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Fond Memories of Chemistry sets..

Multi's comments about dangerous toys brings back memories:

I remember my chemistry set very fondly and I would spend hours making dangerous stuff...my favorite was making chlorine. Such a pretty yellow/green color.

This whole discussion reminds me of Terry Pratchett's book "Hogfather" . Death is playing the Hogfather and giving gifts to all the kids. Death is reprimanded for giving a real sword to a child and Death's response is something like: "It's educational".

Ah, in fact thanks to the wonders of the internet here is exact quote:

"The mother took a deep breath.

"You can't give her that!" she screamed. "It's not safe!"

IT'S A SWORD, said the Hogfather, IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.

"She's a child!" shouted Crumley.

IT'S EDUCATIONAL.

"What if she cuts herself?"

THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON."

Seriously, we could also by real pyrex glass ware and replacement chemicals for our home labs in the "dime" store which was Newberry's in my home town. The upshot is that I developed a good sense of measurement and the importance of following laboratory directions- and safety-yes I had a pair of goggles as a kid-well before I got to college.

Now if you are going to give your kids Death's version of dangerous toys, you as a parent have to take responsibility here. Some of my friends had BB guns and couldn't content themselves with hitting tin cans. I remember finding a freshly shot gold finch and watching it die in my hands. Might have been educational for me in terms of developing a sense of empathy but based on what I remember about the shooter...certainly not for him. It was just another bird.

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