Most children do things/watch programmes etc.,that they actually can manage

[lorcana]

Constant monitoring of activities/toys/programmes is largely unnecessary as most DC only choose to tackle things they can cope with.
DC 1 is 5 and likes watching films like 'The Blair Witch Project '
DC 3 is only 3 but really enjoys hammering nails into blocks of wood - he is really careful and has never hurt himself - we use really soft wood.

neither of the above are 'recommended' activities for kids of their age
Does anyone else follow their DC's lead like this ? what sort of things do your DC enjoy doing ?

It really isn't just a case of them being scared (or not). Young children's minds are pretty malleable; I imagine something like Blair Witch could do some odd things to a 5yo's understanding.

The car/egg thing is daft. The chances of being hurt in a car are pretty remote; the chances of a burn from hot oil are not

OP do your DCs undertake these tasks whilst you are otherwise engaged with your 'parenting lite' duties? I suggest that you are either on a wind-up or are looking for material for an article.

Probably a wind up, but to be fair our parenting isn't far off ;) ...

A teacher friend of mine went to Sweden to do some training and was surprised when the day started (7 yrs) and they were told to take out their knives as they were going to the woods to 'wattle'. She asked what happens if one of the children hurt themselves and she was shown a first aid box....

In complete contrast, I was amazed when my first DS started school at 3 and most of the children had not used scissors independently or ever buttered a piece of bread (with a knife). The school had to do them as 'controlled activities'. It's just sad.

Travelling around town in a car really isn't that dangerous, if you know how to drive. It is if you are 13 though. My 13 year old thinks he would be fine driving around with a bit of practice. I don't. Maybe after a couple of crashes he would realise he couldn't manage and give it a break untill he's older

Hamering nails into blocks of wood is a recommended activity for small children. With supervision. www.amazon.co.uk/Tap-a-Shape/dp/B002R75BQW

Letting a five yo watch a 15 film is silly. If you left certain18 film lying around, they'd probably watch them too.

Digging mud/sand/gravel are all recommended activities for small children. Just make sure they don't eat it.

Not 'wind up' - why do people say that when they don't agree ??
I don't use a pushcahair either - is that a wind uo ? Sling and walk. No doubt they'll be folk on in a minute saying 'oh how unbelievable she must be a fake poster ' m

I don't think anything you have said is that odd (I think you would like us to all say you are wacky though!) and the only thing others have picked up on is the film and the egg frying

Except for the DVD - a child hasn't the ability to judge the content from the cover. That is your job as his parent.

Would you buy him a copy of Nuts magazine because he asked to read it?

I can't see how letting a child use tools and letting them watch a film for adults is in any way comparable.

The one involves some small risk of bruising their fingers, which will be immediately apparent and can be quickly dealt with; the other could potentially mess with their understanding of the world, which may not be apparent for a very long time.

You do sound very, very pleased with yourself though. Is there any particular reason why you feel this need to start these threads in praise of your own parenting?

"most DC only choose to tackle things they can cope with."

I'll remember that sage advice next time my 8yo DS types "boy kisses girl" into an Internet search engine.

I complete agree with the tools and think 3 year oldscan manage that under controlled circumstances.

Not the films though as children worry about things that seem innocent to us such as characters in cartoons/fairy tales which arent even particularly scary so something like blair witch would give them nightmares

Ragged - put parental controls on then it will be ok.

I agree my 18 month old uses proper plates and cutlenry, and my dd2 3 does woodwork with hammer, nails amd vices at nursery

Oh My God! No pushchair? Well, no bloody shit. You're on mumsnet, fgs. It keeps World O Slings in business.

Does a 15 cert not count as a parental control?

It doesn't really matter though - if your child has nightmares, you're the one who has to deal with them. Same as frying an egg - if your child burns themselves, you'll be the only one thinking "I probably could have avoided that".

Surely all 18 month olds dig in the garden?

As for what my DS likes doing (17 months) - if he had his own way he would like hitting the tv with his toy broom, playing with knives, running with a blanket over his head, poking the fire place, chewing electrical cables and eating stones.

But my job as an adult, with a knowledge of consequences is to channel these desires into sweeping with his broom, playing with plastic cutlery, running without a blanket over his head, poking in the garden, chewing toys and eating food.

The egg frying one is silly. I get splattered when I fry things and it hurts.

The Blair Witch one is quite disturbing actually. Totally inappropriate. I think you need to put on your parenting pants OP and take the time to sit down and have a proper chat with him about it and his understanding of the film, and then not let him watch it again.

All the other stuff you daringly do - normal.

The thing is that the Blair Witch isn't that scary because it is so subtle- the bit at the end would go straight over the head of a 5 year old. From what I remember, most of it is just them walking around the wood lost, arguing and finding stones stacked outside their tent. I'd just question why you'd bother letting a 5 yr old watch 2 hrs of TV he cant understand

I mean, my cat likes watching Newsnight. It doesn't mean he understands it

Children using crockery, drinking from tea cups using and metal cutlery, is in no way comparable to letting them watch in appropriate films or play inappropriate video games. Many 8 year olds happily play COD, so I'm told.

My DS (3) takes the car and goes to Tescos so that he can get the food he wants rather than all those boring organic vegetables we'd like him to eat.

We don't normally drink much but he came back with a big bottle of Gordons the other week, so we thought we ought to follow his lead and have been enjoying large G & Ts every evening since. He must have borrowed my ID or something, the little tinker.

My son just made his own fake ID on the printer- he's so advanced. Then he crossed the main road, walked across a frozen lake (FAR safer than taking the car) and bought a box of fireworks to throw at his mates.

My preschooler's just decided he's going to the drive-through at McD's. I sang 'Take my car, sweetheart!' merrily as he left the house. He wouldn't do it if he couldn't cope.

Not sure if OP is serious but of course parents must employ what is known as "Common Sense" when buying toys etc. Our LO has crayons, toys and real percussion instruments (tambour, castanets, triangle) some labelled with "Age 2+" or "Age 3+" but she is 17 MO. Not all toys for 2 or 3+ years would be suitable of course, but many are. She is quite capable of doing her button board designed for age 2+. The "buttons" are not small enough to be swallowed or choked on and her wooden train set labelled "age 3+" is also fine. She is past the putting everything in her mouth stage and has been for about three months. However I do try not to be complacent about this - you just now the ONLY time they will put something small and chokable in their mouth is when you aren't there to prevent it and this could happen at any age up to about 12! As for TV we dont watch it ourselves except for an hour when LO is in bed so she doesn't even expect to see any and has never asked us to put the TV on. I personally don't think TV is appropriate and is definitely not necessary for any child under 2, but even then it's important parents select age appropriate material and also that they interact with the child about what they are viewing and do not allow passive watching, as young children are not able to analyse what they see and they can't even distinguish between adverts and the programmes themselves.

So you do believe in parental controls on Net, Lorcana, but not on the telly or DVD player?

Also, may I say that's misplaced faith in one single barrier ... 2-3 layers of parental controls for every device in this house. Plus the DSi and mobiles.

Yes, the DSi....I was caught out with that one. You wouldn't believe what a 12yo can do on an innocent looking little DSi!