La Dolce Vita is Italian for 'The Good Life'. This is what I strive for every day. I strive for happiness, balance, fun and love. Here you will read about my insights and struggles and how I try to deal with life's challenges in a way that improves my life, the life of my friends and family and of my children.
Making sense of boys. Or not
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Today I was a picture of contended domesticity.
For the past three days I have been blessed to have not only my children to take care of but my niece and nephews. Nothing makes me happier than listening to them run around the house and play, watching them eat food I prepare and getting lots of hugs and kisses from them.
And I’m not even being a tiny bit sarcastic!
They had just finished eating a hearty lunch of pasta I’d lovingly prepared and the two little ones were fast asleep. I was in the kitchen making Honey Joys (Cornflakes, butter and honey – yum!) when I overheard a conversation between my nephew (9) and my son (8).
My son, “I like the Uzi”.
My nephew, “But the shotgun is better”.
My son, “No the Uzi is better because it shoots faster”.
My nephew, “But with the shotgun you can blaster a larger hole”.
Dropping my spoon and racing over to them I noticed they were playing a computer game. I’d asked them earlier what game they were playing and they’d said “Box Head”. It turns out the game is actually called “Box Head Zombie” and it is available for free to anyone who finds it on the Internet. The game involves shooting as many zombies as possible with assorted weapons (Uzis and shotguns) and watching them bleed to death. Whoever kills the most, wins.
Just charming, huh?
I turned the game off and sent them out of the house onto the trampoline for some wholesome fun and fresh air (ignoring the wet conditions and frigid temperatures) and leaned against the kitchen bench taking deep, soothing breaths.
A violent game had slipped under my radar and I was feeling horrified.
Do violent games equal violent children? If so, my sister and I are going to have majorly problematic teenagers.
My son has been given Nerf guns for the past two years on his birthday and for the past two years they’ve disappeared during his sleep (in the bin). I’ve never bought him toy weapons and I never will. Watching a child shoot a fake weapon repels me. Water guns are okay but then again, are they?
Research shows that children can distinguish between fantasy and reality but I’m still hesitant for them to be exposed to these sorts of things and I think most people would at least draw the line at “Box Head Zombies”.
But I took him to see the new Spiderman movie.
Am I utterly confused?
Being a parent is like a guessing game. I’m always worrying about my choices when it comes to all the kids in my family and with four out six boys, we have our work cut out for us.
So the Uzi vs shotgun debate can wait until a later date, hopefully to be forgotten and not revisited ever. Never ever.
Do you have boys? How do you handle the "boy" conversations?
