Comments on: Bad Idea of the Day: Creating “Virtual Parents” for Kids of U.S. Troops http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/ A blog about science, politics, and how to let each help the other without compromising them both. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:32:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Military Members to Donate Their Brains to Science | Discoblog | Discover Magazine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-5440 Military Members to Donate Their Brains to Science | Discoblog | Discover Magazine Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:42:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-5440 [...] Content: Discoblog: Will Neuroscience Help the Army Create the Ultimate Soldier? Reality Base: Bad Idea of the Day: Creating “Virtual Parents” for Kids of U.S. Troops Reality Base: Reality Check: Science in [...] [...] Content: Discoblog: Will Neuroscience Help the Army Create the Ultimate Soldier? Reality Base: Bad Idea of the Day: Creating “Virtual Parents” for Kids of U.S. Troops Reality Base: Reality Check: Science in [...]

]]> By: How to Get Six Pack Fast http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-5384 How to Get Six Pack Fast Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:40:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-5384 Not that I'm impressed a lot, but this is more than I expected for when I stumpled upon a link on Digg telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks. Not that I’m impressed a lot, but this is more than I expected for when I stumpled upon a link on Digg telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks.

]]> By: K http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4490 K Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:54:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4490 Wow! Touchy subject. As a military brat, I've experienced prolonged periods where my dad was away. (Although, thankfully, we didn't have major wars during that time.) What is weird is not the absence, but the re-presence of a person. I've always felt a little bit disjointed from my family, although they're really important to me. The effect is more pronounced when I'm with my extended family; cousins, aunts and the like who lived in the US. (I lived abroad for most of my childhood up until my adulthood.) When you grow apart from someone, it's like there's really no connection there at all, even if you know you're blood related. I wonder how the parent, mom or dad, would feel like leaving their children when they called them "mommy" or "daddy," then returning to "mom" or "dad." Will they miss the things they never had a chance to notice? I think that these virtual parents will be a detriment to both the children and the service member. When the parent actually comes home, the child might be surprised to find that mom or dad is really quite articulate. For a short while, you can fool little children. That's why Blues Clues is so fun. However, I think that the troops will be deployed to Iraq for years and years, and an emphasis on real time communication is going to be critical. This is basically a long distance relationship on steroids. (Has anyone tried dating someone in another country, in another timezone?) The best thing is just to have mom or dad near by. And the worst thing is how people at home step up to the plate to take that role when mom or dad is away. Wow! Touchy subject. As a military brat, I’ve experienced prolonged periods where my dad was away. (Although, thankfully, we didn’t have major wars during that time.) What is weird is not the absence, but the re-presence of a person. I’ve always felt a little bit disjointed from my family, although they’re really important to me. The effect is more pronounced when I’m with my extended family; cousins, aunts and the like who lived in the US. (I lived abroad for most of my childhood up until my adulthood.) When you grow apart from someone, it’s like there’s really no connection there at all, even if you know you’re blood related.

I wonder how the parent, mom or dad, would feel like leaving their children when they called them “mommy” or “daddy,” then returning to “mom” or “dad.” Will they miss the things they never had a chance to notice?

I think that these virtual parents will be a detriment to both the children and the service member. When the parent actually comes home, the child might be surprised to find that mom or dad is really quite articulate. For a short while, you can fool little children. That’s why Blues Clues is so fun. However, I think that the troops will be deployed to Iraq for years and years, and an emphasis on real time communication is going to be critical. This is basically a long distance relationship on steroids. (Has anyone tried dating someone in another country, in another timezone?)

The best thing is just to have mom or dad near by. And the worst thing is how people at home step up to the plate to take that role when mom or dad is away.

]]> By: jacko http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4481 jacko Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:51:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4481 Yes - it's fucked up. But taking parents away from their kids is fucked up too. Kids without parents are at a statistical disadvantage regardless, so I don't see how this could make their situation any worse. And considering the kinds of things that unsupervised kids are looking at on the internet, this is not so bad. Yes – it’s fucked up. But taking parents away from their kids is fucked up too. Kids without parents are at a statistical disadvantage regardless, so I don’t see how this could make their situation any worse. And considering the kinds of things that unsupervised kids are looking at on the internet, this is not so bad.

]]> By: Opinion: It’s Time For The Kiddie Version of the Sims, Military Style « Moments In Time http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4460 Opinion: It’s Time For The Kiddie Version of the Sims, Military Style « Moments In Time Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:59:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4460 [...] of the six years of year the DOD has finally figured out that lots of little kids don’t have a parent around. Have no fear now [...] [...] of the six years of year the DOD has finally figured out that lots of little kids don’t have a parent around. Have no fear now [...]

]]> By: Jivlain http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4448 Jivlain Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:19:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4448 And here I was, thinking that it would be easier for them to give service members free Skype accounts (or similar), but that's just crazy-talk. And here I was, thinking that it would be easier for them to give service members free Skype accounts (or similar), but that’s just crazy-talk.

]]> By: Andre http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4441 Andre Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:52:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4441 @Scott " It is simply too small to properly handle the wars it needs to fight and should be expanded." The military had the biggest budget around a trillion dollars a year. How can it possibly expand any more than it already has? @Scott

” It is simply too small to properly handle the wars it needs to fight and should be expanded.”

The military had the biggest budget around a trillion dollars a year. How can it possibly expand any more than it already has?

]]> By: pwnage http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4433 pwnage Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:35:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4433 Wow, that is absoultely the stupidest, dumbest, and the most f.cked up thing i've ever heard. I am rubbing my eyes, and it is still there. Wow, that is absoultely the stupidest, dumbest, and the most f.cked up thing i’ve ever heard. I am rubbing my eyes, and it is still there.

]]> By: Scott http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/comment-page-1/#comment-4432 Scott Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:16:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/realitybase/2009/01/07/bad-idea-of-the-day-creating-virtual-parents-for-kids-of-us-troops/#comment-4432 While this is clearly a bad idea, comments like "So, rather than oh, say, ban repeated deployments or lift stop-loss orders" ignore the reality the military is dealing with. It is simply too small to properly handle the wars it needs to fight and should be expanded. While this is clearly a bad idea, comments like “So, rather than oh, say, ban repeated deployments or lift stop-loss orders” ignore the reality the military is dealing with. It is simply too small to properly handle the wars it needs to fight and should be expanded.

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