I think I've mentioned that I have three boys. Their overwhelming boy-ness amuses me at times. Like just now: My five year old comes in with a scraped elbow and says his brother caused him to fall down. As I'm cleaning up the wound, the nine year old who caused it comes in and says, "Don't put a band-aid on that, I need a blood sample for my microscope."
He was disappointed when I told him that because his actions led to his brother being hurt, he couldn't have any of the blood. I could see that being a bad precedent.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Absolutely, he could have it. They can have blood to look at under the microscope, just not wound each other to get it. I might even poke my finger for them if I'm feeling brave.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
I tried that once... the finger poking for a blood sample for a kids' microscope. Unless you have one of those little finger pricker thingies made especially for the purpose, you can't do it. At least I couldn't. The self-protection instinct was too strong for manual override.
Bok, I think you're right. I took it as a challenge & just tried it. A pin is definitely not the right tool. I got a teeny bit of blood, but not a whole drop or even close. I couldn't bring myself to try to make the wound bigger. And now I feel weird and queasy. I really should know better by now.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Yeah, I know. I have issues. But I don't have a pocket knife and that's probably a good thing.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
A few years ago for Christmas, we got a slot car track. After a couple of months, when we had worn out the tires, the boys decided to disassemble one of the cars and see just how fast they could make the motor go. So they soldered a standard 110 electrical cord to the little motor, then soldered a razor blade to the shaft. Then they wanted to make a little bracket for holding "insects and small rodents" they said. A new and improved guillotine. A "slice-a-torium" they said. When I found what they were so anxiously engaged in, I made them remove the blade. But I did watch as they plugged in the cord. I saw the motor spin at about 200,000 rpm and melt the plastic fittings and the delicate wiring. Then the smoke alarm went off.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Yeah, I admit that I'm essentially still 13 in my own mind. Honestly, that's one of the reasons I love teaching elementary: I get to do a lot of the things I loved doing as a kid--things that society expects proper adults to have grown out of.
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Today's boy file: My youngest who is a mere 20 months old, spontaneously put his shorts on his head like a hat today. That might be a new record in our house. I think the others were 2 before doing that. I'm not even going to bother asking why boys do that. At least it wasn't underwear. Yet.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
My five year old gave his younger brother, who has very little hair even at 20 months old, his first haircut. He used nail clippers. My youngest must not have minded judging by the size of the trimmed patch.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
My 4yo girl just gave her 2yo brother the "bangs cut". No more bangs. At least his temper is not quite so intimidating now that he looks like a total nerd!! MWAHAHAAAA!
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Ok, maybe this one will be a bit more boy specific: My youngest likes to watch Star Wars movies with a laser gun or light saber in hand so he can play along.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
So does mine. And, he wears a cape most of his waking time because he is a Jedi / Sith / Anakin, and he plays light saber fights with his 2 1/2 year old sister, and he has like 6 light sabers, and when he isn't using them, he is using sticks / christmas decoration candy cane things / brooms / lacrosse sticks / etc. as his light saber... and he plays LOTR swordfights and Star Wars duels with the playmobile toys...
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
My oldest went through a phase when he was about 4 where he literally would not respond to his own name. He'd say, "I'm Bond, James Bond." (We almost rented him a tux for Halloween. )
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Mine build guns out of Legos and daggers out of K'nex.
Oooh, and when we have people over my kids insist on putting on a show for them consisting of light saber fighting and space ship battles.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
There can be only one valid conclusion that can be drawn then:
Either
The rising generation of boys are going to be blood thirsty apocolyptic warriors...
or
This is just the replacement for playing Gunslinging Bovine Herders and First Nations Warriors (a more pc term for Cowboys and Indians ) and Virtuous Anglo/American Soldiers versus Evil Germanic Nazis that we played as kids...
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
Oh, that reminds me. On Sunday, I was trying to entertain my son by folding the program into one of those fortune teller thingys. He saw the finished product then said, "No. I want a knife." So I had to fold him a paper knife.
There can be only one valid conclusion that can be drawn then:
Either
The rising generation of boys are going to be blood thirsty apocolyptic warriors...
or
This is just the replacement for playing Gunslinging Bovine Herders and First Nations Warriors (a more pc term for Cowboys and Indians ) and Virtuous Anglo/American Soldiers versus Evil Germanic Nazis that we played as kids...
That's hillarious.
My wife couldn't understand after two girls why her first boy was acting so much like a boy. She wasn't exposing him to violent cowboy or kungfu movies. Finally she actually listened to me when I told her that he was acting like a little boy because it's just how little boys are. They will turn anything into a knife or gun. It's in the genes.
I was reading about a reforming liberal and how he and his wife wanted to rid the house of all weapons, toy or otherwise. They finally gave up after they found their small boys sword fighting with celery.
