My son of a gun
Posted on 01. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in parenting
When my daughter was little, I bought her a dump truck. She used it to store blocks.
When my son came along, he loved that dump truck. He loved anything with wheels.
So on his first Christmas I bought him a doll. He seemed to like it, but he wouldn’t name it. It became “Baby Doll.” It was ignored. When he was old enough, he threw it into the pool and rescued it. I was encouraged; perhaps he was starting to bond with the doll. Alas, after several tosses, Baby Doll became a pool toy. She floated face down in the pool.
In the Toy Battle of Nature vs. Nurture, Nature won, doll down.
When my son got older, he wanted an airsoft gun. I held my ground until he was 15, when I allowed him to purchase an airsoft pistol. It has an orange tip, and shoots little plastic pellets that don’t penetrate the skin. He soon graduated to an airsoft rifle, which he would use in epic battles in the local hills. When his rifle broke, we went to the mecca of airsofting, the Evike store in San Gabriel. (see photo to the right)
I’ve never seen a store less targeted towards me; I’m less likely to buy something there than Cabella’s. Whether it’s the big Chinese lion statues, the Playboy centerfold autographs, or the endless supply of realistic-looking clothing and weaponry (with orange tips), I don’t ever expect to visit Evike without my son in tow or in mind.
However, when he tested his new rifle, I insisted on donning goggles and taking a few shots. I was pretty darn good, and humbly admit that it was fun. The young woman who helped us was bright and knowledgeable, and I got a kick out of the fact that she was wearing Hello Kitty shorts. I doubt that my knees are up for crawling through rattlesnake-ridden underbrush, or that the adolescent boys would appreciate me joining them, but I think I understand why they play with the airsoft guns. It’s exciting and active, and requires teamwork and strategy. They’re too old to play tag, so I should be glad they’re getting away from their video games and computers and doing something together.
As long as they don’t take it any further. I’m glad there’s not an Army Experience Center here. The one at the Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia boasts a video gaming arena, warefare simulators, a tactical operations center and more. There are Army recruiters ready to discuss enlisting with the young people that are eligible.
I’m not ready for that. I’m still hoping for something a little more nurturing for my guy.
Don’t you just love how parenting stretches us to do things beyond our comfort zones? :)
Dump truck for the girl I can understand, but a doll for the boy? Just curious: What did dad go along with this?
Never mind…
“I insisted on donning goggles and taking a few shots. I was pretty darn good, and humbly admit that it was fun.”
Alaska, here I come… Sounds a lot like “lipstick on a Chihuahua” ;-D
thank goodness bot will be boys.
I find LCF Resident’s comment so sad. What are you afraid of the boy doing? Learning to be a great Dad?
It’s great that KCH gave her son choices. He happened to match the typical boy interests. But he had *choices*.
I’ve got two boys and a girl. Their interests are all over the map. Yes, the girl likes Hello Kitty, but she’ll shoot the guns the boys both asked for and have fun. Both boys like babies enough that they’ll be great Dads. And yes, they all had dolls and trucks available as toys.
I’m a LCHS graduate from back in the late 80′s and still miss the place except for the fires, mudslides and gender (just for boys, of course) uptight people.