Ben has had a fascination with dinosaurs for quite some time. He has a dinosaur sleeping bag, countless dinosaur stuffed animals and a handful of amusing dinosaur books. He has a large collection of plastic miniatures and we own all of the Land Before Time movies.
I have coexisted with the dinosaurs quite peacefully, and like everything else about my middle born, find this obsession totally adorable.
But a few weeks ago I bought Ben his first dinosaur encyclopedia. I figured it was about time that I learn all of the names and details myself. I don’t recall where I was when my class learned about dinosaurs, but my knowledge is pretty bleak. So, we sat down to look at the realistic photos and learn together about these amazing creatures.
And then I remembered… dinosaurs aren’t so warm and fuzzy. They’re fucking scary. After all, there’s a pretty big difference between this:
and this:
The largest dinosaurs were over 100 feet long and 50 feet tall– that’s fucking enormous. Their teeth measured eight inches long, were as sharp as steak knives and could regenerate at any point in their lives. Umm, yikes. Their claws may have been up to 15 inches in length–that’s the length of Ben’s arm. For a claw.
And they dominated the Earth for over 165 million years, only to mysteriously go extinct when a comet or asteroid hit the earth? Holy shit! Not to make this all about me, but what does that mean for us? Could we just go poof just like that? It’s pretty heavy stuff.
I’m not sure how these creatures became the things cartoons are made of, but I’m thinking we need to find a new fascination in our house. Ben may not be afraid to go to sleep now, but I am.
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{ 42 comments }
They ARE scary, aren’t they? I’m glad my boys have not had a fascination with these creatures yet… although we go often to the ‘dinosaur museum’, they’re not obsessed yet! Shoot… Cheerios were just emptied all over my kitchen floor – have a great Monday!
.-= Loukia´s last blog ..Good times =-.
WHY don’t little kids think dinosaurs are scary?!? It’s not just those movies (oh, I was so happy to be able to get rid of them finally, all those high-pitched shrieks!); they can go to a museum and see a full-scale T-Rex skeleton and they’re still not scared. Maybe it’s just because when we grow up we turn Mortal. I do miss all the stuffed dinos though; most have gone by the wayside now the kids are older but I liked the combination of Fierce and Fuzzy!
.-= Sally´s last blog ..The Shallows and the Deeps =-.
Exactly— I mean, the kids are scared of ants for crying out loud. I think it’s so bizarre.
.-= Scary Mommy´s last blog ..The stuff nightmares are made of =-.
Michael has the same obsession w/ dinosaurs and I have often wondered why we made dinosaurs this fuzzy warm kid thing when they were horribly mean ferocious creatures.
.-= jodifur´s last blog ..I Don’t Think Brides Read My "MommyBlog" But I’m Giving Them Advice Anyway =-.
Nice freakin pic – below the fold. Holy shit.
I wanted to be a paleotogolist (I can’t even spell it anymore) when I was a kid. Something about digging in dirt eventually turned me off to that.
.-= Futureblackmail´s last blog ..INDIANA GIRL =-.
I have to say, the mounds of stuffed animals, dinosaurs, bears, dogs, cats, pandas…well they’re a mommas nightmare when they take over all sleeping space!!
.-= LoveFeast Table´s last blog ..Pizza On The Grill =-.
My oldest daughter started a dinosaur phase when she was about 3 years old, too. We acquired all the toys, books, puzzles, videos and models and it was AMAZING how much she knew about dinosaurs at that age. She could pronounce names that her father and I stumbled over in her books. And as far as she was concerned, the scarier, the better! And you know what? That dinosaur phase NEVER STOPPED. She’s nearly 10 now and STILL wants to be a paleontologist/archeologist. I think it’s pretty cool, though.
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..To Whom It May Concern, =-.
It IS cool- totally fascinating and amazing, I just can’t believe it doesn’t terrify them!
.-= Scary Mommy´s last blog ..The stuff nightmares are made of =-.
Holy Crap
Thanks for the nightmares I will be having tonight
.-= Cammie´s last blog ..The Parade of Homes makes me sad, how I spent my weekend blind, and I heart New Kids on the Block =-.
