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Parenting illustrated by telegrams


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Posted by Magnus Smith on May 14, 2016 at 09:58:06 user Magnus.

BETTER DROWNED THAN DUFFERS IF NOT DUFFERS WONT DROWN

We all know this telegram, and most of us have wondered about the style of parenting that lets kids go off into the wild for days at a time, versus modern paranoid parenting.

You may also have read about the 'rules' of writing a good adventure story about children; you have to get the parents out of the way first. Ransome, Blyton and other authors all had the same problem to solve, and relied on death, prison, far-off jobs and other tricks, when they didn't want the easy option of parents who appeared to let the kids go off camping a little too readily.

Only today did I remember there was one example of a less carefree parenting style, in Coot Club chapter XXIII:

TOM DUDGEON YACHT TEASEL BECCLES
ARE TWINS WITH YOU TELEPHONE IMMEDIATELY
MOTHER

It is the "immediately" that gives me the biggest hint. This was an adult who was properly worried the twins were half-drowned.

I wonder if Ransome was every accused of making the Walker and Blackett adults a little too easy-going? I wonder if Mrs Dudgeon and Mrs McGinty were deliberately portrayed as more 'normal' to redress the balance?


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