The Lesson of Parenting: Never Say Never...

I remember years ago, when Chris had a playdate at a friend's house, and came home brandishing a plastic sword. I was horrified and quickly hid it away until we could return it to the friend. Fortunately, our children have never been obsessed with weapons (you know, the "they're going to make a gun out of a banana, anyway, so you might as well give him a gun" types), and he quickly forgot about said sword.

Kieran is not what I'd call obsessed with weapons, either, but he is entranced by fictional or theatrical weapons. He went through a Harry Potter wand phase, fashioning wands by wrapping chopsticks in foil, etc. Last summer when we were in Toronto, I allowed him to buy a sword filled with candy in a gift shop, and Mike was shocked that I'd let my guard down. Then Mike allowed him to buy another sword, with sound effects. Can you believe we have fallen this far?

For the past three days, he's been taking fencing classes at the Southwest Community Center--for 3 hours each day. He has absolutely, positively loved it, and he returned on Monday requesting a (more real) sword. (I guess the other one doesn't qualify.) He wants to continue fencing, of course, and this evening Mike came home with the boys from seeing "Narnia" at the Northwest Children's Theater, and Kieran had a dagger (what he calls a sword).

How the high-and-mighty have fallen. Never say never. I can't believe how much our nonviolent, pacifist child-raising ideals have changed. Chris didn't see a Disney movie until he was well into his threes. Nicholas sees all manner of movies and videos. He even watches Scooby Doo! Shock and awe. What has become of our idealistic parenting?

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