Raising a human child vs raising a spirit of intellect

[KurtinStGeorge]

Harry seems to have embraced being Maggie's father, but IMO he seemed a bit hesitant in his interactions with Bonea.  Harry knows Bonea has access to a vast amount of knowledge, but she lacks the context to safely use much of it.  In other words, Bonea is capital D dangerous.  (And maybe more interesting to watch as the series goes forward.  We might see Maggie display the beginnings of her magic ability and then get shuffled off to school, but Bonea might reveal things which will produce dramatic effects in the near term.)

Now there are lots of books on child rearing; some from respected authors, some from crackpots, and many in between the two extremes.  Plus, there are always people who will make their opinions on how to raise a child, known.  Unfortunately for Harry, there is literally no one person or source of information he can read which might help him with Bonea.  I doubt Lea or Mab would have any useful advice either.

Well, there is one possible source of information Harry could turn to, though he'd be loathe to let this individual interact with Bonea.  Of course it's Bob.  (Plus, there is a WoJ on Bob's parents.  We've already met them, I think.  Can anyone find the exact quote?)  So, my guess is that Harry will start pumping Bob for information about his early development.  Sooner or later Bob will figure out why.  I don't know what will happen after that but it could become interesting.  Well, there is one thing I'm fairly certain of.  At some point Bob will tell Harry that he's doing a terrible job as Bonea's parent.  Also, my guess is that a spirit of intellect has the potential to mature much faster than a human, but that's just a guess.   

I suppose I'm asking what do you think will or should happen with Bonea?  I think this character has lots of potential but Jim hasn't given us a clue where he's going with her.         

[Arjan]

If Bonea is like Bob she will adapt to the people interacting with her so he should be very careful about that. Harry does not want to bring her into contact with Bob at all.

As long as Harry only introduces Bonea to the right people I do not think much can go wrong. The main problem will be Lasciel who is definitively not the right people but knows about Bonea and wants her.

[deadvoid]

My main curiousity about Bonnie is how her interactions with Carpenters are like, especially Michael (with exception of Molly who probably just didn't try or had much time to get to know her). Also what Sanya think of her. Butters never asked Harry about her so I assume he didn't know she exists, but he'd be an excellent tutor for her.

[Regenbogen]

Parents who raise their kids on rules from dubious books make me feel creepy. Or those who quote certain authors. I can't help feeling malicious joy, whenever a child doesn't behave like a certain book said it would react to the author approved education method.
I don't say there is no helpful advice, I'm just referring to those 'perfect' parents who talk to you with their noses high as if you do everything wrong wherelse they are infallible and have the most perfect life. I think everyone knows at least one of those. Who give unwanted advice.

If Bonea is like Bob she will adapt to the people interacting with her so he should be very careful about that. Harry does not want to bring her into contact with Bob at all.

As long as Harry only introduces Bonea to the right people I do not think much can go wrong. The main problem will be Lasciel who is definitively not the right people but knows about Bonea and wants her.

Agreed.

So who are the right people? I would say:

The Carpenters
Sanya and Butters (but not Andi, I still don't trust her, maybe not Butters either, I'm not sure, she may have influenced him)
Molly (she knows anyway, she was the midwife )
The Bordens
River Shoulders

Anyone else?


Who are the wrong people?

Definitely any Denarians
Mab (she would use her ruthlessly for winter purposes)
White Council wizards including Ebenezar and Carlos
Definitely any vampires (except Thomas, if he was around and still a vampire)

Yeah OK, anyone else who isn't on the list of approved people.

[morriswalters]

A parent can listen to advice but in the end they have to raise the child.  So if Harry values a certain outlook he won't let anyone else  have a voice, period.  And if he follows how he was with Bob, he will limit who can interact, or who Bonea is revealed to.

In terms of why Bonea at all, there is the obvious answer.  He wants a talking head without Bob's limits.  Bob can know what any human who has interacted with him knows.  Bonea has the memories of a Fallen Angel.  So if Harry needs to know something, Bonea can know it.  I'll give you a possible example.  Bonea could be the one who fixed Little Chicago. She can do it because it doesn't break causality.

[Mira]

A parent can listen to advice but in the end they have to raise the child.  So if Harry values a certain outlook he won't let anyone else  have a voice, period.  And if he follows how he was with Bob, he will limit who can interact, or who Bonea is revealed to.

In terms of why Bonea at all, there is the obvious answer.  He wants a talking head without Bob's limits.  Bob can know what any human who has interacted with him knows.  Bonea has the memories of a Fallen Angel.  So if Harry needs to know something, Bonea can know it.  I'll give you a possible example.  Bonea could be the one who fixed Little Chicago. She can do it because it doesn't break causality.

Harry does have to limit who Bonea can interact with.  For starters no one knows at the moment what the rules are concerning her.  In Bob's case it appears that whoever holds his skull gets to use him for his or her purpose, benign for the most part when Harry and Butters have the skull, but totally evil and dangerous when Kemmler and Justin had it.  In fact Bob's total personality changed depending on who held his skull.  Second of all, we learned from Luccio back in Small Favor that if the Wardens/White Council were able to find Bob, they'd destroy him because among other things
they fear what he knows and how he could be misused. Why would they see Bonea as different?  Thirdly, Bonea is still a very young and innocent child, it is easy to confuse knowledge with experience..  An example of that is Bonea has 150 pancake recipes in her head, knowledge, but no clue as to how to make them because she has so little real experience at her young age..  She thinks because milk ripples when poured it is alive.  Bonea, daughter of Lasciel might know it isn't, but very young Bonea the daughter of Harry, doesn't.