ZOOKEEPER CRINGES AT.....

[Guest]

......ZOOKEEPER CRINGES AT PARENTS PASSING MISINFORMATION TO KIDS .....

A dear Abby that was one of those weird ones.... why would anyone lie to a kid about an animal... ... lol.. go figure...

oh, and read the one after that, she tells that woman to leave her 'old' man...

DEAR ABBY: I work at a large zoo, in the children's zoo department. I cannot count the number of times I have heard parents, out of ignorance or impatience, lie to their child about the animals they are observing.



In an enclosure with several species of animal, for example, they will tell their child that pygmy species (smaller than non-pygmy when full-grown) are actually babies of large animals. I have also seen them give incorrect information about animal behavior, diet and habitat.

I want to ask these parents for something: Respect your child enough to admit that you sometimes don't know the answer to their question. If you don't know the answer, ask a keeper. We are usually on hand and never mind talking about the animals we love and interact with daily. We enjoy showing people how amazing and fulfilling these animals can be, and it pains us to hear parents provide misinformation to children. -- A KEEPER IN THE EAST

DEAR KEEPER: You have rattled the right cage. My assistant, Sherry, who is a docent at the Los Angeles Zoo, informs me that your complaint is all too common among staff at zoos.

It does a child a grave disservice to give him or her misinformation. Children are little vessels. If you fill their heads with nonsense, they'll pour it forth at a later date -- embarrassing themselves in front of friends or in the classroom, where they'll feel like idiots when it's pointed out that they are wrong.

It seems that one of the most difficult phrases in the English language for people to utter is, "I don't know." Perhaps that's because they are afraid it will make them appear stupid, so they try to fill the vacuum by saying something -- a mistake. A more constructive approach is to say, "I don't know, but I'll help you get the answer," especially when talking to a child. Nobody knows everything, and learning is most fun when it's a shared endeavor.

Zoos were created for the purpose of education, conversation, recreation and research. When visiting a zoo, if you have a question, you should ask a zookeeper or a docent, if one is provided.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEAR ABBY: I am a 30-year-old woman, married to a man in his mid-50s. "Andre" and I have an 8-year-old daughter together, and he has three grown sons I helped him raise over the last 10 years.

My problem is I feel deep inside that I'm missing out on what is supposed to be my "real" life. I know I was meant to have more children, but Andre had a vasectomy and doesn't want any more. I would like to return to college and get my degree, but Andre doesn't support that, either. I'd like to work with children or in a helping profession; Andre refuses to listen.

I have tried to ignore my feelings. I have been to counselors, and on and off anti-depressants for years. I don't think I love my husband anymore, and I feel in my heart that this marriage isn't healthy for me or our child. But I can't seem to make myself leave because of our daughter. (Not to mention that Andre tells me all the time how much he loves me.)

Bottom line: At what point is it OK to make a decision you know will hurt someone else just for yourself? -- UNHAPPY IN NEBRASKA

DEAR UNHAPPY: Because counseling and medication haven't helped, the time is now, while your husband can still find a woman whose values are more similar to his own than yours are

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucda/20051118/lf_ucda/zookeepercringesatparentspassingmisinformationtokids

 

[cough_cough_eer]

guilty

guilty

why would anyone lie to a kid about an animal..

I was at the zoo with my neice and nephew and
well, you want to explain why the zebras like to ride piggyback sometimes.

 

[Guest]

I was at the zoo with my neice and nephew and
well, you want to explain why the zebras like to ride piggyback sometimes.

... well... i must say that might qualify as a good reason... LMAO....

 

[mtnjohn]

piggyback zebras.............hahahah

 

[Jimmy Shelter]

I thought zebras rode piggy back because they are lazy animals,thats what my mom told me anyway.

 

[Verite]

The thing I dont understand about zookeepers is how many years do you need to spend with an animal before you teach it to go on the paper?

 

[Guest]

Funny how parents choose the weirdest things to "lie" to there kids about,I could understand the standards,thats dad's special tobacco,and a hundred different others involving normal stuff.But animals,thats the one thing my daughter knows all about.I think we should never lie to our kids,unless of course it saves hours of painfully uncomfortable topics,like the zebra's,but everyone knows they do that to fix the stripes on each other!

 

[resinryder]

When my kids were 4 and 5. a day trip to the zoo sounded like fun. As we got to the cages behind glass that contained some type of monkeys, the male monkey began licking a female monkeys genitals. My 4 yearold daughter, in a crowd of people including the zookeeper, asked loud enough to be heard by all standing there, Daddy, what's that other monkey doing to that one? As I felt that sinking embarrasing red heated feeling engulfing my body and noticed everyone else there was waiting and smiling to see what my answer was, I calmly stated he was eating fleas and grooming her. Grabbed both their hands and proceeded to the next cage. Wish that damn zookeeper had spoken up that day.

 

[OXOSSI]

They got the stripes riding piggyback

 

[omega7]

Just dont tell your kids thats the "zebra dance" Might get calls from a weirded out teacher asking why your kid is humping the other students and screaming "whose your zebra daddy".

 

[Guest]

Hehe, my daughter was about three and a half or so and she brought me an acorn. "Daddy! Daddy! I FOUND A SQUIRREL EGG!!"

Well... when your kid does something that cute, you want it to go on forever, so.....

We built a 'squirrel nest' and 'hatched' the squirrel egg into a beannie baby squirrel. Sometimes it's FUN to lie to your kids.

 

[resinryder]

Sounds like a fun thing to hatch out a squirrel egg. Bet she really enjoyed it.

