in for a PT conference… she’s sounding mighty pissed, so both parental units attend. She starts raggin’ on them about “having forced their poor little daughter to learn to read.” Approximate parental sequence: 😕 :dubious: “did you?” “no!” 😕 I get called in and made to read from a random book. No problem, even with complicated syllables like “pro” and “blem.” Parental sequence: :eek: “so she isn’t just looking at the pics in the newspaper - she reads it?” :o Yup. Cover to cover, including the political commentary and the sports. And while I hadn’t figured out alphabetic order completely, I already knew that in the dictionary words that start the same way are grouped together; I’d been actually using the Illustrated Dictionary (again, not just looking at the pics) for a couple months. (Note: Spanish is very easy to read). My brother, ages 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15… He can read, but he only reads the exact and specific amount required to pass in class. He doesn’t read comic books, he doesn’t read novels. In a household with over 3K books at the time, he’s not just the black sheep… he’s at least X-ray colored. When we play table games based on Lord of the Rings and on comic books, he keeps asking questions and hearing “read the book.” The summer he was 15 he read his first book: the LotR trilogy. His second book was Neverending Story. The third one, The Hobbit. For a while Mom was terrified of mentioning it, she didn’t want him to go all rebelious and stop reading again just to be teenagerish 🙂 When he was in 12th grade, him and one of his friends used “paper, scissors, stone” to determine who was lending LotR to the Universal Lit teacher, who, _o tempora, o mores,_ - had not read it! Yeah, each person evolves at his own pace. So long as your kid reads LotR at some point it doesn’t matter when 😉 (Yes I’m having a smiley contest with myself) ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/112 "2007-08-14T21:38:28Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] Thank you. Additionally, **Tommy** is dealing with a pre-k child. When his classmate starts spouting creationist crap, you want your child armed, as well as a pre-K can be armed, not to believe it. **Diomedes** , if your query was more along the lines the Evolution and Creationism (or whatever it is currently called) in any way, shape, or form deserve equal billing, then go start a thread in GD and be prepared for an ass-whuppin’. I won’t be there, as I refuse to lose any of my precious few brain cells debating such inanity. [/QUOTE] I’m sorry I didn’t catch your responses until now, but I still would like to tsay that your child is not going to necessarily going to have any more of a correct answer than the son of the Creationist. Having a right answer for a wrong reason isn’t setting your child up for greater success or for a future of being able to better able to accept and understand the preeminence of thoughtful discovery (which I presume reason for your insisence that children be told that Creationism is bunko). Go out and buy a few plants, and go through a small experiment showing the bases of genetic heredity with your child, if you want to draw such a firm line over this matter. Even a five year old can help with such a simple science experiment, and you’ll be acting honestly in encouraging the outlook you want your child to have, instead of forcing a ‘scientific’ fact down his throat. I put ‘scientific’ in quotes there, by the way, not in order to cast any doubt on Darwin’s ToE, but only to highlight the fact that teaching science without going through either replicatable experiments, or at least going through thought experiments, isn’t science at all, no matter the truth of the argument. Creationism is inherantly unprovable. It belongs in a theology class, perhaps, but nowhere near a science room. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/113 "2007-08-15T12:49:35Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Did you not notice when he switched all the pre-sets on your car radio to Christian Rock? [/QUOTE] And put the Jesus fish on the back of your car? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/114 "2007-08-15T12:51:21Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] And put the Jesus fish on the back of your car? [/QUOTE] Not just any Jesus fish, but the one where the Jesus fish is eating the Darwin fish. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/115 "2007-08-15T13:53:56Z")
[Awesome t-shirt](http://www.cafepress.com/buy/evolution/-/pv_design_details/pg_1/id_9786313/opt_/fpt_/c_360/) [Four out of five primates](http://www.cafepress.com/buy/evolution/-/pv_design_details/pg_1/id_13926330/opt_/fpt_/c_360/) [Two Thumbs Up](http://www.northernsun.com/n/s/5470.html?id=uHCZIKPH) [You are here](http://www.cafepress.com/buy/evolution/-/pv_design_prod/p_822634.23025513/pNo_23025513/id_7446898/fpt_/opt_/c_360/pg_2) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020/116 "2007-08-15T14:21:50Z")
Allow me to properly kill this thread with a link to an **Evolution Board Game** [Evolution](http://www.secularism.org.uk/shop.html?category=merchandise%2F1001) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-doesnt-start-school-until-monday-and-i-already-hate-a-parent/415020.md?page=5)