I taught a 2 1/2 year old how to shoot a toy gun. What ya gonna to do 'bout it? |
Children’s TV channels have commercials for Easter Baskets that can be ordered, fully stocked, “Easy Easter for parents.” If my twins ever did believe in an Easter Bunny, wouldn’t the commercial world have shattered their ideas by the time they were able to think and reason for themselves? Scientists say that happens when they are only two years old.[1]
Our Eggs. Just kidding. |
This Easter, we didn’t go to church. We hosted the whole shazam at our
house, and we didn’t go to church.
I spent the day before, and Easter morning cooking like a crazy
woman. Teresa helped me
exponentially in my planning. She reined
back my party planning, which I often take over the top. Teresa and I balance each other very
well. She is very rational and sensible. I am not sensible, most of the
time. I cook too much food; we
ended up with a 27 gallon bin full of plastic eggs to hide. When I said she reined me in, I mean she
tried. A valiant effort.
"I a animal!" |
A week ago, Teresa and I went to Target to get Easter supplies. As we walked around the store, sensible Teresa
said, “Let’s get some Nerf guns and let the kids have fun running around shooting
darts at each other.”
We all know that the idea of kids playing with toy guns has become so taboo, it's shameful to even walk down the Nerf aisle, but secretly I have never wanted to worry about it. Michael has been making guns out of blocks and sticks before we thought he even knew what a gun was. When I was a kid, my brother John and I played “war,” and GI Joe. And all the kids in our neighborhood had water guns and Nerf guns, and that was okay. None of us are violent, nutsos, now. And it’s a different generation anyway -- this violent video game generation that has been in the news for shooting sprees. Yet, no matter how we grew up, we as parents today have been conditioned to be ultra-PC. I have been terrified to buy a toy gun, knowing the world might be wagging a huge finger at me.
But Teresa and I bought those suckers; a cheaper version of Nerf (which Sam chided me for later), and a huge extra pack of darts, (which came in handy, I must say) and said, “Yeah, the kids will love it.” Teresa and I felt great. We knew it was gosh darn okay, that our kids would have FUN. And that playing and having fun is what kids are supposed to do.
We all know that the idea of kids playing with toy guns has become so taboo, it's shameful to even walk down the Nerf aisle, but secretly I have never wanted to worry about it. Michael has been making guns out of blocks and sticks before we thought he even knew what a gun was. When I was a kid, my brother John and I played “war,” and GI Joe. And all the kids in our neighborhood had water guns and Nerf guns, and that was okay. None of us are violent, nutsos, now. And it’s a different generation anyway -- this violent video game generation that has been in the news for shooting sprees. Yet, no matter how we grew up, we as parents today have been conditioned to be ultra-PC. I have been terrified to buy a toy gun, knowing the world might be wagging a huge finger at me.
But Teresa and I bought those suckers; a cheaper version of Nerf (which Sam chided me for later), and a huge extra pack of darts, (which came in handy, I must say) and said, “Yeah, the kids will love it.” Teresa and I felt great. We knew it was gosh darn okay, that our kids would have FUN. And that playing and having fun is what kids are supposed to do.
Running! Reloading! |
Stella "Oakley." |
[1] Walton, Marsha. "Kids start remembering by second
year, study finds." CNN.com Science &
Space. Web. 30 October 2002.