Ouija for 11-Year olds?
 

Is a Ouija board suitable entertainment for a group of 11-year old girls on a sleepover? Please explain your reasoning

11 year olds and Ouija? I can't think of a better application. It's just fun, but it gives a young person that little "what if it really works" scare that I think they'll find thrilling.

Of course, I love scary...are any of the girls particularly skittish? You might want to also supply a game of Connect 4 or something. :)

I think it depends a lot on the girls and their parents. When my aunt was in middle school, she had a Ouija board. Both she and my grandmother later claimed that it had really worked and had unleashed a malevolent spirit into the house that took hours of prayer to get out, and swore never to let another board into the house ever again. When my grandmother saw that I had one as a middle schooler, she threw a fit and insisted that I get rid of it.

Depending on how many girls are at the sleepover, I'd check with their parents first to see if they consider it "good fun" or "the work of the devil."

For me, it's meaningless. Ouija I mean, not the question.
Like Shawnee I think it provides a thrill.

But looking back on my childhood/ tweens I admit it was never sanctioned by an adult. I think that might have given it more weight in my mind - and I believed in it enough as it was (blame Elidor by Alan Garner).

The only time we managed to get a real response was when we were 14/15 and drinking a bottle of Peach Canei (a hideously sweet peach flavoured wine) between four of us. I can't remember the name of the spirit we called up, but he was about 14, Greek and was killed by a goat. At which point I laughed so hard I broke the connection (and nearly wet the carpet) and Jules was really cross because we were in her little sister's bedroom and she said the spirit might come back in the middle of the night, angry, to haunt her sister. Baaaaaaaa.

Anyway.

It also depends on the opinions of the other parents. A poster on here (Onyx Cougar I think) genuinely believed that a Ouija Board she had destroyed and put in the bin managed to regnerate and get back onto the shelf in her room. Apologies if I have over-stated, but that's what I remember of the story.

Only if it's cool with their parents. You could really ruffle some feathers by having the girls play it.

You are atheists, so it probably means nothing more than fun to you, but to a religious family, having their child practice what they might view as a competing religion could possibly cause offense.

I'm of the "it's not a toy, it's a tool" school, and believe few have enough skill, protection, and training to use a Ouija board safely. We 'played' with one at about that age and I still have misgivings over what happened then and afterward, and there are enough negative experiences following others' use that I vowed never to stay in a place where one is being employed.:2cents:

If the girls think its fun and don't actually regard it as what it claims to be then its harmless regardless of what any of the adults think of it.

But why, of all things, would a Ouija board be the top choice for an eleven-year old sleepover.

I'm not as focused on whether or not its "appropriate" for the girls as much as I wonder about the agenda of the adult who is pushing the idea.

so, here I am NOT linking a page I found with that Harry Potter vibrating broom, because it would be in bad taste.

That was awesome. I forgot about that one.

Brilliant LJ.

I agree with Glatt here. Proper respect for the other parents must be shown. While the host may believe it is just good fun, she must know that other parents might have differing views. She should ask the other parents if it is acceptable to them.

When I was 9 and 10 I remember sleepovers where it inevitably came out on the table. I didn't really know what it was, but it wasn't something I was going to tell my parents about. I don't think we took it very seriously, though...all we wanted were the names of the boys we would someday marry. :blush:

It was wrong for me.

I wholeheartedly second Glatt.

*ahem* fixed.

Not the first, but an early rule of magick ...

Do not call up what ye cannot put down.

No like Ouija. Ouija bad.

Get them the kid version of Apples to Apples instead.

They'll love it.

so far

Heh...my parents would have just laughed, knowing I could pretty much do my own sifting of reality vs fantasy. I forget how many people really think there is something to it, and therefore is the work of the debil.

I'm so glad my 'rents let me learn stuff on my own.

Its a friggin toy - let 'em play.

omg...call the papers: I AGREE WITH CLASSICMAN!!!!! ;) :)

It's cuz you both played with the Ouija and the debil ate your brains.

Then the debil said "Hallelujah that was goooooooooddddddd."

I'm sorry, I can't even begin to take concerns about a Parker Bros board game seriously. People are nuts...

Here's Part 1 of Penn & Teller's Bullshit episode on Ouija (2&3 are related links)

That seem a bit disrespectful. You know Parker backwards is rekraP, right? Seems pretty straightforward to me.

I object to it, but not on religious grounds.

