Bode has become less fanatic about baseball, more about pirates.
It still amazes me how boys and girls are just wired different. Yes, there's a "nurture" factor, but I'm conducting my own sociology study in this house and I've concluded that boys and girls just ARE different.
Bode is OBSESSED with swords.
(He also likes eye patches and hooks too, but mostly swords).
This past weekend we biked to the dollar store. The kids each got to pick out one thing. Guess what Bode chose? A sword! Just like the last time we were there. To go with the three or four he already has at home.
Fast-forward to Monday. We made a trip to Grand Rabbits and mommy was feeling overcome with joy at being FREE from any obligations...I told the kids they could pick a toy. Guess what Bode picked? A sword. And a pirate hat. (No matter that before that we had been at the craft store and he was able to pick another sword..no joke. I guess I was feeling TOO free with the credit card... ;)
That's THREE swords in two days.
But when you're a pirate, you need as many as you can get. For battles and ship takeovers and for...watching TV.
And on that note...
Here's a great article that resonated with me from Scholastic Parent and Child magazine..
Boys seem to have been the victim of the pendulum swing...too much violence in the world...then don't let boys play with guns or swords. Too often the message we're giving them is "be more like a girl!" Sit still, be quiet, have nice handwriting...etc...
But that's ignoring who they are. They want to fight. They want to rescue and be a hero and use their strength for good. If we make them suppress that and tell them that their strength is not needed, then that desire will come out in other, more unhealthy ways. Misdirected "strength" in other ways when they feel powerless (worst case scenario).
Okay, off the soap box!
We're trying to teach Bodes he can protect Mimi and feel strong for that, instead of attacking her.
The other day after we bought the third sword, he ended up sword fighting with an older boy at the play structure. The joy on his face was indescribable...he finally found someone who was speaking his language. I made a note to myself to take out a craigslist ad for friends for him to sword fight with .
****
No comments:
Post a Comment