My 3 year old has always been fascinated with dinosaurs, too. The cute and cuddly kind, anyway.
.-= C @ Kid Things´s last blog ..The Life of a Train Conductor =-.
Hah. Your picture comparison was quite the LOL source for me. Thanks.
(I’ve missed you too, that’s why you’re the first person I have visited today:)
Having daughters, we haven’t ventured down the dinosaur route…and after seeing that scary picture of a dinosaur, I’m so glad my house is drowning in cute, cuddly teddy bears.
.-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..This is why I love summer =-.
It is very scary to realize that we could go “poof” in a heartbeat. I read an article the other day about the possibility of Mt. St. Helen’s erupting again…with the potential of being so big it could block the sun for days worldwide the ash could kill our water systems. Scary shit. (Here’s the link if you want to check it out: http://bit.ly/M5vK0)
I guess it points us all back to the fact that we absolutely have no real control over our world, and worrying about it won’t stop the asteroid, the volcano, or the dinosaur fears. But we CAN live in the moment, loving our kids, dogs, spouses, friends and selves. Love beats fear every time.
Whoah. I got deep. Must need more coffee.
.-= Dani Webb´s last blog ..You’ll Never Believe What I Did Today =-.
I think that one of the reasons that kids aren’t afraid of them is because they just don’t see them as threats. I have a picture of my sister sticking her head in the mouth of both the skelton and replica T-Rex’s mouth with a huge grin. I think that by the time you are old enough to think ‘oh crud look what happened to them’ some of the magic of everyday life has gone away, plus you have realized that you are mortal. Kids don’t see themselves that way. They are like Superman inside their heads not even bullets can stop them!
Oh to be a kid again…
.-= Angel´s last blog ..Why would you say something like that??? =-.
That is pretty freaking scary. And even scarier, a dinosaur fixation may lead to a lizard fixation and I just can’t have that in my house. I’m going to push trucks and robots and sports. I’m not afraid of any of those things.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Dinner, a Movie and a Bangin’ Babysitter(s) =-.
I know…to think we could just be wiped out like that…
To think a dinosaur once occupied my neighborhood…
Daaaaang.
That’s deep.
.-= Mama Kat´s last blog ..Conversations With Pat: Lasagna and Chocolate Cake =-.
Of course someone made them all cutesy. Hell we humans are the species responsible for the ‘beloved’ tails the likes of Hansel and Gretel: Your step mom is going to abandon you in the forest. You’ll be eaten by a witch.
Goldilocks and The Three Bears: A child with NO parental supervision wanders ALONE into the forest were she eats food off the table of strangers who just happen to be MEAT EATING PREDATORS!
Alice in Wonderland: Take drugs, have a hallucinogenic trip, all while the person who is supposed to be looking after you is doing God knows what in the park!
Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Kids!!! Hell she has bed bugs, dragon flys and beetles as “kids” never mind that they are actually FOOD in real life!
.-= DiPaola Momma´s last blog ..Don Sonny Corleone DiPaola; "Do I look fat in these?" =-.
No kidding! Most Disney movies have horrifying aspects to them. But the dinos were REAL!
Yeah, dinosaurs are so amazing, and yet….so creepy!! CRAZY!
.-= Mrs Soup´s last blog ..Happy Six Months, Baby! =-.
I’ve wondered the same thing. Why does any kid want to sleep with a plush dinosaur? Does the dino fascination have anything to do with boys wanting everything to be bigger and more powerful? I blame the whole dinosaur problem on a Land Before Time (all 45 editions).
.-= Lolli´s last blog ..I ♥ Faces, Um….I Mean Feet =-.
Holy shit! That picture of that scary T-Rex is f’ing SCARY! SERIOUSLY! Now I’ll have nightmares!
Pfft.
.-= Jessica – This Is Worthwhile´s last blog ..Separation anxiety: The mama’s, of course, not the kid’s =-.
Yikes I hope that picture wasn’t in his book! It is crazy how they lived here for so long and now they’re gone. Or at least we think they’re gone. Jurassic Park? Yeah, I had to leave the theater before that one was half way over – I’m a total wimp!
