[Sweetsister]

The one scene that really has me scratching my head is Carols Knife school. From past episodes we've learned that its not a good idea to keep secrets and it seems this is Carols secret and I'm sure she tells the kids to keep it a secret (also teaching kids keeping secrets is OK)?
Carol seemed concerned about Rick finding out, why only him? They mentioned the council enough to let us know its not the Ricktatorship any longer. Carol should bring her suggestion of teaching children to use knives to the council table.With the increase in walker activity Carol could put her idea to the council and probably get an OK. I'm sure Carol has thought that if she and Sofia had certain skills to protect themselves Sofia may not have died. Carol being a mom is doing what she feels is in the best interest of the children, but keeping secrets is not a good idea.

[leegreenman]

Rick seems intent on letting the kids be kids. I just think Carol is appreciative of all Rick has done for the group and doesn't want to make any waves with him.

[Matt G]

I don't like how she's keeping it secretive but I like that she wants the kids to be able to defend themselves. She was a mother and probably feels like if Sofia was prepared like this she could have had a chance at survival. I mean they might be all settled in and feel safe but Carol is planning for the worse and doesn't want them to be totally defenseless like she once was. I'm sure if she pitched the idea it would be shot down anyway which is why I think she is doing this on the down low.

[DominusPisces]

Rick may insist the parents be told and they may out their foot down.

[nazacuckoo]

I don't think she was keeping it a secret, I'm guessing the idea was approved.
I just think Rick didn't want Carl to be going to this "school" so Carol told Carl not to tell him.

[niwid]

I think she is keeping it a secret, when Patrick told Carl he wouldn't like it hoping he wouldn't come and find out, also when she brought it out the little boy ( I think his name is Reed) asked her should he keep watch. Then when she spotted Carl she asked him not to tell his father. I think Rick may want the kids to be kids and try to carry on a "normal" life there. But after what Carol has been thru and seen she knows that the kids need to learn how to defend themselves but also that they aren't "toys"

[DeadInDetroit]

I think she is keeping it a secret, when Patrick told Carl he wouldn't like it hoping he wouldn't come and find out, also when she brought it out the little boy ( I think his name is Reed) asked her should he keep watch. Then when she spotted Carl she asked him not to tell his father. I think Rick may want the kids to be kids and try to carry on a "normal" life there. But after what Carol has been thru and seen she knows that the kids need to learn how to defend themselves but also that they aren't "toys"

Agreed. Rick wants normality, he wants the kids to be doin kid stuff like reading,chores,etc. Carol is most definitley keeping 'knife school' a secret from everyone except the kids. There was a man in there with them an as soon as he walked out of the room, she quit reading an pulled out the knives. An i also 100% agree that Sophia is behind all this! After what happemed to Sophia, Carol doesnt want any kids to be defenseless like they once were...

[Lioness]

I love Carol's evolution from victim to self-defender.

[BrotherDixon]

There was also the scene where Carl asked when he could have his gun back. Rock is trying to have the kids be kids. He saw how cold Carl was becoming.

[blasian orange]

I absolutely love that Carol is teaching the children how to defend themselves, and I agree that Rick is trying to keep the other kids from becoming cold like Carl. And while I do think it is problematic to teach the kids to keep secrets, having the children be prepared is by far more important. I'd also like to see Carol teaching the children about walkers since some of them seem to not grasp the concept that they're not people anymore.

[Grénádé]

I think anyone who is unable to kill a zombie without a gun is darn near useless, so everyone should have training with melee weapons and spend time on the wall to get used to killing zombies. Rick wants kids to be normal, well normal is different and everyone needs to learn to kill zombies.

I also think they should have a blacksmith.

[Shane is the Man]

As a parent, it makes me respect her less, and I've always been a Carol supporter. It seems like she is keeping this a secret from all the adults, since she waits until the man leaves and then starts her survival lesson.
I think parents should always have the last say, especially in a zombie apocalypse.
Finally, I'm in the camp that children need capable adults looking after them, and no matter how well you think you are teaching them about the dangers of the outside world, they are still children and will not be able to handle themselves like an adult. This applies to the real world as well. The biggest defense for a child to be safe is to have a caring adult looking after them, NOT teaching them to do it themselves.
Anyways, I know it's a bit different in a zombie apocalypse, but really, with all the adults that die left and right, most kids will not stand a chance, no matter how much training you give them.

[DeadCave]

I would've gotten Daryl or someone to look for ice-picks on their next run. Mainly because it's not as easy as it looks to jab a knife into a skull, even one that might be rotten. An icepick is slender and thus encounters minimal resistance when meeting bone, making it easier for the kids to stab. Now granted they could aim for the eyes but considering it'd be a small, moving target and a scary one at that... <shrugs> .

Teaching kids to be secret all depends upon what the secret is.

[gracie lou]

As a parent, it makes me respect her less, and I've always been a Carol supporter. It seems like she is keeping this a secret from all the adults, since she waits until the man leaves and then starts her survival lesson.
I think parents should always have the last say, especially in a zombie apocalypse.
Finally, I'm in the camp that children need capable adults looking after them, and no matter how well you think you are teaching them about the dangers of the outside world, they are still children and will not be able to handle themselves like an adult. This applies to the real world as well. The biggest defense for a child to be safe is to have a caring adult looking after them, NOT teaching them to do it themselves.
Anyways, I know it's a bit different in a zombie apocalypse, but really, with all the adults that die left and right, most kids will not stand a chance, no matter how much training you give them.

We don't know how many of these kids even have parents who are still alive.

[Steph]

We don't know how many of these kids even have parents who are still alive.

Very true. And as a parent myself, I sure as hell would want my kids to know how to defend themselves. Those kids were all older, not toddlers or preschoolers (who shouldn't handle knives under any circumstance). Obviously all the adults there would protect the kids, but every single person there should know some self defense, just in case.

