September 11, 2005
now we just need a good coat of arms
The boys are currently obssessed with knights and castles. This morning, at SuperTarget, I bought them each a light-up sword, in the dollar section. Because, for a dollar, why not?
Well, here’s why not: the FIRST thing they did when I opened the packages (in the car) was have a sword fight! They were strapped in their booster seats, which was the only thing that kept them from ACTUALLY stabbing each other with the little plastic daggars, but boy were they trying. I though Wade’s head was going to snap off. The best part? It honestly NEVER occurred to me that this might happen. Really. Despite the fact that just yesterday I was going on and on about how we really need to keep a careful eye on how the boys are playing when they play pirates or knights because Henry has such a hard time distinguishing between pretend and real sometimes and he tends to get carried away with the kidnap and jail and bad guys games and . . . and then I bought them swords!
So in an attempt to restore order and keep the boys from impaling each other, we laid down the law: no running with the swords and no poking anyone. And then, for fun, we started knighting them–you know, tapping them on the shoulders and muttering some gibberish about ‘Behold! You’re a knight!’ But because we are geeks, we had to find the proper ceremony, so I Googled it (gotta love Google) and I found this knighting ceremony. My favorite part is the ‘buffet’, which is not the lunch served after the ceremony but a kind of blessing on the new knight:
Know, now that you are made a Knight,
that you must succor the defenseless,
seek justice for those of every station,
and maintain the honor of Knighthood.
I have written before about how I am always trying to turn the boys’ obssessions with All Things Violent to good use (Superheros help people! they have excellent table manners! they vote Democrat!). So we knighted the boys, read them the buffet, and talked about what ’succor’ was and who the ‘defenseless’ are and how to ’seek justice.’ They kind of hopped around, half-heartedly not listening, and when I was done, Henry said, ‘Okay, but can you make us some blanket caves in Charlie’s room so we can see how the lights on the swords work?’
But seriously, if it keeps them from trying to poke each other’s eyes out, and maybe makes them think about doing good in the world, I’m down with it. And for a dollar, the swords won’t last through the night anyway.
Posted by Susan @ 12:13 pm • Uncategorized
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September 11th, 2005 at 2:17 pm, M&Co. Says:
You bought them swords? What were you thinking? Even for a dollar. I see things falling off side tables, walls and buffets. I see running and falling on them and lots and lots of crying. Yikes. I’m surprised Wade’s head didn’t snap right off.
September 11th, 2005 at 3:28 pm, Mary P. Says:
Hey, we’re playing at knights and dragons here, too! We’ve made breastplates, shields, and yes, swords. Our swords are made from foamcore, so they’re not too dangerous. Nonetheless, they are very carefully supervised, and I certainly wouldn’t let every group of children have them.
Why do I allow them? Well… swords, unlike guns, are fantasy items. I know, they were real weapons for actual death and dismemberment once upon a time, but now they’re more the stuff of magic and fairy tales. The children don’t whack each other, they kill dragons with them (stuffed toys or couch cushions with faces stuck on). Because it’s nice, when you’re really just a little person, to be powerful enough to kill a dragon. (And who, after all, doesn’t have their own particular dragons?)
September 11th, 2005 at 3:29 pm, Mary P. Says:
“Superheroes have excellent table manners! And vote Democrat!” LOL
September 11th, 2005 at 4:54 pm, adria Says:
The dollar bin at Target is pure evil and very challenging to pass by. Daria did make a sword out of wrapping paper last week. She claimed she was fighting dragons. Good imagination, and I happy she did not make a paper gun. I like the historical background, it is a much better approach.
September 11th, 2005 at 7:40 pm, Susan Says:
I want to add this: I have said, either here or on someone else’s site, I forget, that I will not let my children play with toy guns–and then I give them swords! But before you all start pointing out what would seem to be a clear case of hypocrisy, let me say that while the odds of a playmate ever saying, ‘Come see my dad’s sword!’ seem slim, the odds (especially in Oklahoma) of another kid getting out a parent’s gun are, well, not as slim as I would like. So guns are out, but swords are okay, as long as we are pretending to slay dragons or be Elton John (oh, no, that’s what the tiara is for–right).
And Henry? He likes to play King Arthur and pull the sword from the stone. Charlie, meanwhile, just wants to redecorate the castle. So there you are.
September 11th, 2005 at 7:44 pm, ieatcrayonz Says:
Here’s to hoping you have really good insurance! I’m sure they’ll stop being so violent with the swords once somebody loses an eye. Right? Okay, I’m no help. My little girl digs cell phones and Fruit Loops.
September 11th, 2005 at 7:50 pm, Susan Says:
But Crayonz, when they lose an eye, they get an EYE PATCH, like a pirate!
Dammit, what the hell WAS I thinking???
September 12th, 2005 at 3:30 am, Heather Says:
Well Susan…yet another issue that is so relevant in this house…a boys preoccupation with war games. I’m with you on the no guns/swords okay. Here we use Light Sabres, so I have the force to fall back on. Of course the boys are too confused about Anakin/Darth Vader thing. First he is good - then he’s bad…
Owen would much rather play cards. So, depending on which side of the moral high ground someone is on - it could be better or just as bad as the sword thing.
And the knighting ceremony was just waaay to cool…
September 12th, 2005 at 5:21 am, Misfit Hausfrau Says:
How great is that!!! At least they didn’t want samurai swords. If you watched Kill Bill, you would know how complicated THAT ceremony is!!!!!
September 12th, 2005 at 10:47 am, Candace Says:
Ugh. I hate Blogger.
I typed up this GREAT comment about how I let The Boy make his own sword from WOOD and NAILS but because he’s such a complusive rule-follower there has never been a safety problem.
But because Blogger’s a bitch, it ate my comment. Stupid Blogger.
Anyway, yeah, I let him make a sword. And I *KNEW* Superheroes voted Democrat! I just KNEW it!
September 12th, 2005 at 11:17 am, Susan in Tulsa Says:
If it wasn’t light swords it’d be sharp sticks from the back yard or the park, saith this experienced mother of 2 boys.
September 12th, 2005 at 11:52 am, Susan Says:
Oh, sure, we use those too! And those big foam noodle things the kids take to the pool? Light sabers. And, let’s see, what else . . . well, pretty much everything.
And see, Susan’s boys grew up just fine! With eyes intact! Right?
Please say they did.
September 12th, 2005 at 4:54 pm, Homestead Says:
I wish foam core was around when we were kids. My brother & I took apart the chalkboard frame to make swords but my dad took them away… but then he made us sling-shots out of wood & rubber tubing. His logic? We couldn’t impale ourselves on our sling-shots when we fell out of a tree and landed on them.
September 13th, 2005 at 8:33 am, Susan in Tulsa Says:
Yes, they did grow up just fine. They both wear glasses, but it’s because I married Astigmatism Man; very cute, horrible vision, I never need to wear makeup to bed because he only sees a fuzzy idealized version of me when his glasses are off. The boys are kind and mostly nonviolent except when they’re playing rugby. Wait till your son tells you “they teach us to cover our head when we get tackled on the field so our ears don’t get torn off by everyone’s cleats.”
I talked to them both yesterday. Son #1: finishing a dual degree in biochemical engineering and management at U Penn. Son #2: first semester at U of Tulsa, reading Herodotus for his favorite class, History of Western Political Thought, and loving it. There have been a number of hellish moments in the past 22 1/2 years, but it’s definitely been worth it.
September 13th, 2005 at 9:06 am, Susan Says:
Oh my god–that ears thing was so funny! I should teach them that NOW! Just in case, you know.