Yes there are plenty of poisonous things in our gardens, but shiny red berries are much more likely to be tempting to nibble than a rhubarb leaf! Other than monkshood I think yew is one of the most toxic. The three little girls were very young and close together and parents are not always listened to are they? I just feel it was so irresponsible of the programme makers to have permitted this blunder when there are so many other things that could have been used.
I grew up in the countryside around all sorts of poisonous plants - so did my brother who was (and is) close in age to me. We didn't even have a garden fence to keep us out of the woods and fields; we played in the churchyards, fields, ditches, woods and commons from a very young age.
Human brain development goes through various stages - one of the stages when children are young is one where recognition of dangerous foodstuffs is imprinted (as it would have been with small children when we were evolving living in caves with no fences around gardens). That's the reason why so many children with severe autism are excessively finnicky eaters (to put it mildly) - because that bit of brain development has become rigid.
If very young children are taught by their parents what is safe to eat and what is not, they will remember. I knew from a very young age that 'shiny red berries' were nasty and would make me ill - I was never tempted by them and neither were any of my friends. If you leave it too late to teach this information it's much harder for the brain to absorb the information and retain it's importance.
Of course, if someone has a moderate to severe learning disability the ability of their brain to take in this information and of course these children should be protected from harmful plants.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Its not just education of whats poisonous, I have a neighbour who moans at me because there are roses growing against my fence and her children might prick their fingers ( i would like to say to stop the children trying to get into my garden, but they find mine exciting). However how are they going to learn thorns are going to prick, proportionally it is not going to do much harm but they are being taught roses are dangerous
I actually think minor injuries are good - so that children realise we are right when we say not to touch \eat etc. And then hopefully obey regarding the really dangerous stuff.
I actually think minor injuries are good - so that children realise we are right when we say not to touch \eat etc. And then hopefully obey regarding the really dangerous stuff.
You've got it Snoodle!!! Reinforcing the message!!!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
When I was a child I was taught about not to eat anything unless I checked first and the difference between dirt and clean dirt. I was always covered in clean dirt my mother said I was rarely presentable but healthy
I was brought up in a small town and like DFA roamed the countryside as a kid with my pals. I can never remember being told by my parents not to eat anything outside but I survived and so did all my pals. People are just so much more fearful these days even though potential threats are no higher.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Posts
........ rational human beings who know about plants and will educate their daughters in a sensible way.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes there are plenty of poisonous things in our gardens, but shiny red berries are much more likely to be tempting to nibble than a rhubarb leaf! Other than monkshood I think yew is one of the most toxic. The three little girls were very young and close together and parents are not always listened to are they? I just feel it was so irresponsible of the programme makers to have permitted this blunder when there are so many other things that could have been used.
I grew up in the countryside around all sorts of poisonous plants - so did my brother who was (and is) close in age to me. We didn't even have a garden fence to keep us out of the woods and fields; we played in the churchyards, fields, ditches, woods and commons from a very young age.
Human brain development goes through various stages - one of the stages when children are young is one where recognition of dangerous foodstuffs is imprinted (as it would have been with small children when we were evolving living in caves with no fences around gardens). That's the reason why so many children with severe autism are excessively finnicky eaters (to put it mildly) - because that bit of brain development has become rigid.
If very young children are taught by their parents what is safe to eat and what is not, they will remember. I knew from a very young age that 'shiny red berries' were nasty and would make me ill - I was never tempted by them and neither were any of my friends. If you leave it too late to teach this information it's much harder for the brain to absorb the information and retain it's importance.
Of course, if someone has a moderate to severe learning disability the ability of their brain to take in this information and of course these children should be protected from harmful plants.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Its not just education of whats poisonous, I have a neighbour who moans at me because there are roses growing against my fence and her children might prick their fingers ( i would like to say to stop the children trying to get into my garden, but they find mine exciting). However how are they going to learn thorns are going to prick, proportionally it is not going to do much harm but they are being taught roses are dangerous
Cathy
I'm constantly amazed that the human race has survived this long
whether it will survive much longer remains to be seen 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You've got it Snoodle!!!
Reinforcing the message!!! 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
When I was a child I was taught about not to eat anything unless I checked first and the difference between dirt and clean dirt. I was always covered in clean dirt my mother said I was rarely presentable but healthy
I still am
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I was brought up in a small town and like DFA roamed the countryside as a kid with my pals. I can never remember being told by my parents not to eat anything outside but I survived and so did all my pals. People are just so much more fearful these days even though potential threats are no higher.