 

[OXOSSI]

When I was in highschool we used to skip class and go to the zoo. There were about 100 firstgraders in front of a cage where an erect elefant was trying to hump his mate I ll never forget that scene and all the teachers trying to get the kids to go quickly but in vain

 

[guineapig]

guineapiggyback?

my guineapig has had a very limited sexual experience.....one time i took him over to a friend who works as the small animal expert at the local pet superstore and she had 3 female guineapigs.....so these 3 female guineapigs are sitting around on the porch and along comes this male guineapig......well, i don't want to be graphic or obscene, but let me just say that my guineapig went a bit wild when he was exposed to these three females.....but having no previous sexual experience, GP was a bit....well...."unskilled" in the marital arts, if you will....lets just say his "sense of direction" was way off even though he "interacted" with all three female guineapigs.....but after this "menage-a-guineapig," or maybe something like a "guineapig four-play," GP immediately plopped down and went right to sleep!! Talk about a true male!! What a "Boar".....hehehe.....maybe i should cross-reference this post with the "Women Grower's Forum" so all the female growers could get a kick out of this story!!!

what do you think Ms. G??????

-kind regards from the rambling rodent, guineapig

 

[Guest]

what do you think Ms. G??????

..lol.. i think i have never before in my life visualized a sexually satisfied guinepig until now... lol... and now i find my self wondering what the lady guinepigs were thinking... amature....?.. ...

...i also think that there are some funny responses on this thread....

 

[Guest]

That story about the 3 yr old and the acorn pretty much sums it up. At that age kids behaviour can be priceless. Why would you want to stomp on their beautiful innocence and the way they look at things. Their perspective has a way of reminding us adults of life basic pleasures and its inherent simplicity. Why would you want to take that away from them and yourself by prematurely infecting their minds with all that stuff that is inevitably coming their way. Those zoo staff need to get out more often, maybe start a family. Hey, visit a creche.

...because....

It does a child a grave disservice to give him or her misinformation. Children are little vessels. If you fill their heads with nonsense, they'll pour it forth at a later date -- embarrassing themselves in front of friends or in the classroom, where they'll feel like idiots when it's pointed out that they are wrong.

children now days more than ever need to be well armed with the facts...
Yes, while innocense is cute and we should encourage pretending, imagination and dreams... The truth when they are seeking information is vital, especially coming from their parent... If you let your children believe that they are right when they are not, then you are not nurturing the intellect of this child.. Not to mention basicly blowing any kind of trust that they will believe you on important issues in the future... She'll think later, my dad thought that was a squirrel egg ...and believe me, they will call you on it as they get older...

...and...Perhaps I am a little sensitive on this issue because my Father was the king of bullshit... He would tell me the sky was yellow when you could plainly see it was blue... I struggle with the fact that he tries to do the same thing with my son, just let him believe what ever he wants, cause that's the easiest... see, it's hard to explain things to your child sometimes, but we gotta do it... it we don't then they grow up to be fools, IMVHO...

....so i guess point is, i would never let my son believe something was true, for the sake of my entertainment... I would and do say, "We can laugh about how it might seem that'a way, but here's how it really is, honey...."


.....however, other parenting styles differ and its' not for me to say what is right for them....

 

[Guest]

Every one just calm down,ya get this Lady all worked up and there's no livin with her! I believe there is a fine line,I happen to be one of those King's a bullshit with my daughter,at times,I believe it is age dependant..
a 3 yr old kid can absorb a lot less than a ten year old,and I just think that there gonna grow up fast enuf and see the world for what it is,so why not let em be fools for a while.My kids ten and I still give her butterfly kisses,we still sprinkle rain deer dust outside so's they know were to go,God is crying when it rains and dozens of gems I can pull out.To make a long story short,
kid's will know soon enuf that the gorilla is masterbating for sexual gratification.For now why not let em think he's just washin it!I'm not so good with the english so dont nobody get offended,but I just dont see the damage

 

[Guest]

Oh sure:smile: Motley I can certainly see your very valid point... and agree to a certain point... however, when it comes time and my 10 year old son looks me in the eye and I know at that time I must tell him the truth, about santa claus, easter bunny, tooth fairy... All those are rights of passage so to speak of being a child and believing in fairy tales... However, I must point out that in my opinion that when they reach a certain age, like you say, they must learn the difference between pretend and reality... It's fun to pretend that a Big Fun guy who wears a red suit and flies throught the air on a sled with raindeer brings us lots of toys if we are good enough all year, but the reality of the situation is Mommy and Daddy have a limited amount of money that they can spend and need to know what is the absolute favorite of the things that you have 'asked santa' for... He understands that it is fun to pretend, but sometimes reality has to be considered... But as all things with raising children, there is a time and age decisions that the parents have to make when they come up... But, to deal with the subject at hand, I think that the Zoo is an educational place and really no matter what the age, you should probably try to be as honest as you can, even if that means as little information as possible at that time, to set a good example in learning information correctly.... :wink:

.....however, other parenting styles differ and its' not for me to say what is right for them....

:smile:

 

[resinryder]

So what you're saying is, there's no such thing as Santa Claus? Dang, just ruined my Christmas.

 

[Guest]

OOOooooHHHHHHhhh..... no no no.... Of Course there is a Santa Claus Resin!!... it's ok.... I just like to ruin it for my kid that's all... :wink: You go ahead and make your list!! :wink:

:friends: Ho Ho HO! and MeRRy ChrisTmaS!! :friends: