tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post4523633327738876405..comments2023-12-18T03:00:04.192-05:00Comments on The Concrete Gardener: Noah makes his first gunConcrete Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-44447663248444445362012-03-01T13:46:28.697-05:002012-03-01T13:46:28.697-05:00Darren- it sounds sort of fun to make catapults an...Darren- it sounds sort of fun to make catapults and such. <br /><br />I'd also be interested to hear other people's opinions, but I think my line currently stands around not watching violence, not being exposed to guns online or via video, and not buying plastic guns or even water guns. I have a 2 year old, so the line is easier to keep I guess. <br /><br />It'll be interesting to see what she shoots =). Good thing summer is coming to Boston.Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-54881060848028358172012-03-01T13:37:21.717-05:002012-03-01T13:37:21.717-05:00Wanted to follow up on the whole gun play thing.
...Wanted to follow up on the whole gun play thing.<br /><br />Jo Jo’s 6th birthday is coming up and I was thinking of getting her a book about creating things like catapults and sling shots out of basic office supplies. I was just looking for projects that we could do together, that would encourage her to use her mind and bring into play principals of engineering.<br /><br />Never really thought about it from the whole “gun angle,” outside of the boundaries I would certainly place on her use of said catapult. “No shooting your sister!” <br /><br />Honestly, can’t say that I would be too worried that my daughter would turn into an antisocial person as a result, but would be interested in people’s opinions. . .Darrenhttp://www.momentarydelight.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-4680699528524091052012-02-29T14:55:55.694-05:002012-02-29T14:55:55.694-05:00Heh, heh, since I just wrote you a long email that...Heh, heh, since I just wrote you a long email that mentioned gun- play in it... I thought I could expand a little here. My husband is adamant about no gun play. Although I temper is inclination a bit. His reason is understandable. He grew up with a community that supported gun play, one kid grows up, gets trained by the US killing machine (Marines, maybe) and comes home and snipers his wife. This won't happen with most kids who play guns but it scares the buhgeezes out of Jody. <br /><br />My problem with gun play is that is usually dominates. It begins to be the go-to of all the neighborhood boys. Other play becomes very infrequent. We don't allow it in our house (this is our safe place too, as adults), we don't buy expensive toys to support it. But we don't make ourselves the big uglies in the hood or alienate Liam from everyone else by saying NO when everyone else is doing it. And Liam has largely come to understand (from the frequency with which he comes home crying after war games) why we are opposed to it...Crying baby.. gotta jet..emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-84931786840215360712012-02-28T08:00:01.843-05:002012-02-28T08:00:01.843-05:00Leah- I actually hadn't thought very deeply ab...Leah- I actually hadn't thought very deeply about the "why" of guns, so your analogy to power is very helpful. It's somehow just a gut reaction I hadn't quite processed.<br /><br />I'm finding Noah and Eug can actually play together these days (in ways that I cannot) and it mainly involves battles. Yet the story engages Noah and I love that he's totally into doing something with a beginning, middle, and end. <br /><br />In contrast, my play with Noah usually revolves around pretend food (and I'm more likely to be multitasking) , reading, or discussing plants.Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-38231979813810811782012-02-28T07:23:12.811-05:002012-02-28T07:23:12.811-05:00I've always thought guns were about power, ie:...I've always thought guns were about power, ie: I point at something and it changes. As such they are compelling to children who as a rule have very little power to control their situation. My mom always freaked out about gun play in the house, and I thought it made her come off as kind of crazy. I only get freaked out when Harvey calls a branded character by it's correct name.leahhttp://squibix.net/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-80470577798568961742012-02-28T00:34:23.801-05:002012-02-28T00:34:23.801-05:00Thanks Darren and Dan. I found it interesting that...Thanks Darren and Dan. I found it interesting that Noah instinctively loves the idea of shooting- even though death, violence, etc, are largely all things he's shielded from- at least for now. In the absence of all those things, guns are somehow a lot less gun-like. Anyway.Concrete Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368862362127742038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-85442798235555384142012-02-27T20:30:02.871-05:002012-02-27T20:30:02.871-05:00I'm sleepy so I repeat words and phrases, appa...I'm sleepy so I repeat words and phrases, apparently. Please pretend I have an editor to control this tendency and substitute a more creative phrasing of your choice for the second "hope to" and "fly" in the previous comment. I think "soar" would do nicely for the latter.Dannyhttp://squibix.net/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-67995255364475953792012-02-27T20:27:00.152-05:002012-02-27T20:27:00.152-05:00I confess I don't worry too much about guns. I...I confess I don't worry too much about guns. I loved playing gun-fight as a kid (and spent, in retrospect, far too much of my meager funds on junky plastic guns) and now I'm the most well-adjusted pacifist you'd ever hope to meet. Also? Guns are banned everywhere children would hope to meet, and I don't think that our society is any better for it. Sooner ban materialism or blind obsequience to authority, although I don't think that would ever fly in a school setting.<br /><br />So I say, let his imagination fly! With the values you're teaching him, you know he'll be a kind and loving individual with or without a firearm in hand.Dannyhttp://squibix.net/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026557319568945115.post-74537203871869462092012-02-27T15:27:24.742-05:002012-02-27T15:27:24.742-05:00Another friend told me about his boys and their pr...Another friend told me about his boys and their preschool. The school banned toy guns and so his son made a gun out of Legos.<br /><br />Our girls have never made any toy weapons, although Emma has expressed her ambition to be a pirate. For parents of girls, the equivalent moral quandary is “Barbie.” Is she a force for good or evil?Darrenhttp://www.momentarydelight.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com