The Monster Under the Bed

When I taught first grade, I would always teach the children how to distinguish fact from fiction, when reading a selection.  At that age, they have a hard time believing you when you tell them there is no monster under their bed.  I can remember lying awake at night worrying about it many a night as a youngster myself.

I also taught them to look at a commercial or advertisement and discern what was opinion and what was true facts in what was claimed. When they heard that the cereal was really yummy and would make them happy and healthy and it had 7 grams of protein to make them strong, what they didn't realize is that it also had 23 grams of sugar. That information might change the opinion of that cereal, at least for the mom.

I think it is great that restaurants are beginning to give information on their menus so that customers can make informed decisions before ordering.  However, it does make it difficult to stay with that decision when where is a luscious picture of something fattening beside it.

I wish our politicians would learn to tell the difference between fact and fiction and opinion and truth.  Many people are like the kid with the cereal box, they taste the yummy cereal, but don't pay any attention to the facts printed on the side of the box.  So, it would be helpful if politicians would make the effort to convey the unadulterated facts without mudding them up with all the personal opinions, false information and distortions caused by taking things out of context.  People are always looking for the monster under the bed.

Point of clarification from yesterday about fishing with my son. Some know that I hate worms and can't pick one up and put it onto a hook.  No, my son did not bait my hook.  I did, using pliers to grab the worm, twist it around and stick the hook through it a couple of times.  It took a bit but I always got it done.