Middle class gifts for middle class children

[Catherine468]

Light hearted, please don’t get ranty. I’m not interested enough to argue.

Have you ever seen a more middle class gift for a middle class child in a toy shop than this? Made me chuckle…
photo pending

Thicc Man 😁

It grows in wooded nooks and crannies and on my roof. Not nearly as tasy as lokshen.

Slightly off topic but related. We have a local eccentric who is known as “Stick man Steve” he likes to stand on walls balancing a branch on his head and sing.
When I first came across him I sent the local FB post to my DS. He went into our local small city drinking with his mates and was sharing the video I sent him while they were in Nando’s. They then went to the pub and there was Stick man Steve playing pool. DS sent me a sly photo and said he signed up to play on the blackboard ( apparently you add your name if you want a game) under the name Steve Tree.
He is a popular eccentric around the local towns and travels widely by bus. Apparently he’s a pretty good pool player.
Im quite sure there is a children’s book there.

The only way to find out is to buy the book

There is a mum at trampolining who does this. Usually seen nudging her husband, telling him to "look at Olivia and Jessica, they're so talented" in a very loud voice when he is just trying to watch the football on his phone in peace!

I know a book you could read about that

Lie-Chen

I have never heard it pronounced lie-chen, where is it pronounced that way?

I agree. Tbh, I can’t believe that so many people don’t know what lichen is! And I say that as someone who received an appalling education,

It’s not remotely earnest either! Lichen is as much a part of our environment as seashells or butterflies or fossils, and you see plenty of books for children written about them.

Sorry op, not being deliberately ranty, I just don’t see the humour. I would have really loved that book as a child.

Who knew that lichen (liken) could produce so many arguments.

“It’s not fussed.” 🤣🤣🤣

It's called 'Trouble with Lichen' by John Wyndham. It's excellent.

It’s Mumsnet. “The sky is blue” could produce enough rants to fill a thread.

“Well, it’s only blue for the over-privileged. Can’t remember the last time I saw a blue sky up here in Hull.”

”What’s wrong with Hull?”

”What’s RIGHT with Hull?”

”If house prices did’t keep ordinary folk out of the south, we’d be able to move from Hull down to where there’s more blue sky, too. We can’t afford blue sky.”

”It’s all Starmer’s fault.”

”Did you never learn at school that the sky isn’t actually blue? It’s the way our human eyes perceive colour. I find your ignorance disturbing.”

”Better to be ignorant than condescending.”

And on and on. For forty pages.

Those parents sound like a right pair of fun sponges!

I only know what it is because of the TV programme QI. I never learned about lichen at school. I doubt my husband or kids know what it is. I also didn’t know it was so fluffy. I thought it was flat, so what I thought was lichen probably isn’t at all!
I pronounce it like-en. I don’t know if that’s right.

It kinda IS that deep though.

Your post is suggesting that only middle class children would enjoy (or be encouraged) to learn about lichen. By saying this you're implying that working class children (so typically poorer and with fewer opportunities available to them because of this) couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't be interested in this book. You're suggesting that learning about the natural world is "not for the likes of them" - or simply that learning about things in general is "not for them".

Of course, that's not actually what you meant. Your post was intended as a joke and to poke fun at the stereotypes that say middle class families all push their children into worthy pursuits and niche hobbies etc. I know this. But actually, when we play to those stereotypes we're simultaneously playing to the uglier side of the coin and risk reinforcing unpleasant attitudes.

The toy that made me giggle was a wooden Nespresso machine which DH refused to buy because we only have a portafilter at home😆

@CremeEggsForBreakfastelegantly put

@Nevertriedcaviari love all his books !

Lovely book - I just bought it ! It’s for me tbh but will share it with my toddler when he is old enough to read not eat it 😂

I was joking 🙃

I’m really surprised people don’t know what it is though!

There’s a documentary about Stonehenge and they have a lichen expert on. It’s very interesting if you like that sort of thing.

I’m sure it’s really interesting, where does class come into play? I’d have bought this for mine. Why is giving kids things that are educational and not spoiling them with material goods frowned upon by some?

That's MN perfectly summed up in one post! 😂

Oh no it isn't etc

When my children were small, they had a marvellous book called “Tiny” about microbes. I think my son did a show and tell about the paramecium.