We vodkad and drank other non-intoxicating liquids: A book on child development or soviet propaganda?

This post is mainly for our Russian readers, as a lot of it is simply untranslatable, but I'll give it a try anyway...

The first part concerns with one of the books that Dad gave me on one of my recent trips to Novosibirsk. At some point he basically donated his psychology books to me and this was one of them. It's a book on child development - or more, as I found out this week, a guide on how to bring up your child. As such it has a lot of valid (recently "empirically" proven) suggestions about what works - for example positive reinforcement as a method of learning. But at the same time it has certain bits that just made me laugh...

from the preface - "В борьбе этой (с бесчеловечностью) у нас ещё есть надёжный ориентир - наше мировоззрение, обращенное к Человеку, как высшей ценности. К человеку гармонически развитому - идеалу коммунистического будущего." (In the fight with this (inhumanity) we still have a reliable guide - our world view, inverted to the man as the highest value. To the man who is harmonically developed - to ideal of Communist future.)

the logic in this I just don't understand at all

(it talks about the fact that if your child stutters when talking, encourage them in moments when they're showing very little progress in talking better... and don't encourage them if they're actually improving, as that may be confusing for them???!)

"Не внушайте нереальное. Сказки нужны, и не только детям; но знание жизни ещё нужнее. .. Самые глубокие пессимисты происходят из детей, воспитанных чрезмерно оптимистически - осколки розовых очков, вонзаясь в глаза, делают мир чёрным." (Don't suggest the unreal. Fairy tales are necessary, and not only for children; but the knowledge of life is still more important. The deepest pessimists occur from the children, brought up excessively optimistically - the splinters of pink glasses, being stuck into the eyes, make the world black.)

This one talks about masturbation and what to do if you noticed your child choking the chicken. Basically it's actually saying that as such it is not harmful, but simply an indication of some sort of general unhappiness, or an inborn increased sexual drive. It is also a sign that the child is missing two most vital medications - joy and movement! :)

"Не подарки нужны ребёнку, не мороженое и не фигли-мигли с картинками - ему нужен ТЫ, отец, нужна ТЫ, мать, и не просто как биологически-юридическая единица, а душа твоя, в чистом виде. Твоя неразменная сущность, твоя изначальность, твоё с ним событие."
(It's not the gifts that the child needs, not ice cream and not 'silly stuff' with the pictures - it is YOU, father, YOU, mother, that are required and not simply as a biological- juridical unit, but your soul, in its pure form. Your unchangeable essence, your origin, your being.)

This made me realise some things about my Grandmother. She's really big on what she thinks are subtle hints... now I know that perhaps it actually was the fashion of the time. Some examples that are provided - when you know that your child did the dishes (but they haven't noticed that you know) to pick up a plate and say "Wow - this plate is so clean it's like a mirror" ... or "It's strange, today the air at home is so much better, and it seems we didn't even open the windows" (After you know your child dusted the flat and you're pretending not to notice).

Second part involves cut-outs from local Ruski newspaper ads...

This really reminded me of The Animal (movie with Rob Schneider) where he drinks badger milk to get more buff... apparently it's an old Russian remedy... not badger milk, but badger fat... yummy

This is an equivalent of Advanced Hair... I just like the title - "If the stupid hair is leaving a clever head"

This is an ad for a school that teaches you to enhance your astral potentials... some of the things that are taught include:

- opening up of different levels (!) of future prediction
- creating astral projections and "travels" into the Astral
- getting rid of negative influences, obsessions, ties to people, happenings - regardless of how long ago they were and building strong protection

This one is fortune teller Nelya... and I mean just looking at her made me smile :)

This ancient Tibetan medicine is supposed to help reduce your cholesterol levels... I'm not sure about that, but looking at the monks ... umm... they look somewhat too friendly towards one another.

and of course here are some personals...

The ad reads "Young and rich, without complexes, would like to meet a man 18-37 y.o. for friendship and sex, and later however it turns out. Can help monetarily."