"Flat Daddy" Is this what it's come to??

[Tab]

Welcome to the ``Flat Daddy" and ``Flat Mommy" phenomenon, in which life-size cutouts of deployed service members are given by the Maine National Guard to spouses, children, and relatives back home.

The Flat Daddies ride in cars, sit at the dinner table, visit the dentist, and even are brought to confession, according to their significant others on the home front.

``I prop him up in a chair, or sometimes put him on the couch and cover him up with a blanket," said Kay Judkins of Caribou, whose husband, Jim, is a minesweeper mechanic in Afghanistan. ``The cat will curl up on the blanket, and it looks kind of weird. I've tricked several people by that. They think he's home again."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/08/30/guard_families_cope_in_two_dimensions/

I guess it's good for the very little ones, but I'm just appalled that we've gotten to the point where this is what we have to do for Guard families.

[Exultant Democracy]

1. Well it follows a trend...

they started with the flat president.

[DesertRat]

2. I don't like the name "Flat Daddy"

God forbid they came back "flat"...

[Kailassa]

3. That's horrible.

And those kids sure don't look happy.

[sandnsea]

4. That's not right

The reality is that the parent is not there. The last thing a kid, or anybody, needs is a constant reminder that their parent is gone. They need help in adjusting and accepting that reality and learning to be happy and productive in spite of it. It's one thing to miss a parent on occasion, or kiss a picture goodnight, but otherwise the kids have to get on with life. I can't see how any professional would think a cardboard parent is a healthy idea.

[Tab]

5. I've seen news "articles"

That have had fake daddies at the kitchen table or whatever. It lets the kids feel like the daddy isn't too far away, but I think it also would create a weird sense of detachment, sort of a surreal daddy. I don't know what affect it would be.

[zanne]

6. Actually, I know alot of kids who could use one of those...

And their fathers aren't in the military.

[uppityperson]

7. I wonder if they get hurt, if they modify the "flatdaddy/mommy"?

surreal. Yes, having a picture around of a missing parent can be a real comfort. I can understand that. What appalls me is the fact that this is even necessary. Support the troops, end the occupation of Iraq.