Any word with that many vowels in it is clearly Unamerican.

I recommend you give the girls a proper, patriotic American game to play. Like Monopoly.

Agreed, but wouldn't you be offended if another parent did something with your kid that you didn't approve of or that you actively opposed?

Give them each a voodoo doll and a box of pins - let 'em go. They'll forget all about that weegee thing.

I agree with you 100% Jinx. Even as a kid I thought this game was silly and totally useless as entertainment. It does however, give an excellent example of how the human mind can be tricked by group hysteria. Ah well...a part of the human condition we will NEVER escape.

Yes, although I can't think of specifically what that would be... I went to church a few times as a kid because the family I slept over with did, even took communion once (although I understand now that's a no-no, my friend wanted me to try it), and wouldn't be offended if my kids did the same.

I'm not sure, but I think I'd leave it up to the kids to tell their parents/decided if they wanted to play etc... maybe ask the kids if they think their parents are ok with it.

I'm not a parent so I'm going to say one more thing and then quit. ;)

"Hello? Oh hi Mr Sneebles. What? You're highly upset that I let your daughter play with the debil's game? Oh, I'm so sorry.

But, Mr Sneebles...it's a fucking piece of pressed cardboard with some shit picture of letters and such glued to the top and a piece of cheap plastic that is made in a fucking toy factory so bite me, Mr Sneebles.

Oh, you won't let my daughter play with Priscilla anymore? That's good, I don't want her around your stupidity anyway."

Then Mr Sneebles could sue me for everything I'm worth, which is nothing.

And probably why I'm not a parent.

:)

What, something like saying grace at dinner? Yeah, that never happens. Nobody ever tries to religiously indoctrinate children.

If I have to deal with living in this illogical world, then they can deal with my logical ideas (whenever they have the inconvenience to encounter them) without throwing an entitled hissy fit. In fact, I hope they have a problem, and want to talk to me about it. I'll be glad to have that discussion.

I actively reject the idea that we should tiptoe around people's stupid superstitious hogwashery. It only encourages them.

Bravo, Flint.

@ Shawnee ----> LOL. And totally right, I'd be very wary of letting my child hang out with anyone whose parents really and truly worry about that game. Although, it would give them some necessary experience on how to deal with that sort.

OK, one more thing: ;)

I remember playing with my friends, my skepticism dialed up along with my curiosity of "what if" and subsequent fascination. One of my friends was so obviously guiding it I was quickly bored.

It's like group hypnosis at your friendly professional organization conference: there will ALWAYS be enough people who will play along.

You'd call your daughter Priscilla [snicker]
Debil done gone et your brains f'sho.

LOL...no, read again, my daughter is unnamed. It's Priscilla Sneebles.

:lol2:

:lol2:

Aw, shoot....

While I agree that I shouldn't have to tiptoe around other people's stupid ideas; which are stupid to me becasue I don't agree with them, but probably not stupid to other people that agree with them ;) ; I think this is an issue of respect.

It shows respect to to ask if they have a problem with it even if you don't agree with their answer. It also shows respect to save that activity for another time if all parents aren't 100% on board. see what i did thar

I voted "It's OK but..."

We have a Ouija - it's mine from my own little girl sleepover days. I let my daughter use it. Well, last summer she had this one friend sleepover, and the next day we got a call from her saying that she wasn't allowed to even *be friends* with my daughter any more, let alone come over to visit. Apparently her mother decided we were an evil influence. Which really sucks, because she was my daughter's 6th grade cheer coach and knows everybody. I expected (and I think received, to some degree, though in this town it's hard to tell) widespread snubbery.

Whatever. I was kind of mad at myself for not seeing that this might happen, but for heaven's sake, that's really overreacting.

I'm not going to live my life questioning every insignificant decision. We all have to draw the line somewhere. I am respectful to the degree that I am able to distinguish an issue which affects the social contract that I have with other civilized peoples.

I wouldn't tell them straight up that I think their beliefs are stupid, but I sure as hell will imply that I think so. I think they should know that. It gives them the information they need for future dealings with me. Why be dishonest?

I'm not going to be disrespectful, but I'm also not going to avoid difficult subjects just because one group of people has marked them off-limits. Honesty is respectful.

And this is how your kids can learn that some people are stupid and crazy.

Good words LabRat. I wouldn't take my niece & nephew to a Psychic Fair for example, because I know it would freak my sister out.

