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Toby, Age Four

Walking through the living on the way to do something I see Toby sprawled out on the floor, laying on his back hands clasped behind his head watching TV.

I quick glance over as I pace through to see what he's watching. Usually it's Blue's Clues or Johnny Quest or maybe, just maybe, very early Scooby Doo.

This time not Scooby Doo. It's some reality cable show about life in Prison. Oh boy. I watch for a moment. It's a program called Scared Straight, where bad teens are brought in to give them taste of prison life.

I give Toby the patent pending 'Dad WTH' look.

"WHAT are you watching Tob?"

Calmly he replies, as he sees some inmate screaming in the face of some teen. YOU KNOW WHAT I'D DO TO YOU IF THE GUARDS WERE NOT HERE? DO YA? DO YA?

"They're learning how to be in jail, dad," he replied calmly.

Further Dad WTH look. The inmate continues to scream in the teen's crying face, I'M GONNA LIKE YOU WHEN YOU IN HERE WITH ME.

I look back down.

'He's teaching them how to be in jail, dad,' he says solemnly.

Lets find something else to watch, Tob, while I learn how to put better parental controls on the TV ...

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