Quote of the day

[larryhammer]

For bedtime reading with Eaglet, who is 9, we’re currently working through Babysitters Club books. We’d just finished one, and I pulled out the next: Boy-Crazy Stacey and showed it to them.

Eaglet: Oh hell no! :pause: No, no, no.

Upon recovering poise, they asserted they don’t want to read this one but we were going to. And indeed, the titular plot thread (but not the babysitting+friendship shenanigans) is being hate-read—something I hadn’t known Eaglet would do.

Puberty continues to fascinate, but certain pubertal-related activities such as attraction and romance remain a big turn-off.

---L.

Comments

[sovay]

And indeed, the titular plot thread (but not the babysitting+friendship shenanigans) is being hate-read—something I hadn’t known Eaglet would do.

What does nine-year-old hate-reading look like?

[cmcmck]

I was wondering the same thing even having taught nine year olds! :o)

[larryhammer]

Lots of snarky side-comments and talking back at the character.

I suspect, but won't confirm till we finish, that they're relying on the series formula to reset Stacey to rationality, or at least back to being a responsible babysitter, to get through this. They are very genre-savvy.

[thistleingrey]

I remember something similar with Reason (not all kids etc.), re: those manga recs that weren't to include certain features, even though Reason had read some manga sequences that included those features. So far, the activities in stories remain across a Reason-voluntary wall, despite a great deal more of Reason-driven casual exposure to them in stories. Or perhaps because of.

The other day Reason asked me how I identify. Is Reason old enough not to share my answer (which was age-tuned), since I've asked her not to?--part of a discussion that included passing privilege, etc. Guess I'll find out.

[larryhammer]

Heh.

Good luck with that trust. (We mostly trust Eaglet with confidential info, but we don't know how strongly they've been tested for things that aren't about themself.)

[thistleingrey]

(Wouldn't be the end of the world if Reason slipped--it seems important to try it sometime. I would've deflected the whole conversational topic at nine, at least Reason's version of nine, FWIW.)

[conuly]

we’re currently working through Babysitters Club books

What, all of them!? Does that include the Little Sisters and the California Diaries as well?

[larryhammer]

I’ve no idea how far we’ll get. Running out of interest after a dozen-plus wouldn’t surprise me, but we’ll see.