I had all the Barbies and dolls and when my cousing got a PowerWheel for Christmas, I got a complete mini-kitchen set, which I loved to play with. I also had building blocks, Legos, and HotWheels and some kind of adventure kit which had a utility belt and compass and other stuff you would use to go exploring. I also helped my dad in his wood shop and learned how to use a hand saw and other tools.
I think kids need to be treated as little people. They have brains like we do and can think for themselves (in some things). Kids understand a lot more than we think they do. I don’t think you can force a boy to be masculine and a girl to be feminine if they don’t want to be.
[quote]angry chicken wrote:
Fake wood so they can use a fake saw and hammer… So they avoid the one little cut. Or <> a splinter! Then the first time they handle real wood and real tools they’ll lack the respect for them and fuck themselves up worse - Brilliant.
As for Deb’s comment up there, I think a BALANCED approach is in order. My son is getting closer to earning his place as an Eagle scout, just moved up to the best “travel soccer team” in the area, plays the violin, sax and guitar, is on the chess team at his school and is competing in a nationwide Rubik’s Cube competition, placed in the top five in his grade for every event in his school’s track and field competition (won the shot put and discus), and his ambition in life is to be a rocket scientist (although he hasn’t decided if he want’s to be on the engineering side or computer side of things… He’s 13.
Growing up, he was happy with a stick and piece of rope in the backyard. They need balance, structured growth opportunities, supervision vs. over protection, strong boundaries, and inspiration. Not fake wood cuz they might get a splinter… The messages parents get these days is just fucking pathetic.
Here in Arlington they have “Meatless Mondays” for school lunches. How systemically fucked up is that?[/quote]
LOL what the fuck is “manly?” I grew up drawing pictures with my mom and going on motorcycles with my dad. I’ve also enjoyed taking ballroom dancing with my fiancee’, and just went target shooting yesterday with my new mossberg 500. I had GI joes along with play doh and legos, LOTS OF LEGOS!