I'm a pretty sympathetic and empathetic sort of fellow, but please....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6907677.stm

Isn't this what parents are for? To tell the kids it's a story and that yes, death happens? Shouldn't mum or dad or grannie or whichever non-nuclear family responsible adult be involved in talking to the child?

Childline are constantly telling us that they have insufficient funds to keep the phone lines running at a level of service they're happy with.

Perhaps they need to prioritise what calls they're willing to take - child abuse is one thing; someone wittering about the death of a character in a children's book is rather a different fish.

But that's what Childline is for, looking after people who don't have that family support. Don't forget that some people have terrible parents who are either neglectful or actually abusive. You might have some young kids who read Harry Potter as an escape from all that and who get upset when something very sad happens in that comfort book.

I'm a pretty sympathetic and empathetic sort of fellow, but please....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6907677.stm

Isn't this what parents are for? To tell the kids it's a story and that yes, death happens? Shouldn't mum or dad or grannie or whichever non-nuclear family responsible adult be involved in talking to the child?

Childline are constantly telling us that they have insufficient funds to keep the phone lines running at a level of service they're happy with.

Perhaps they need to prioritise what calls they're willing to take - child abuse is one thing; someone wittering about the death of a character in a children's book is rather a different fish.


I agree. Kids should be told that books are books - fantasy. Bad stuff occasionally happens in them and people die.

If, said child can't cope emotionally with these things then they shouldn't be reading them.

A bit of a black and white answer I know, but thats how it is in salsters house.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6907677.stm

Am I the only one who finds this rather pathetic. It has been known for a long time that the final book will involve th death of at least one main character. If your children are not grown up enough to be able to deal with this DON'T BUY THE BOOK.

Children need to learn about death, and also need to learn to deal with grief. Surely it is up to the parents/guardians to help them deal with the death of a fictitious character in a book. Not Childline who should be dealing with serious issues of child welfare.

It reminds me of the time Take That broke up and The Samaritans were fielding calls from suicidal girls.

Have we really started breeding a nation of wimps ?

But that's what Childline is for, looking after people who don't have that family support. Don't forget that some people have terrible parents who are either neglectful or actually abusive. You might have some young kids who read Harry Potter as an escape from all that and who get upset when something very sad happens in that comfort book.

Good point....Teachers perhaps? (Waits for the wrath of teachers! :) )

Merged threads.

:)

Merged threads.

:)

Apologies I hadn't seen this thread.:roll:

I think these lot need to get a grip. "Oh dear, there's a fictional character who will die or be hurt - Oh calamity! Poor little Johnny is far too sensitive for such matters. Quick, pass me some more cotton wool for his cocoon"

It's pathetic. The sooner children learn about death, which is natural and inevitable, the sooner they're equipped to deal with life. These parents need to find a quiet room, sit themselves down and have a word with themselves - The gargantuan freaks.

I agree. Kids should be told that books are books - fantasy. Bad stuff occasionally happens in them and people die.

If, said child can't cope emotionally with these things then they shouldn't be reading them.

A bit of a black and white answer I know, but thats how it is in salsters house.

good point, but you mean fiction, yes, imagine if a child was reading an autobiography like that of Dave Pelzer's

As already said, parents should explain that it is only a book not real life. Childline already is under resourced and needs to be kept for important issues of child safety, abuse and neglect etc.

good point, but you mean fiction, yes, imagine if a child was reading an autobiography like that of Dave Pelzer's

Point taken. :D

Of course, since Childline don't know the issues that are at the heart of each call until they've answered it, all they can do is answer as many calls as they can and hope that they don't let any of the ones about abuse fall through the cracks whilst all of this is happening.

Every year the authorities have to ask people over the Christmas period not to call 999 when they need the phone number for a taxi service, when they can't get the lids off jars or when they've forgotten to get repeat prescriptions and have run out of routine medications- so what chance do we have of getting people to use other phone numbers in any more responsible way?

Really makes me feel for the volunteers that work for Childline though.

I think these lot need to get a grip. "Oh dear, there's a fictional character who will die or be hurt - Oh calamity! Poor little Johnny is far too sensitive for such matters. Quick, pass me some more cotton wool for his cocoon"

It's pathetic. The sooner children learn about death, which is natural and inevitable, the sooner they're equipped to deal with life. These parents need to find a quiet room, sit themselves down and have a word with themselves - The gargantuan freaks.

If somebody is sensitive enough to really feel a book and get emotional about it, that's genuine intelligence and compassion. If it's a child and they can really involve themselves and escape into the book, it's a sign that they're honing a powerful imagination. More people should read books instead of watching the idiot box all the time, and more parents should encourage their kids to read instead of dumping them in front of the electronic babysitter.

I bet that JK Rowling cried over books when she was younger, and she hasn't turned out so bad has she?

