has anyone ever heard of this "game"?
So, Elysium and I decided to get out and see the new Harry Potter movie this afternoon. Our neghbor's 15-year-old daughter babysat Elysium 2.0 (she's sat with him before, and he's always seemed pretty happy about it.) When we got home, after she left, Elysium 2.0 started telling us about the new game that she taught him. He was very excited about the game, and couldn't wait to play it with us.
The game?
"Dead Grandma".
What? Has anyone else ever heard of this? Apparently you take turns lying on the ground "being dead", and then the other person says "magic words" that bring you back to life. Seems fairly benign - but I'm still sort of creeped out. Who teaches a 3-year-old a game called "Dead Grandma"?
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Sounds like a convenient way to watch some HBO while the kid lies around waiting for the magic word.
That is pretty freaky.....
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Sad thing is, if this really is some popular teen game, don't be shocked to see it as bad 'teens at summer camp' scream horror b-movie.
(deep narrator voice) It started out as a simple game...
teenager 1 - "I'm bored"
teenager 2 -" You ever play Dead Grandma?"
teenager 3 - "Didn't you guys know this used to be a nursing home during the civil war?
teenager 2 - "what are you scared to play ?"
(deep narrator voice) 3 simple magic words unleashed a terror on this sleep camp....
Sorry, i am not making fun of the situation, especially him being only 3. Just need to point out that many 15 yr olds don't think outside that box about being able to judge consequence of influence.
Next time teach your sitter your version of Dead Grandma.
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Sounds like he must've grown too big for the dryer game.
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Very freaky. Never heard of anything like that, but shihonage sounds like he's got it about right. But I would have come up with a slightly better name than that, even as a 15-year old.
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Never heard of dead grandma. At my school we used to play 'strangled hooker' and 'overdosed junkie'.
On a slightly lighter note, I saw a TV drama about two guys that played an obituary game. They got points for certain things mentioned in the new obituaries they found.
I tried to find out the rules, but never could.
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That does sound creepy. And not even very fun, either. What I'm wondering is why someone would choose to play that particular game with a 3-year old. It's not like there's any shortage of non-creepy things she could have done to keep him occupied.
I'd be inclined to ask the babysitter next time you talk to her--tell her you'd never heard of the game and ask her what it's all about, etc.
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Perhaps in this over-edited environment kids are living in, they feel the need to bring back some of the dark side. There was a reason why old fairy tales featured death prominently- we all need that to grow up.
I actually find it telling that the main feature of "game" is reviving the other, bringing back to life.
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I love how the creepy sitter is not from that other gender.
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At that age, a game is twice as fun if it grosses mom out.
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I used to wish my grandma would play "Dead Grandma." Only without the "play" part of the equation.
She's "playing" up a storm now, though.
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I was thinking of that. Thanks Legion.
McChuck wrote:
I knew someone would bring that up.
Actually, she's not creepy - she's very, very sweet. I just was a bit icked out by the idea of a game called "Dead Grandma". I'm not crazy about my 3-year-old, who already asks questions about death, focusing on his grandmothers as likely candidates for it. Of course, we all die eventually, I'm just not in a hurry to introduce the idea of his beloved grandmothers leaving him for good. Let's let him have the sweet innocence of only 3 years of life experience. You know?
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
- Dr. Martin Luther King
I don't know why but I'm not disturbed by it. Death has no meaning a three year old anyway. By the time a child is old enough to understand, he/she would have already stopped playing it long ago and won't really care.
But, you know, that doesn't mean I would want people teaching my child a bunch of crazy stuff. If the concept is a problem, you could perhaps change it to "Sleeping Grandma" and talk with the sitter about themes not appropriate for your son.
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Your description is very short on details, but if what you say is the whole of the game it's likely not a lot to worry about as such a simple game is likely to have been made up by her on the spot (kids like strategy in their games too). The sitter is coming from a culture where "dead" is likely the mildest word she hears daily, and the (cultural) perspective that these words shouldn't be used around children (at least without recognizing their importance) might be different for her. I'm sure if you talked to her she'd help you make sense of it. This will likely make her feel uncomfortable, however, since she's at an age where the appearance of maturity is important. But if you go to her as an adult (not through her parents, approach her directly) she'll likely be much more receptive to your concerns about a game called dead grandma (call it sleeping beauty?). Respect her self-respect, and you'll likely get what you're after -- a respectful and honest discussion. Might even be good for your relationship with your sitter.
My $.02
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I'd freak & fire if a babysitter played that game with my daughter.
/Yes. I'm an overprotective dad
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So, next step would be just calling and asking about it right?
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My grandmother died just before I turned 4. As far as the constabulatory is concerned, I turned out just fine.
I used to be a big fan of getting younger kids to play "the quiet game." First one to talk loses. I'm trying to read, dang it.
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This game sounds very dumb. How could a child be entertained by it? Bah!
Fedaykin98 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:
Although much preferred to "Dead Mommie", I would've been a bit creeped out. However, since babysitters are nigh impossible to find, I'd probably keep her around and just talk to her about it casually delicate way. Or just drop hints that if she messes up again, "Crazy Carving Canuck Uncle Certis" will make everything allright.
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Hah! I went out with a kindergarden teacher the other day and she told me a couple of parents were putting their children to sleep by:
1. Putting them on their beds
2. Playing "The Ring" movie
Apparently, the kids got so scared that they covered themselves with their blankets until they fell asleep, about halfway-end through the movie.
Them's going to be some f*cked up kids when they grow up.
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So is the poorly parented 7 year old that was in the theater when I saw Blair Witch Project.
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kaostheory wrote:
You know.. I never bothered to find out that characters name. I learned something today.
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion, It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
That's okay my 5 year old daughter has recently learned how to order her minion hordes to rampage and kill and steal men's souls. For profit.
She's CEO material for sure...
I don't think she's grasped the concept of death, anymore than I had with my bang-bang guns back in 1968...
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