A lesson from tongue sticking to metal

[2xx1xy1JD]

Since the temperature here has gone from cold to *($(*@# cold, they were talking on the radio today about making sure that kids don't stick their tongues on anything metal.

This brought back childhood memories....and a lesson for fundies about child discipline.

Unlike the Pearls, one of my discipline techniques is to AVOID the word "don't" as much as possible, because it just focused the kid's attention on a forbidden act. If you say "don't do X", it's a safe bet that a little kid will soon be doing X.

Case in point: sticking your tongue on metal on a cold day.

Have any of you in warmer climates felt the urge to randomly lick metal poles? Probably not. It's really not something that people do. Those of us in cold climates, however, probably did it as kids (I know I did) PRECISELY because someone warned us against it!

"Don't lick a metal pole when it's freezing, or it will get stuck there!" Well, that sounds mighty intriguing, doesn't it, if you are a little kid. So, you experiment just a bit. Then a bit more. Pretty soon, you keep going until you actually get stuck enough for it to hurt or scare you into thinking that you'll be there until spring.

Disclaimer: 2xx1xy1JD does not advocate sticking your tongue on cold metal and will not be held liable for any damage that results.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Thats very true. Most children would never have the urge to lick a metal pole, nomatter what the temperature is, but do because someone told them their tongue would get stuck.

Its probably better to not give them ideas. Its like putting someone in a room with a big red button that says "DO NOT PRESS", if there wasnt a sign you would probably ignore it, but now you know about it it seems tempting.

[dawbs]

if you lick a link on a chain link fence, there's an awful lot less skin you loose.

Just in case you were 8 and thinking of doing this again.

[Lady Grass Lake]

Time for a Public Service Announcement from a Michigander on a zero degree day.

How to Unstick a Tongue stuck to a Frozen Pole. NEVER, NEVER try and yank it off, you may end up leaving a chunk behind, or at least several layers of skin. Pour cool or lukewarm water over the stuck tongue and the pole, to slowly warm it up and unfreeze it. Don't use hot water.

[bbtlover]

My cousin did this when he was 2. He wanted to lick the snow off the bumper of the car (they lived in Alaska at the time). My aunt and uncle told him to stay still until they could get the warm water, but he pulled hard enough to leave the tip of his tongue. And it doesn't grow back!

[browngrl]

Since the temperature here has gone from cold to *($(*@# cold, they were talking on the radio today about making sure that kids don't stick their tongues on anything metal.

This brought back childhood memories....and a lesson for fundies about child discipline.

Unlike the Pearls, one of my discipline techniques is to AVOID the word "don't" as much as possible, because it just focused the kid's attention on a forbidden act. If you say "don't do X", it's a safe bet that a little kid will soon be doing X.

Case in point: sticking your tongue on metal on a cold day.

Have any of you in warmer climates felt the urge to randomly lick metal poles? Probably not. It's really not something that people do. Those of us in cold climates, however, probably did it as kids (I know I did) PRECISELY because someone warned us against it!

"Don't lick a metal pole when it's freezing, or it will get stuck there!" Well, that sounds mighty intriguing, doesn't it, if you are a little kid. So, you experiment just a bit. Then a bit more. Pretty soon, you keep going until you actually get stuck enough for it to hurt or scare you into thinking that you'll be there until spring.

Disclaimer: 2xx1xy1JD does not advocate sticking your tongue on cold metal and will not be held liable for any damage that results.

yes I too did this stupid thing (in my defense I was 3 and new to Canada) but at least I didn't eat yellow snow

[Black Aliss]

I was lucky. I arrived at school one morning and there was a hunk of flesh stuck to the metal door handle. On the other hand my mother told me, "don't stick a knife in the toaster" (which had never occurred to me to do) but wouldn't tell me why. "Just don't". So of course I did.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I was lucky. I arrived at school one morning and there was a hunk of flesh stuck to the metal door handle. On the other hand my mother told me, "don't stick a knife in the toaster" (which had never occurred to me to do) but wouldn't tell me why. "Just don't". So of course I did.

In my case it was "don't touch the exhaust pipe of father's motorcycle after he's just returned from a ride." So of course I grabbed that puppy with both hands and burned my hands something horrible.

Somehow I did listen when they told me about don't stick things into outlets and don't run into the street, though.

[garciarodrigez]

My grown ass husband just did this very thing not a month ago. And bitched cause his raw tongue was sooo sore. Well duh. Lol. We laughed very, very hard at him first for doing it, and then for telling on himself. Lol. And because everything is my fault, this was from me making him watch "A Christmas Story with me last month. Yeah right.

[merrily]

There's an America's Funniest Home videos of some genius kids trying to 'disprove' the myth. Cue 1.5 minutes into their film when the girl's tongue REALLY got stuck to the pole.

[bluelady]

I also did the metal door handle. Oh man, I was sure I was gonna get in sooooo much trouble. My mom laughed, and got me free with warm water, but I think she walked extra slow to get it. You know, natural consequences and all. And, those natural consequences worked. I never stuck my tongue to metal again. They didn't, however, prevent me from daring my little sister to do it a couple of year later...

[Caribou]

Living in northern Canada, this happened every winter when I was young with at least 4 or 5 kids. You'd think we would have learned after witnessing first hand the result of tongue-to-freezing metal but nope. It was like a badge of honour or something. Maybe the cold destroyed a handful of our brain cells or just froze our ability to use common sense.

Oh, and to those complaining that temperatures are 3 or 4 degrees below zero fahrenheit:

It is currently -45C where I live. That converts to -49F.

And today is our third day of temperatures like this with no end in site. Canada - gotta' love it!

[ILoveJellybeans]

I had no idea that was even possible :o

[Sunnichick31]

I On the other hand my mother told me, "don't stick a knife in the toaster" (which had never occurred to me to do) but wouldn't tell me why. "Just don't". So of course I did.

As i was reading this, I was thinking why bother telling a kid not to do something when odds are, they won't think of it until someone puts the idea in their head. Then I read your post. Theory proven. :lol:

[Minerva]

I've gotten the metal zipper of coats stuck to my lips before. Fortunately, the zipper heated up fast because it's so small and I didn't have time to yank anything.

And thanks for bringing up bits of tongue flesh stuck to doors. I was eating until I read that.