Bunchland

When it comes to folk and fairy tales, can kids handle the truth?

A recent article in the Huffington Post touched on a study exposing a recent trend in bed time reading: rather than just skipping over the darker elements of some fairy tale stories at bedtime, some parents are now chucking them altogether.

Since today would be the 226th birthday of the younger of the Brothers Grimm, Wilhelm, we figured it was a good time to take a look at these dark tales.

An astonishing one third of parents reported that their children were actually brought to tears by some scenes in the stories. Can’t say we blame them – the vengeful giant chasing Jack down the beanstalk, the roaring beast demanding that feeble beauty dine with him, and a witch straight up shoving Hansel and Gretel into an oven are all pretty freaky images. Some fairy tale themes are so deeply disturbing they can’t be masked with a veneer of gingerbread, no matter how sugar-coated the appropriated Grimm or Disney versions may be.  Read more...

Our parenting expert tells you what you need to know

There were some great discussions at our Social Media Week panel that featured Alyson Schafer, teacher Royan Lee and blogger Brad Moon. Our panelists didn’t always agree on everything, but brought different experiences with teaching kids how to work in the digital space.

Schafer thinks that of all the topics discussed at the panel, the most important were:

1. Deciding when and how to get your kid on Facebook

2. What the deal with gaming, is it good for your kid? Harmful to your kid?

3. And with everything going increasingly mobile, how do parents control what their kids consume media-wise?

What Schafer, Lee and Moon came up with was:

1. Re: Facebook — If you’re nervous about your kid getting on the social network, start off slow with a family profile. With your family profile, friend only aunts, uncles and cousins.  Read more...

Here’s what you might have missed

Yesterday, we hosted a Social Media Week panel that was a bit of a continuation of last year’s Social Family discussion. Specifically, we were interested in talking about how within 12 short months, our families’ relationships with social media, especially on mobile platforms, has changed so drastically. We invited back our favourite parenting expert, Alyson Schafer and brought in innovative educator Royan Lee and a blogger from one of our favourite sites, GeekDad’s Brad Moon.

Here are some highlights, captured by our audience via Twitter:

@elanamatic: “Teaching kids about tech and social media is part of parenting today” @alysonschafer, which follows

@elanamatic “it’s important to create a safe environment for kids to share what is happening in their online life” @alysonschafer

 What if you’re not digitally savvy yourself? Alyson Schafer says tough! It’s just another thing we have to do with our kids now.  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

Proof that you’re not the worst parent in the world: A 3-year-old in England has been treated for alcoholism. Via Newser

But if you’re looking for some sound parenting advice anyway (aside from “Don’t get your toddler drunk”) check out our friend Alyson Schafer‘s new book, Ain’t Misbehavin’. Cory Doctorow says Schafer provides “solutions that allow you to retain your sanity and your integrity without escalating spats into fights and fights into wars.” Via BoingBoing

So apparently filming the finding out of pregnancy tests results is a whole genre on youtube. We’ve seen a lot of positive pregnancy tests popping up in our facebook news feed, but have yet to encounter one of these videos from our friends. Slate looks at WombTube

An invitation-only preschool in San Francisco is “sort of a toddler’s version of being tapped for Skull and Bones at Yale.” Via New York Times  Read more...

What we’re reading today:

Seinfeld actor Len Lesser, better known as Uncle Leo, has died. Reportedly, he went peacefully in his sleep. He was 88. Uncles are pretty great. We think this is a good opportunity to call your uncles and tell them so.

We were so happy when Alyson Schafer said you’re not a bad parent if you don’t limit screen time. And her not limiting screen time led her 15-year-old daughter to build a website and do some volunteering in Africa. But some parents aren’t sold. Australian mom Susan Maushart convinced her three teens to go without their electronic devices for six months. SIX MONTHS. You can read about their wireless adventure in her book, The Winter of our Discontent. Via GeekMom  Read more...