.-= christy´s last blog ..One and a half bags of sugar =-.
Sharks are scarier.
.-= DCUrbanDad´s last blog ..What every DC Urban Dad needs….. =-.
Ooops, I hate when that happens.
.-= Jen, buried with children´s last blog ..Be Careful What You Ask =-.
sweet jesus, i gasped when i got down to that last image.
bitch.
.-= nic @mybottlesup´s last blog ..perspective =-.
Definitely scary!
However, fragile enough to go extinct!
There is definitely something fascinating with creatures who walked millions of years ago to just die out!
There is a reason we refer to our little one as “T Rex”!
My heart stopped a little when I scrolled down to that picture. Great choice!
.-= Mwa´s last blog ..Holidays, day 2: All dressed up and ready to go (pretty pictures of ruined castles at the end) =-.
Ha! We watched Jurassic Park the other day, and that night my three boys were too scared to get out of the car on the driveway and open the gate. The jungle hung over us, the rain was dripping in a rainforesty way, the forest animals were making their Jurassic-Park-Soundtrack noises. SO all you have to do to instil dinosaur fear, apparently, is to bring them to a Jungle Island and put them out of the car at night immediately after watching Jurassic Park. Maybe your kids look around and say “Huh. Not in THIS neighbourhood!”
.-= Nan´s last blog ..Book Reviews! =-.
I guess you had better find something less scary.
Like Clowns.
.-= SeattleDad´s last blog ..Interact with me: Book Edition =-.
wow! Was that a picture from the encyclopedia!?
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..fashionist…er? =-.
No, I took the easy way out and swiped it form Google images. But they were just as scary. Just not as easy to show. :)
I am scared now too. Thanks a freaking lot : )
.-= Life with Kaishon´s last blog ..I cried because I had no shoes, and then I met a man who had no feet. =-.
ohhhh yes. We’ve read the “dino encyclopedia” over and over, and over. Our 6 year old looks at color pics of a TRex chomping the hell out of a Duckbill and says “Cool!”. I quietly throw up a little in my mouth and turn the page. Yeah…dinosaurs are…great. :0
Holy crap!
Forget Ben! That image is going to give ME nightmares! Yeesh!
.-= Shannon´s last blog ..O, Autumn – where art thou? =-.
lol, my son is totally like that. LOVEs anything dinosaur. He’s almost three and I wanted to buy him a book about dinosaurs but those encyclopedia style ones ARE scary. Amazing and scary.
.-= Gabrielle Valentine´s last blog ..And then I found a little site called Etsy. And…I like Owls? …Dammit? =-.
My little one loves dinosaurs too. I don’t get it. Why not puppies? They’re soft and squishy. Maybe I should show him the encyclopedia pic and see if he still thinks they are ‘nice’. LOL! That looks nothing like The Land Before Time…..
.-= Schmoochiepoo´s last blog ..Get out of my head! =-.
Exactly– hello, puppies?!! Doesn’t get much better than that. Kittens even. Or baby chicks.
Are you really a zoo keeper? How cool! When Husband was young free and single he used to chat up girls by telling them he was a lion tamer…
Do you have to feed the big cats with a long pole and lots of bloodied meat? So many questions, where to start!
.-= Millennium Housewife´s last blog ..Things I Have Said To My Husband Today =-.
Great Blog! I started to think about Dinosaurs and how I felt about them when I was a little kid, and the first thought to pop in my head was the Flintstones, those dinsaurs were awesome and so useful! And who didn’t love Dino! My nephew was just in Saskatchewan and visited the Dinosaur Museum there so he has a good perception of scale and just how big they were, thankfully he still love Hotwheels the best! BTW, love the buttons you have on your site I added a few to my blog so thank you!
Yeah. I know exactly what you mean.
That whole sudden extinction thing is terrifying. I try not to think about it.
And dinosaurs. I love dinosaurs and I have two little boys so we have our fair share of dinosaur toys. But when you really think about what they actually were… Yikes!
very very funny!
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