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To think Miss Honey in Matilda is overly personal?

110 replies

JustAnInnocentQuestion · 12/10/2024 10:20

I was watching Matilda recently (the better first one) and realised how overly personal Miss Honey is with Matilda. Firstly, she visits her parents at their home. Surely it would've been better to call them or invite them to see her at school? Later, she invites Matilda to her home. I know Matilda's parents don't care about her, but I wouldn't want a teacher to visit me at home without prior notice or take my child to their home.

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Crazyeight · 13/10/2024 20:48

GretchenWienersHair · 13/10/2024 08:24

But they warn you first, right? You’re not in the middle of eating dinner and watching Get Sticky with Micky when they show up at your door! 😄

Barely! They give you a rough day and then just turn up at some point. DH and I both work full time so our visit was them sitting in our living room with us both trying to get off calls.

Elsvieta · 13/10/2024 20:29

Still, pretty badass how she manages to live in a derelict house on 50p a week and still show up to work clean and decently dressed.

Ihavearedbag · 13/10/2024 18:54

Pussycat22 · 13/10/2024 18:44

ITS FICTION!!!!

You must be fun at parties.

Ihavearedbag · 13/10/2024 18:53

Forget miss honey, I’m genuinely shocked some posters think it is an American book 😮

Pussycat22 · 13/10/2024 18:44

ITS FICTION!!!!

florizel13 · 13/10/2024 18:32

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 12/10/2024 11:04

Don't whatever you do read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She has girls from her class round at hers for tea on a Sunday. I can't remember what else she does but it did seem to be really abnormal!

She encouraged one of the girls to sleep with her married love interest, because she was too pure to do so herself 😂

CaptainCarrotsBigSword · 13/10/2024 17:14

cakeorwine · 13/10/2024 09:00

What about Swallows and Amazons?
Letting 4 kids go off sailing on a big lake, no lifejackets and staying over night by themselves on an island.

Social services would be all over that.

Better drowned than duffers; if not duffers, will not drown.

Creepybookworm · 13/10/2024 13:46

In the 1980s the headteacher of my secondary school regularly took a hand picked (by him) group of boys (only boys) for a little holiday. Went on for a good few years. Then he went to prison for sexual abuse of them. Served a couple of years and when he got out he was made head of a girl's school ......let's just say safeguarding was not a thing!

MargaretThursday · 13/10/2024 13:33

cakeorwine · 13/10/2024 09:00

What about Swallows and Amazons?
Letting 4 kids go off sailing on a big lake, no lifejackets and staying over night by themselves on an island.

Social services would be all over that.

Better drowned than duffers though...

petathedragon · 13/10/2024 09:02

Its that what makes the book/movie so unauthentic isnt it!

cakeorwine · 13/10/2024 09:01

Clotheshanger · 12/10/2024 20:53

The man who discovers he’s not bedridden and is in fact perfectly able to walk for miles when what’s on offer is a day out at a sweet factory rather than putting caps on toothpaste tubes?😀

But on the bright side, they're clearly trying to save on the bedroom tax

cakeorwine · 13/10/2024 09:00

What about Swallows and Amazons?
Letting 4 kids go off sailing on a big lake, no lifejackets and staying over night by themselves on an island.

Social services would be all over that.

Lwrenn · 13/10/2024 08:45

Skibideetoilet · 12/10/2024 20:46

Don’t even get me started on grandpa joe 😡

With his obvious coke nail 🤮

5475878237NC · 13/10/2024 08:24

Mumofteenandtween · 12/10/2024 10:35

The book was written in 1988. The lines of appropriateness was different then. I am roughly the same age as Matilda and it was not out of kilter - especially in a village.

Same. I used to go home to play with the teacher's kids in the 80s. Safeguarding wasn't a thing.

GretchenWienersHair · 13/10/2024 08:24

Crazyeight · 13/10/2024 08:22

My ds just started school and the teachers do a home visit to every child.

But they warn you first, right? You’re not in the middle of eating dinner and watching Get Sticky with Micky when they show up at your door! 😄

ChangedmyMindNotUsingMyRealName · 13/10/2024 08:23

JustAnInnocentQuestion · 12/10/2024 10:20

I was watching Matilda recently (the better first one) and realised how overly personal Miss Honey is with Matilda. Firstly, she visits her parents at their home. Surely it would've been better to call them or invite them to see her at school? Later, she invites Matilda to her home. I know Matilda's parents don't care about her, but I wouldn't want a teacher to visit me at home without prior notice or take my child to their home.

Yeah but it was a different kind of time back then. And she knew Matilda was neglected, and adopted her at the end.

Crazyeight · 13/10/2024 08:22

My ds just started school and the teachers do a home visit to every child.

GretchenWienersHair · 13/10/2024 08:22

Kingofthetyrantlizards · 13/10/2024 08:19

Never mind the DWP - can you imagine the response if Charlie's mum had posted on mumsnet?

Get a higher paying job, LTBs, go NC and hire a cleaner to help out around the house. Problem solved!

Kingofthetyrantlizards · 13/10/2024 08:19

GretchenWienersHair · 13/10/2024 08:14

The DWP would have been on his arse for that one. And it was all over the papers! That man had no shame.

Never mind the DWP - can you imagine the response if Charlie's mum had posted on mumsnet?

GretchenWienersHair · 13/10/2024 08:14

Clotheshanger · 12/10/2024 20:53

The man who discovers he’s not bedridden and is in fact perfectly able to walk for miles when what’s on offer is a day out at a sweet factory rather than putting caps on toothpaste tubes?😀

The DWP would have been on his arse for that one. And it was all over the papers! That man had no shame.

Clotheshanger · 12/10/2024 20:53

Skibideetoilet · 12/10/2024 20:46

Don’t even get me started on grandpa joe 😡

The man who discovers he’s not bedridden and is in fact perfectly able to walk for miles when what’s on offer is a day out at a sweet factory rather than putting caps on toothpaste tubes?😀

DdraigGoch · 12/10/2024 20:51

Skibideetoilet · 12/10/2024 20:46

Don’t even get me started on grandpa joe 😡

Clear benefit fraud going on there.

DdraigGoch · 12/10/2024 20:50

CaptainCarrotsBigSword · 12/10/2024 19:51

Add to that the fact that Matilda is sort of set in the real workd, but sort of set in a fairy tale world. I don't think you can fiddle the mileometer by attaching a drill to the car wheel like her father does.

I own an early 80s VW van. 98% certain this would work. As it is I can just pop the dash out and fiddle with the numbers from the back.

I've always been curious about the sawdust in the gearbox oil myself.

Apparently it makes any rattles quieter

Skibideetoilet · 12/10/2024 20:46

Don’t even get me started on grandpa joe 😡

110APiccadilly · 12/10/2024 20:44

I don't think you can fiddle the mileometer by attaching a drill to the car wheel like her father does.

I think back when these things were much more mechanical, running a car in reverse made the milage drop (at least for some cars). Not sure whether you could have the same effect simply by turning the wheels the wrong way but maybe?

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