Care and Feeding

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Care and Feeding is Slate’s parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here .

Dear Care and Feeding,

My husband and I have a large flower garden that attracts a ton of butterflies this time of year. The other day I found out he has been pursuing a hobby with our 7-year-old son “Nathaniel” that has me appalled: they have been catching and mounting butterflies for display! I think this is terribly cruel; my husband says it’s a fun and educational activity for our son and I need to shut up and let him enjoy it. He’s doing a terrible thing, isn’t he?

—Cruel Collection

Dear Cruel Collection,

I mean—is your husband a biology teacher? An aspiring entomologist?…