Weapons of Mass Destruction
“We’re playing war, Mommy.”
How it warms a mother’s heart to hear those words come out of her child’s mouth.
Especially when that mother notices that her child is using a fuzzy teddy bear blanket to try to conceal something—and she sees that it is an aluminum baseball bat.
“But it’s my weapon!” the 7-year-old protests as that mother orders him to march down the stairs and put the bat back in the kitchen garage where it belongs.
And how that same mother squeals in delight later when she comes downstairs to find her 4-year-old in the living room swinging his “weapon” around his head.
And that weapon is a toilet brush.
And that mother has to close her eyes so she doesn’t become blinded by the residual toxic toilet bowl cleaner that was resting in the bottom of the toilet brush holder and has now been released into the air by a whirling brush at the hands of a war-happy preschooler.
All the while the mother is screaming, “Drop the brush! DROP THE BRUSH!”
And that mother collapses into bed at night wondering at just what point she lost control.
And what it would take for someone in her house to actually use that brush for good instead of evil.
What is it with boys and weapons?
Anything can be weaponized at a moment’s notice. Stuff you’d never think about. But the kid does.
If it’s long, it’s a sword. If it can be thrown, it’s a ballistic weapon. If it can be detonated…
(Okay,mine are older and have chemistry experience. NOT so great an idea. Sometimes I wonder why I let them watch Mythbusters.)
Oh yes, hopefully someday the toilet brush can be used as a weapon of peace. (Doesn’t it mention someplace in the Bible about beating toilet bowl brushes into plows?)
A different view. Your sons are practicing to do what men have always done – protect the weak, defend the poor and do so with honor and courage. Next time, ask them what they are doing – you will find that this sense of duty is at the heart of it all. A short story:
One of the things I have been involved in for the last decade plus is scouting. And, invariably on the overnights, stick wars erupt, capture the flag is played and glorious battles rage. We try to keep the blood loss to a minimum but when you listen to the “battle” it revolves around their sense of honor and duty to family and country. This is perhaps a little closer to my heart this week because two of our Eagle Scouts were commissioned this past week. Twins. I have watched them since they were 13 – they have grown into wonderful men who represent the best of our military and scouting. One leaves for Ranger training next week – he was second in the Army Soldier of the Year contest last year. Weeks of physical and mental challenges. The other for advanced artillery training and then Iraq or Afghanistan. A third of our Eagle Scouts is in final training for Baghdad , he leaves the 2nd week of June for 18 months. A fourth Eagle Scout heads for OCS basic training next month after finishing his first year of AFROTC. Young men I am proud of that have placed service to country above all else. We are truly a country blessed.
I too grew up with childhood battles – Zorro was big on the list along with all the late 50s early 60s military TV shows. When it was still OK to see the military as an honorable life path – one I followed for 21 years and my turn in places like Ahn Khe and Pleiku. It fulfilled my need to serve – to leave behind a safer world.
Does this mean your little ones are destined for wars? No, it does not. It does mean that they see glimpses of what it means to protect and defend their personal world. Take pride in their willingness to defeat “enemies”, dragons, bad guys – to protect the princess or the king or the queen and thank them for their “service”. Their generation will need men of courage – as has every generation. Even if it begins with a toilet brush.
The Mother–Yes, Mythbusters is a favorite of ours too! I’ve often wondered if that’s such a good idea as well…
The Sites Founders–Thank you so much for sharing your perspective! Although I will admit that when my oldest (11 now) was little, we swore we’d never let him play with guns, my husband and I now realize that this is what boys do, and there’s nothing “bad” about it. (Unless they happen to actually hurt each other with the baseball bat or toilet brush.) But I’ve never really thought of it as honorable before, and I really appreciate your take on it. To think of them as protectors makes me extremely proud indeed! Hope to see you around these parts again!
It is fun to see what our kids will use as thier “weapons of choice”, Boo and Hunter do it all the time as well.
Hubby and I had the same rule about guns…sort of since Hubby is a hunter, but we soon realized that it normal for kids to play games like that and let it go. Boo grew up playing with all boys, so she knows the right and wrong way to do things and knows what our limits on the behavior is.