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HelpRe: Names You Have Soured On
in reply to a message by RoxStar
My son was in the fourth grade with a little brown-nosing Harriet. I used to go into his class every six weeks or so to read to the class while the teacher left the room to do something else. This was something that they asked the mothers to do on a rotating basis. We were expected to bring a treat for the children. Every single time, after I had passed the treats out, Harriet, and only Harriet, would say, "Mrs. R-----? May we eat these now?" I'd say, "Yes", but I'd be thinking, "Of course you little ass-kisser! That's why I gave them to you! All of the other kids have already started eating them! Why do you think you need to ask?"
Maybe that's why I don't like Harriet. Harriet = brown-nose.
Maybe that's why I don't like Harriet. Harriet = brown-nose.
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Besides which, it's an ugly name. Hairy-et.
Harriet the spy wasn't an ass-kisser, but she was very obnoxious in her own way, and I think she was well-named. The shrinking-violet Beth Ellen of the same book was also well-named.
Harriet the spy wasn't an ass-kisser, but she was very obnoxious in her own way, and I think she was well-named. The shrinking-violet Beth Ellen of the same book was also well-named.
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I know that I wasn't actually there, so maybe she did ask the question in a saccharine, brown-nosing manner; but sometimes kids act like that and ask for (unnecessary) verification because they have to walk on eggshells at home.
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lol yeah, my thought was "they beat her at home if she eats without permission"
But I never did like the name Harriet at all, so maybe I'm biased against people who'd name a daughter Harriet. It reminds me of the word "harried."
But I never did like the name Harriet at all, so maybe I'm biased against people who'd name a daughter Harriet. It reminds me of the word "harried."
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Probably so.
It's not a typical kid reaction.
It's not a typical kid reaction.
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Y'all have just made a pretty big jump/assumption here with almost zero context though ?
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It's from my experience. My brothers and dad work with at-risk children, many of whom are abused. Asking permission to eat is actually a warning sign.
I wouldn't jump to the assumption that the kid was an ass-kisser, that's what I'm getting at. I'd just tell the child "Yes." You just don't know why someone is doing something and to immediately jump to "ass kisser" "brown-noser," etc is wrong.
I wouldn't jump to the assumption that the kid was an ass-kisser, that's what I'm getting at. I'd just tell the child "Yes." You just don't know why someone is doing something and to immediately jump to "ass kisser" "brown-noser," etc is wrong.
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Perhaps I should have made this clear in my initial post, but it wasn't just that she asked permission to eat. That was just one example of her behavior. My son was full of stories that entire year about her ass-kissing personality. She once ran tattling on him about a minor incident--he had hit her on the head with his lunchbox by accident and she insisted he had done it on purpose-- and got him sent to the principal's office. Kids, just like adults, can just have unpleasant personalities. Although in the case of kids, sometimes the personality traits are outgrown. I think I myself had somewhat of an unpleasant personality as a child -- I could be very bossy and I was the ringleader in the teasing of a neighborhood child. And I did just tell the child "Yes."
I suppose that CPS should have been banging down the door of Harriet's house accusing her parents of abuse when in reality they most likely were bringing her up to think of herself as a little princess.
I suppose that CPS should have been banging down the door of Harriet's house accusing her parents of abuse when in reality they most likely were bringing her up to think of herself as a little princess.
This message was edited 10/19/2016, 7:42 AM
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No, I am not assuming I'm right. It just came to mind as an alternative to queenv's assumption.
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OMG I forgot about kids like that. Trying to make everyone else look bad by being extra polite for no reason. Actually, I'm sure I know some adults like this too. =P
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ugh!
I would have hated a kid who did that too. I would have racked my brains to come up with some kind of evil prank to play on her, possibly involving the destruction or loss of her homework.
I would have hated a kid who did that too. I would have racked my brains to come up with some kind of evil prank to play on her, possibly involving the destruction or loss of her homework.
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