If somebody is sensitive enough to really feel a book and get emotional about it, that's genuine intelligence and compassion. If it's a child and they can really involve themselves and escape into the book, it's a sign that they're honing a powerful imagination. More people should read books instead of watching the idiot box all the time, and more parents should encourage their kids to read instead of dumping them in front of the electronic babysitter.

I bet that JK Rowling cried over books when she was younger, and she hasn't turned out so bad has she?

I understand getting wrapped up in the emotions of a book, but enough to require Childline for counselling??

If somebody is sensitive enough to really feel a book and get emotional about it, that's genuine intelligence and compassion. If it's a child and they can really involve themselves and escape into the book, it's a sign that they're honing a powerful imagination. More people should read books instead of watching the idiot box all the time, and more parents should encourage their kids to read instead of dumping them in front of the electronic babysitter.

I bet that JK Rowling cried over books when she was younger, and she hasn't turned out so bad has she?

I've sobbed my heart out whilst reading books before, but always understood that the relation of a story (whether true or fiction) was just that- the telling of a story.

I didn't need counselling when Tarka was hit by the spade or when Monty died in Derek Tangye's books (even though I knew that one wasn't fiction)- I was aware enough that it wasn't really happening to one of my pets.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6907677.stm

Am I the only one who finds this rather pathetic. It has been known for a long time that the final book will involve th death of at least one main character. If your children are not grown up enough to be able to deal with this DON'T BUY THE BOOK.

Children need to learn about death, and also need to learn to deal with grief. Surely it is up to the parents/guardians to help them deal with the death of a fictitious character in a book. Not Childline who should be dealing with serious issues of child welfare. ...
I don't think it's a case of what Childline should or shouldn't be dealing with; a child phones them, and the volunteers are there to respond. Why should we place a value judgement on the issue about which a child becomes upset and in need of hearing a comforting voice? It isn't necessarily about 'counselling'; it's about hearing a kind voice and having someone listen.

Not every child lives in a home where its parents are willing or able to offer that voice, or to guide the child through the issues dealt with in the Harry Potter books. Though many dismiss the books as 'for children', the issues are huge and perhaps relate directly to the experiences of some of the children phoning Childline. Such profound empathy, especially for a character that the children in question might have grown up with, is a massive thing to deal with alone.
...Have we really started breeding a nation of wimps ?
No, I don't think so. We might be 'breeding' a nation of children who have the ability, sensitivity and intelligence to become involved with a fictional world, have the ability to feel empathy, and who perhaps have few others to turn to.

Many charactors have died in childrens nursery rhymes haven't they ?
If kids are old enought to read then they don't need that counselling crap drilled into their heads.

If somebody is sensitive enough to really feel a book and get emotional about it, that's genuine intelligence and compassion. If it's a child and they can really involve themselves and escape into the book, it's a sign that they're honing a powerful imagination. More people should read books instead of watching the idiot box all the time, and more parents should encourage their kids to read instead of dumping them in front of the electronic babysitter.

I bet that JK Rowling cried over books when she was younger, and she hasn't turned out so bad has she?

I read 1984 when I was in my early teens. It's a seriously scarey book in many ways, obviously aimed at adults, but I didn't feel teh need to reach for counselling. (Actually, there probably wasn't any available in teh early 1970s anyway!!)

I think that the problem we have is that the ability of people to differentiate between fact and fiction, and to condition their responses to what they encounter in the media, is a learnt skill that people are no longer learning.

Look at the numbers of people who treat soap opera characters as real people.

Part of the role of fiction was traditionally to 'teach' children and adolescents about life. Most fairy tales, myths and legends originally have this role, and the messages carried in many of them are quite sophisticated and would have required a fairly sophisticated reading to get the message out of them. Whether or not you agree with the theories of people like Bruno Bettelheim or not, most cultures feature stories that are 'educational' but that draw upon quite deep streams of the subconcious.

Harry Potter and similar books may have helped literacy in young people - the same arguments have been made for comic books, TV novelisations, etc. But what they may not be helping with is the 'cultural literacy' and 'how to read the story' which is where parents need to be spending time exploring things with their children.

Rather than Childline being used in this way, it would make more sense for the likes of Waterstones and Borders to set up 'book clubs' where children can come and talk about their experiences with reading books, or even online forums, MSN chat rooms, etc.

Many charactors have died in childrens nursery rhymes haven't they ?
If kids are old enought to read then they don't need that counselling crap drilled into their heads.
I think seven volumes of highly involved fiction, involving characters, situations and issues that the child will likely have identified with over the course of the last ten years is going to instil a little more involvement and empathy in the readers than a verse or two of nursery rhymes.

i love harry potter these novels are consider time less classic i think this novel will going to be rate as one of the best timeless classic in the future just like the incredible hulk, Alias Smith and Jones, and hondo.