(Okay, okay, I wouldn't take them because 1, I'm not allowed to see them unsupervised because I am a Black Sheep, 2. because I think it's hogwash and 3. because I'm too cheap to pay the entrance fee - I'd rather spend the money on a beer for me)

@ Juniper: You got a letter A (of sorts) on ya now huh. THATS the scary stuff!

Holy crap. I expected it to cause offense not ostracism.

Once, my daughter had a sleep over and they played with the oija board. the very next day, one of the kids' parents came to my house and killed me. no, I lie.

Fuck. What happened when you played Jumanji?

Shoulda logged in as ghost for that one.

Cellar Cookie
 

Yeah, no kidding. That's exactly what my daughter thought. "Wow, they're weird."

Didn't bother her much. She's got friends to spare without worrying about people who would reject her for that sort of thing. Especially when these girls do things that are much worse.

Got a letter A on me now, huh? Well, I told you I was an A student. ;)

__________________

Yeah, but its taking FOREVER!

Please don't think I was calling you disrespectful, I was not at all.

It would drive us all insane if we worried about whether or not every little freaking thing we did might offend someone...for FSM's sake, that's what's gotten us into this freaking PC crazy world we are in right now.

My daughter is going to a sleepover party for a friend that she met through school, and is in our Daisy troop. I will ask what they plan on doing for the night when we drop her off. If there is anything I wish my daughter didn't participate in, I'll let them know, as well as tell my daughter WHY I don't want her to do it.

Should she come home and tell me they ended up doing whatever it was I didn't agree with, lets say, watched a horror movie (they are 6) and ate candy all night, so that she comes home exhausted and terrified to go to sleep that night, I would be pissed, (mostly because i have to spend the next 48 hours with a brat) but depending on the actual damage done I'm not sure how I would handle the situation. Ask me Monday :)


Edited to add, I really am pretty easy going, and I really doubt that there is anything that would happen that would bother me to the point of me not letting her go, or not letting her play with said friend after the fact. It's my responsibilty to explain to my daughter why I don't agree, why I don't want her to do whatever, and her responsibility to respect my wishes, or suffer the punishment if she chooses not to...

Party at my house!
Cocaine and knives!

LabRat's daughter's in - anyone else?

[kidding]

:lol:

LOL @ SG. Very good!

Oh and I just PM'd you - lil lookout is in too, but don't tell his dad ;)

What time should I drop off the nieces? :lol:

oh, you gotta highlight that text for it to be accurate.

Y'know, as a darkie, I expected that at some point in my life I would be subject to racism. I am 33, and I have yet to experience any such behavior of note. (Score one for race-relations in America!)

What I have experienced, from the time I was 5 till the present day, is religious bigotry. Ostracism, being dumped, being questioned on my right to:

1. exist
2. be a citizen
3. claim to be a "good person"
4. be successful
5. et cetera

I'm with Flint. I had to learn that lesson a long time ago; it was painful (my best friend never spoke to me again when she found out I was an Athiest) but a very necessary introduction to reality.

We elected a black man to the presidency; we will never elect an unbeliever.

Um...there are some that argue that he IS an unbeliever. Or that he believes in something other than what he purports to believe in.

I dunno, myself. I'm just sayin'.

But I am really glad to hear you've never dealt personally with racism. Very glad.

But that's exactly it. I realize that many "believers" out there may just be paying lip-service to the conventions. But they don't stand up for their lack of belief, and that's just as bad. D'you really think Blaggie over in Chicago is a good, upstanding member of the Serbian Orthodox church? And yet his purported Christianity was important to getting elected.

Me too! :D

Oh no you di'int say darkie. You crack me up Pie.

I think I alluded to that same general thing once: believing because you're supposed to believe or "just in case" isn't really believing anything at all.

I thought this thread was about Ojai, California

I wouldn't want my kids playing with a Ouija board. They're not really in the general circulation of kids games here though, so I think it's probably different.

I just think about the first time Aden got one of those scarey 'pass this on or you'll die in 13 hours' emails and the consequences of it. (that was a year or more ago now though so I suppose things have changed, but he did recall it just a couple of days ago and say how scared he was when he got it)

So I don't know about it really, but right now if someone suggested it, I'd be wary, but I wouldn't stop the kids if they wanted to play.

I think you only need to worry if one of the girls' heads starts spinning around. I've heard that's a bad sign.