22.2.09

Parenting 101

Once upon a time, I created posters with titles such as 'The Viscoelastic Properties of the Nucleus Pulposus' and presented them at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. This weekend, I've made - er, I mean I've helped D1 make -  a poster entitled 'Aztec Children'. Interesting titbit of research the almost eight-year-old turned up:
AZTEC PARENTS WERE VERY STRICT. IF THEIR CHILDREN MISBEHAVED, THEY PUNISHED THEM HARSHLY. PUSHING CACTUS SPINES INTO THEIR SKIN WAS ONE FORM OF PUNISHMENT. ANOTHER FORM OF PUNISHMENT HAD THE PARENT HOLDING THE CHILD OVER A CHILLI PEPPER FIRE AND FORCING THEM TO INHALE THE CHILLI PEPPER SMOKE.
Well no cacti around here, I'm afraid. Not even a blade of grass to be seen. But hey, pass the chilli pepper while I try and remember what viscoelastic means.

4 comments:

jinjir minjir said...

Is it a non-Newtonian fluid?

Unknown said...

I think it might be. Here's the wiki definition: Viscoelasticity is the property of materials that exhibit both viscous and elastic characteristics when undergoing deformation. Viscous materials, like honey, resist shear flow and strain linearly with time when a stress is applied.Elastic materials strain instantaneously when stretched and just as quickly return to their original state once the stress is removed. Viscoelastic materials have elements of both of these properties and, as such, exhibit time dependent strain.
Just as well they can't take PhDs away from people, isn't it? Or can they?

jinjir minjir said...

Oh, don't tell me that.... I only just got mine recently...

Jonathan Wonham said...

They were a curious bunch the aztecs weren't they? Fond of a bit of real torture, even if practiced on their own kids. But how did you discover these things? Is their an aztec Dr Spock's guide to bringing up your kids written somewhere?