[Lioness]

I am all for the kids learning how to protect themselves. Maybe it would save a life or two. Fortunately, Carl learned how to take care of himself early on. Sophia didn't have any skills. Perhaps if she had she might have stood a chance and defended herself instead of becoming a walker meal.

The kids are all pretty short and probably could not reach a zombie's head with a knife though. Perhaps teaching them to handle a spear like object as well as a knife would be useful. Any parent who didn't want the kids to learn self-defense is fooling themselves and would likely be mourning the loss of their child before long.

[etphoto]

Rick "wanting the kids to be kids" doesn't seem right in a zombie infested world. Sorry Rick, but kids, sadly, need to know how to kill zombies to defend themselves.

Sent from my HTC6990LVW using Board Express

[slinky]

True, the kids wouldn't be tall enough to reach a walker's head, but remember, walkers are not the only threat in this universe. I don't believe Carol ever specified what she was going to teach them to defend against. She said she was going to teach them how and where to use the knives (paraphrasing here) Sadly, the kids need to learn to defend themselves from other people as well as the walkers.

[Macilly]

_{I have no problem with Carol teaching the kids defense because there are freaking zombies beating on a chain link fences in plain view and Carol has seen a herd before. To not prepare them, that to me, is worse and a complete denial of the reality of their situation. Carl knowing how to shoot is why Tyreese's group even made it into the prison alive the first time. Children (of a certain age of course) should not be coddled in a ZA.}

[DominusPisces]

As a parent, it makes me respect her less, and I've always been a Carol supporter. It seems like she is keeping this a secret from all the adults, since she waits until the man leaves and then starts her survival lesson.
I think parents should always have the last say, especially in a zombie apocalypse.
Finally, I'm in the camp that children need capable adults looking after them, and no matter how well you think you are teaching them about the dangers of the outside world, they are still children and will not be able to handle themselves like an adult. This applies to the real world as well. The biggest defense for a child to be safe is to have a caring adult looking after them, NOT teaching them to do it themselves.
Anyways, I know it's a bit different in a zombie apocalypse, but really, with all the adults that die left and right, most kids will not stand a chance, no matter how much training you give them.

Ideally parents make educated decisions based on the reality of the situation in order to help their children grow into responsible adults. This is not always the case. Anyone who wants these children to live in the realm of what we consider today 'normal' is in denial of the situation and NOT making the best decisions for their kids. I have a coworker who is a Jehovah's Witness and while I disagree with his beliefs but support any path he picks for HIMSELF to find God, I have to say... someone who is willing to let their child bleed out rather than get a donation of blood due to religious reasons, I feel shouldn't be making a decision for anyone but their own survival. Many cultures still practice the inferiority of women and relegate them to arm candy and seamstresses while the men 'take care of important things'. Parents who are divorced will sometimes use their children to get back at their ex-spouse and end up causing kids vast ranges of issues and psych damage that can be hard to undo. If the kids that still have parents want their kids to act like they did in Woodbury... well frankly they need to be told that their kids are going to have every chance at survival despite their protests. Those kids are the most important thing in the world right now, and if it means their playtime is cut in half to learn basic melee and preferably basic marksmanship I would be there defending Carol the moment she gets found out.

I am all for the kids learning how to protect themselves. Maybe it would save a life or two. Fortunately, Carl learned how to take care of himself early on. Sophia didn't have any skills. Perhaps if she had she might have stood a chance and defended herself instead of becoming a walker meal.

The kids are all pretty short and probably could not reach a zombie's head with a knife though. Perhaps teaching them to handle a spear like object as well as a knife would be useful. Any parent who didn't want the kids to learn self-defense is fooling themselves and would likely be mourning the loss of their child before long.

Hmmm Children have a unique advantage when fighting an adult. Their size. I can see a Walker with his mindlessness staggering over to a kid, bending down to scoop up a half pint... only for HP to dodge and run behind the Walker and slash deep into their hamstring and run off while the walker is hobbled to at least 1/2 it's original speed. Plus a kid who knows how to fight, can surprise a living human just by virtue of being attacked when they were expecting none.

[Lioness]

It sounded like it might have been an edict from Rick and not necessarily the parents who didn't want the kids trained. Or, maybe after Carl killed that kid the board decided along with Rick that kids should be allowed to be kids. Either way, I am still with Carol. Train them. The world is not the same one Rick and the other adults were born into.

[Serenity@sea]

It sounded like it might have been an edict from Rick and not necessarily the parents who didn't want the kids trained. Or, maybe after Carl killed that kid the board decided along with Rick that kids should be allowed to be kids. Either way, I am still with Carol. Train them. The world is not the same one Rick and the other adults were born into.

That makes the most sense to me. Carl did ask Rick if he could have his gun back.
I also agree that everyone needs to be able to handle themselves. There are too many dangers in this world. Patrick dying/turning in the cell block is a prime example of this.

[Watty]

I think Carl left because he doesn't need it. As much as he's been through, he knows how to handle himself with weapons. As for the others, I think he's a great idea. Teach them young so if/when disaster strikes, the won't be lost trying to figure out what to do

[etphoto]

I think Carl left because he doesn't need it. As much as he's been through, he knows how to handle himself with weapons. As for the others, I think he's a great idea. Teach them young so if/when disaster strikes, the won't be lost trying to figure out what to do

IDK, Carl looked a little pissed off when he left. As if he "uncovered" what is really going on at the book reading. I think he left because he was pissed, not because he "didn't need" it.

[Kush]

It makes no sense why Rick, or anyone, would object to the children learning walker killing/defending techniques. It should be standard training for all children and adults.