A stick - though this one is amazingly like a gun, a little people girl sans her arm thanks to the dog, a marble tower tunnel, a wood spatula, blocks, & another marble tower piece. All day long I find myself being assailed by imaginary bullets from Andrew. He's a sweet boy but he also loves his guns/knives/swords/etc.! When I tell him that he shouldn't say such things and that we don't kill anyone - especially mommies, he retorts that he is only pretending and that I am not a person but an evil robot. And then he asks, almost rhetorically, "Is it ok to kill evil robots, mom?" When I saw him using the little people girl to shoot his brother yesterday I was like, "Alright, that is total proof that no matter what it is they will make it into a gun." I remember before I had kids thinking that my boys would not play any violent pretend activities - that they could just climb trees and the like(even though I played many games of war and took much satisfaction in "killing" my friends). Just like I was NEVER going to raise my voice in front of them or shush them when they wanted to talk to me...anyhow, that's another post. I actually wonder if there is a part of me that enjoys the violence in a way too. I hate pillow fights but just like Elijah I jump at the chance of shooting a bb-gun. So, who can blame them, right?
Now, since I've left out swords, knives, and general bomb-like paraphernalia this only really scratches the surface of all of the different ways I am killed every day. And with the third boy on the way I am sure that we've only just begun...
P.S. Is it ok to kill evil robots?
8 comments:
i'm so very glad you posted this -- noah has begun a fascination with guns and knives...he built his very first lego gun the other day, and shot savanna and me several times. i didn't REALLY think i should be worried, but he is only two... so i'm glad to know other little boys have the same fascination.
the little armless girl being used as a gun IS CLASSIC proof that they will turn anything into a gun. classic! it's on the Y chromosome, I guess??
p.s. if i am ever face to face with an evil robot I hope I have a gun...yes is my answer
p.p.s. my husband is an avid hunter, and is in love with his guns, but he also recycles. don't you love that dichotomy? proof boys who play with guns can be educated, civilized, and refined, not heartless killing monsters.
i've always wondered about this too. i'm wondering if/when it will start with atticus. he hasn't done it yet- he's 2. i'm scared for it to begin. they must see it somewhere though first- i'm convinced that its with their peers. atticus will eventually see it and then he will model it. so far, he's my little pacifist. (: maybe its genetic? mark and i both can't stand even holding a gun, but mark does love doing mechanical things with his hands. i'm pretty sure it stems from social modeling...and then it just clicks in from there.
Patria - I think you are right - Elijah started much later than Andrew and I think it was because it wasn't until he got older that he saw his friends with "guns". Andrew on the other hand saw Elijah from a very young age - they're 3 years apart. If they've never seen a gun or anything like it it's not really possible for them to get into it. He sees movies that Elijah didn't and now he gets into it. It's also his personality. He pretends to be a chef after watching Ratatouille and a Jedi after Star Wars - he's really into pretend play. So maybe that means a little less Star Wars and a little more Backyardigans?...
Fisher was the first boy and it came as naturally as eating and drinking for him. He is all about violence. You can totally kill robots because they aren't spirit children of God. They are basically computers and Fisher and Andrew already have experience destroying computers,(remember when they plucked all of the keys off my laptop?) so we know who to call for the job.
oh that's so cute that Andrew watches something and then plays it out, like a chef or Jedi- i love that!
oops! that was beachcomber, signed in under Mark! (:
Garron never really got into the whole gun thing...Mathias on the other hand started eating his sandwhich into the shape of a gun (around 2) so he could shoot 'bad guys' while snacking! Fun, huh?
I wouldn't worry about boys playing that way. If they start to develop an even stronger love of the sport...you should totally take them target shooting - and keep up the dialog. Setting up the parameters for how to use a gun and how dangerous it really can be will totally sink in.
...Or just take them Pee-Wee paint balling - they probably have that in Idaho:)
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