Boy Mama: Boys and Guns

Posted on April 9, 2012 by boymamateachermama

I have always been adement that my sons will not have any toy guns nor would they even “play guns.” When they got a new Lego set with a gun in it, I took it away and told them that they were not allowed to have guns, even if they were just play guns in our home. I thought I was doing a wonderful job of sheilding my sons from the world of guns and violence. I was wrong. I realized this when my eldest son came home from Kindergarten one day and was talking to his younger brother about “killing the baddies.” Oh, my heart sank and I immediately said, “We do not talk about killing in this house.” After the words left my mouth, I wondered- was that the right thing to do? I know the importance of fantasy play for children- was that all this was? I took a step back from what was going on between my sons and decided that this is something that needed some thought. So, I thought and I read a lot and then I talked to my son. I asked him why he likes to play shooting and killing. His response? “Because his friends do it and it is not real.” I then asked him if he knew what guns were for. His response? “For getting the bad guys.” Finally, I asked him if he knew what guns actually did. His response? “You shoot them and something round comes out and it knocks other people over.” Wow. Right there with those three simple questions I learned a great deal about my son. We talked a bit more about “playing guns” and about what real guns can do. He listened and we talked some more, but he still plays “guns” at times. Mostly on the playground at school, but every once and a while it comes out in his play at home. And what do I do now? Well, I do not tell him that he cannot play “guns” anymore and I try to see the game from his point of view. We do continue to talk about the differences between real guns and play guns. We do talk about how playing guns can make others feel and how if someone wants the game to stop, he should stop. We also talk about where is is okay to play these kinds of games and where it is not. So if you are wondering whether or not I have given him back his Lego guns, the answer is no and I do not plan to. I figure, if he really wants to play guns, he will find a way, but I do not have to provide him with the tool to do so.

If you want to read more about this topic check out these links:

Understanding Boy Aggression http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/aggression02.ht
Boys and Guns http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/aggression05.html
Is it the Media? http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/aggression03.html
What Can We Do? http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/aggression04.html

Boy Mama: The PBS Guide to Understanding and Raising Boys

Posted on April 8, 2012 by boymamateachermama

I was just looking around on the internet for information about brain research and boys when I came across this site from PBS called, “The PBS Guide to Understanding and Raising Boys.” It is one of the most comprehensive and parent friendly sites I have found. The site “introduces you to the inner world of boys,” provides a great deal of information as well as strategies for raising boys to be successful in school and beyond.

Check it out at http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/index.html

Teacher Mama: Using Dice to Teach Math Skills

Posted on April 8, 2012 by boymamateachermama

Using Dice to Teach Math Skills I love dice. Dice come in all sizes and shapes. There are the basic 6 sided dice that we are all familiar with. You can find these made of plastic, wood, rubber, foam … Continue reading →

Teacher Mama: Guys Read and Jon Scieszka

Posted on April 7, 2012 by boymamateachermama

Boy Mama Teacher Mama | Guys Read and Jon Sciesczka

Guys Read and Jon Scieszka As a parent of boys this site is a must. Guysread.com is a web based literacy program for boys developed by Jon Scieszka (author of The Stinky Cheeseman, The Time Warp Trio series and the … Continue reading →

From a Boy’s Point of View

Posted on April 5, 2012 by boymamateachermama

Robert Baden Powell, one of the founding fathers of the Scout movement said simply, “See things from a boy’s point of view.” This is exactly what I do everyday as a mother of two small boys. From the moment I wake up until I lay down again, I try to see things from my boys’ point of view. I am also a teacher by trade. While I no longer teach in a school, I am now responsible for the the two most important students I have ever had– my sons. Our classroom is not limited to four walls of a school building nor does our day end at 3 pm- together we explore the world in which we live and make great discoveries along the way. This blog is dedicated to all the educators and parents who do their very best everyday to see things from a boy’s point of view.