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Post by aln1982 on May 28, 2007 7:49:00 GMT -5
The one thing that bothers me about the mysteries is how the girls always seem to put themselves in danger, like when they go into some strange guy’s house in Cat Burglar. I also don’t like it how their parents are never involved or even aware of what is going on. While Cary’s dad went to the police station with him, MA went with Kristy. I had to go to the police station to answer questions once when I was a kid and it was a big, scary deal. I remember my dad being all worried (I guess he thought it would traumatize me or something – he tends to overreact a little anyway ) I was only 8 but it was still pretty scary, even though I had done nothing wrong (I had overheard a boy at school making harassing, threatening statements about one of my friends and saw him do some other disturbing things) Anyway, whenever anything bad, frightening or strange has happened in my life, I have always talked about it with my parents and gotten their help. That’s probably why I just don’t understand, and don’t like, the lack of communication between the BSC and their parents, especially since I think a lot of the parents would be willing to help without overreacting or anything. The girls should at least give them a chance. I know that the authors are trying to appeal to young readers' desire for independence but it still bugs me and always has. But not enough to make me dislike the mysteries, though.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on May 28, 2007 13:57:29 GMT -5
The BSC is like a gang. The club is their family now.
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Post by sugarmonkey on May 28, 2007 14:50:50 GMT -5
The club is their family now. DUN DUN DUN
That sounded really ominous...and accurate.
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Post by sotypical42483 on May 29, 2007 12:25:55 GMT -5
I never gave the lack of parental involvement any thought til I came to these boards. It doesn't bother me... I mean they're books about a perfect little country town in CT, they have to take some liberties
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on May 29, 2007 12:56:14 GMT -5
^ I was the same way. When I was a kid, though, I totally wanted to be able to go on vacations and solve mysteries and have adventures without parental involvement, so maybe it's a somewhat accurate representation of what some kids want?
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msstock87
Sitting For The Braddocks
Here Comes The Bride!
Created by Rie.
Posts: 3,618
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Post by msstock87 on May 29, 2007 21:42:18 GMT -5
I never gave it much thought until I was older. Of course, as a kid I was oblivious.
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Post by aln1982 on May 29, 2007 23:19:19 GMT -5
^ I agree and am sure it was. I just can't relate to it so notice it more. I'm a weird person, I guess, in that I actually enjoyed having my parents help me "solve mysteries" (they were always helping me "spy" I think it would make some interesting story lines to have some parental involvement, though. Imagine how some of the lawyer dads or Claud's librarian mom or Watson with his connections might be able to help. But I'm sure most kids wouldn't enjoy this - just weird ones like me ;D I also though, that, when the girls don't tell their parents this does kind of encourage keeping things from parents, which I don't think is a good thing to encourage. It can also create some dangerous situations that naive readers might take as an example (let's stand in front of a crook and say "stop, you're a bad man.") You see this more in mysteries like the Boxcar Children and other kids series, though, where the bad guy ends up breaking down and crying and saying he or she is sorry. Anyway, that was where I'm coming from with what I said and can totally understand how almost everyone else has a different perspective. I'm extremely close with my parents and have always interacted on a pretty "equal" basis with them so have trouble relating to different situations. I do like some of the books that are actually centered around the girls having to fend for themselves. Kristy and the Haunted Mansion is the first that comes to mind. I also like it when Kristy organizes the search for Jake Kuhn and the whole mystery of MA and Secret in the Attic is based on her not talking things over with her dad. Ones like Ghost Cat are pretty harmless and don't require the parents to even know. It's ones like Cat Burglar and Notorious Neighbor that I am really talking about where actual danger is involved. I am glad in Stacey and the Missing Ring to see her mom stand up for her. I like Stacey's mom I'm just being way too analytical again with this whole thread Edited to add: laughing at the ads on the top of this page "get involved with your kids" and "are you a slacker mom?" ;D
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Post by greer on May 30, 2007 1:24:27 GMT -5
Remember in cat burglar though they finally realize they're 13 y/os, not policewomen. Too bad kristy has to be tied up by a psycho or whatever it was that happened for them to realize this.
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Post by aln1982 on May 30, 2007 7:54:09 GMT -5
^ I did like that part and I actually did like it that they faced actual danger. Just wish they hadn't walked right into it. I was sad, though, in that book when they realized how dangerous solving mysteries was and said that one would be there last. I love the mystery books, despite all the complaints I was making. I was just in that kind of mood, I think.
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inge
Junior Sitter
Posts: 767
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Post by inge on May 30, 2007 9:58:10 GMT -5
I agree the lack of parental involvement (not only in the mysteries) seems somewhat disturbing now, but as a kid I liked to read about that. I think kids always like to read/see/hear about kids who do stuff on their own. But I agree the BSC sometimes took it overboard and it would be a bad example for kids to follow. Getting threatening notes? Don't tell your parents, they might get worried!
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Post by sotypical42483 on May 30, 2007 20:54:42 GMT -5
Honestly I never looked at anything the BSC did in mysteries and whatnot and thought that I should do it as well. I guarantee if I got a creepy threatening note, I would've showed my parents (and I wasn't particularly close to them at the time at ALL)... I mean I really don't think kids are THAT easily influenced... I think they realize they are fictional books and obviously the girls are going to be in situations that they'd never find themselves in and will possibly react in ways they never themselves would react in - that's what makes them so appealling!
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Post by secondhandshoes on May 31, 2007 1:59:20 GMT -5
I just finished 'Kristy and the Cat Burglar' and it really bothered me that no one told the Thomas-Brewers that their 13 year old little girl was tied up and held hostage by a serial criminal.
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Post by aln1982 on May 31, 2007 10:36:33 GMT -5
^ That was what bothered me, too, secondhandshoes. It was the lack of parental knowledge. Agree, sotypical, about most kids not taking too much from the books and realizing they are fiction. I have to remember that my little cousins (who don't do this) are extremely dumb ;D
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on May 31, 2007 17:51:08 GMT -5
I remember in Claudia and Phantom Phone Calls about how they were so deathly afraid of the burglar on the loose. What turned them into such fearless detectives in the first place?
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Jun 3, 2007 16:10:00 GMT -5
I think it was pretty bad in Jessi and the Dance School Phantom that Jessi was actually afraid of being physically harmed but still wouldn't tell her parents because she didn't want them to be worried.
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