October 5, 2011 Rock Balancing

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by glatt

I know someone whose little kid saw one of these on a shoreline, was curious, so walked over to look at it more closely, touched it, and a heavy rock fell and smashed the kid's bare foot.

Originally Posted by Pete Zicato

I dunno, glatt. I think most parents with small kids would think "broken feet". I know I would've.

I know parents can't watch their children every second.
I do get that now I work in a school.

But I would hope most parents would try to instill a "look don't touch" for unusual objects seen in nature. They might be sculpture, religious totems or dangerously balanced rocks. Not to mention nests, hives, actual animals etc.

Sad the kid got a broken foot (realy nasty if it was multiple bones). Glad it wasn't worse.

[CaliforniaMama]

Originally Posted by Sundae

I know parents can't watch their children every second. <snip> But I would hope most parents would try to instill a "look don't touch" . . .

Originally Posted by classicman

Bet that kid learned his lesson though. Tough way to do it. I'm sure he think twice next time.

Having been a parent to two very active and challenging boys for 12 years (and one mellow girl, thank the heavens), and having been the type of parent to take the little ones to museums in an attempt to instill something in them, I have noticed/learned that:

A) Some parents believe in free range parenting. Not only do they loosely watch their children, they don't seem to see anything wrong with touching works of art.

More than once, I have had to physically restrain my dear hubby while children-who-are-old-enough-to-know-better are touching the surface of a painting in a museum.

Although, I must admit it was one of mine that almost knocked that sculpture off its pedestal. You would be amazed how the heart beats while watching a pedestal rock to and fro. My goodness, I've just broken a sweat thinking about it!

B) Not all children connect cause with effect.

I remember touching the surface of the iron because I was curious to see what something felt like that could made fabric so flat and smooth.

After my mother finished bandaging my hand, I touched it with my other hand, because I didn't get how heat could make something flat like that. There must be something I missed the first time.

Yes, I do remember actually thinking like that. Some people did say I was a strange child . . .

The worst part is that my mother hoped I would one day get the children I deserved. See Item A.