It’s a challenge to know how deal to deal with some of this “boy” stuff. I am sure it’s the same with girls and princess stuff. I do believe that there is something in our genes going back to our days as aboriginal people (not very long ago really.) That something is a warrior component to our makeup as boys and young men. Later – with age – we learn how to make peace.
So I don’t come down hard on Aidan when he gets into warrior play in its various forms – superheroes, fantasy fighting. I do draw some lines – no toy guns except squirt guns in the summer or weapons, toy or imaginary, shooting at people or animals. I also try to introduce the idea of being friends instead of enemies in our fantasy castle play. But we do rough house and buy Spiderman books but try and avoid some of the stuff (that Aidan asks for) that seem to be too much for a 4 year old (like Transformers.) I don’t think it would work to try and outlaw any warrior stuff. Like most things in this life, it seems to be a question of balance and attracting people to what you know is right rather than being overly controlling.
Would love to hear what other parents, especially fathers, do.