My kids and I all go at it. I have two boys and each of us are in martial arts and we all have bokken. Bokken are wooden katanas (Samurai swords) for training. We have been out in the front yard in sparing gear, at least minimal protection, sword fighting.
One evening we were going at it in the living room. My wife was in her chair reading as a major battle raged around her. One kid had on armour, shield and sword and was battling me as the other was at the other end of the room lobbing suction cup arrows at me in support of his brother's attack on me in a combined arms assault. The battle waged back and forth as my wife calmly read her book. All was well till one of the rug rats swung his wooden sword at me and caught my wife in the arm. We wisely moved the battle away.
My boys also like reenacting a computer game called Medal of Honor and fight WW2 battles over again. The oldest was trying to save his little brother, who had been wounded, and somehow smacked big Jim and the twins. My wife started cracking up as I announced it was now no longer saving private Aidan, it was now saving Aidan's privates.
They also like to reenact the game Civilization and we construct cities of blocks and have forces to defend. Somehow, I always manage to acquire nuclear weapons before they do and nuc their cities with a giant ball.
I love getting down and being one of the boys. My own toys just tend to be a bit pricier than theirs. The difference between men and boys is just the price of their toys. Now, my oldest has his own bow, rifle, and BB guns, oh and we have Airsoft too.
-- Edited by Valhalla at 09:20, 2007-07-11
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Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
Yes, and can I send all my boys and MrHiccups over too? Sometimes they make me tired. LOL.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
So...is it bad if Mommy gets into the gun/swordfighting too? There's just something satisfying about shooting the kid in the forehead with a dartgun after he shoots me in the behind. Is that so wrong?
That's totally acceptable, Euph. I was just advocating for a little bit of rest from it at times when I've reached my limit. Like today. Already. LOL.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Not only is it alright for mommies to get into guns/swords, etc., I feel it is our DUTY as mothers in the Last Days. After all, if we're left like Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) suddenly and have to go hide out in the wilderness to save our spawn, we should at least know some weaponry and escape/evade tactics.
I call it THE ELIZABETH PROJECT. Involves physical vigor, cognitive craftiness and mad skills!
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Here's the next chapter. My 9 yr old took a tack and scraped his brother's leg until it bled and then started squeezing it. When my 5 yr old came to me asking for a band-aid, I questioned my oldest, "Why were doing that?"
"I wanted to see if you could really squeeze blood out," he said.
"You cut him on purpose to see if you could squeeze blood out?"
"Yes."
"We don't hurt each other. Go to time-out. We'll talk about this in a couple of minutes."
I had a small fit of giggles. And then I had a thought. I asked my 5 yr old, "Did you let your brother cut you so you guys could see if he could squeeze blood out?"
"Yes."
"Go to time out."
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Just wait... I am of the opinion that IF there are two pre-teen boys in the house (say between 7and 12... oh, and they don't have to be brothers, they could be best friends) there will be some kind of experiments at some point that involve blood...
I got out of bed late last night because I could hear my children making noise in the hallway. I went out there and asked them what heck was going on. My 11 year old said that the four year old boy put a Nerd Candy up his nose and got it stuck. He had one up both nostrils but got one out. Of course, now I'm livid having visions of sitting in the emergency room all night. So I'm asking the boy which nostril it's in and getting answers that are completely useless. I'd ask which nostril it was in and he'd answer "I don't know." I'd ask him why he did it and he'd answer, "I don't know." It's enough to drive a guy crazy. Had to get a flashlight and look up his nostrils. Finally found it but couldn't get it out. The wife was getting ready to take him to the emergency room when I finally got him to blow it out. Little boys GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Ha, ha. That does bring back memories, Jason. My middle boy had to go to the doctor to have stuff removed from his nose, not once, but twice at that age. And after the first time, he didn't want to tell me he'd done it again. He didn't like having the doctor go fishing up his nose. So, he didn't tell me. He ended up with green mucus and foul smelling breath after a couple days and I surmised that he must have done it again. The doctor pulled out a wad of paper so big that I wondered how it could have even fit up his nose in the first place.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
When I was a young kid my brothers convinced me to stick a peanut up my nose. I had to go to the emergency room for them to take it out.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Sadly, I talked my younger brother into shoving a piece of plastic up his nose with the same result. All I can say in my defense is that I was only 6 or 7 at the time.
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"The promptings of the Holy Ghost will always be sufficient for our needs if we keep to the covenant path. Our path is uphill most days, but the help we receive for the climb is literally divine." --Elaine S. Dalton
Back to the original topic- I don't think its just boys that enjoy drawing blood. When my 2 1/2 year old daughter sees her Dad poking his finger (with the 7 pound sledge, yeah right) she runs over to him and holds out her finger and WANTS to be poked too. What's with that? My children don't mind whatsover at having blood drawn.
But then, the four year old boy tripped and skinned both his knees in a parking lot this weekend while we were travelling and cried his head off. Some old man saw him crying and said, "Buck up boy, and take it like a man!"