I must say the female author has her mind in the right area. I could remember my childhood in the late 60's and 70's vividly as she talked about army men with homemade parachutes, forts and base jumping into snow.
But as I continued on I also remembered my teenage years. I remember at 13 during the Summer packing a lunch and heading out 15 miles away to go fishing all day. I remember rolling our farm truck off a sharp gravel road turn into a neighbors bean field at 14. I remember holloween nights when we stayed out until midnight daring each other to run through the towns graveyard. I remember taking my rifle to school and leaving it in a friends truck (he was 16 I was 15) and carrying my buck knife on my belt all day while attending classes so we could go out deer hunting after school.
And then I think about today.
I remember the first day care I took my son to almost 14 years ago that would not allow any type of military toy period but had a huge selection of dolls. I remember my son being sent home from second grade because he had mad a toy gun out of a bread roll during lunch period. I remember removing every gun I owned out of my house and into my dad's place because the school and social services "suggested" I not have any in my house since my son had been sent home for making a bread gun (see above).
I also think what would these same social services do if my son rolled my farm truck last year when he was 14? What would they do to him now if he took his rifle to school to go deer hunting afterwards? I already know about the knife, my son was expelled from his 7th grade year because he had a folding pocket knife on him. The whole year for a 2 inch blade.
Last Fall I took my son to a movie on halloween. He hasn't done any trick or treating of course since he was like 11. The streets even in the small town close to us were totally empty the grave yard silent.
My son wanted a dirt bike of his own last year, I had to tell him no. When we go out to cut wood (one frequent ritual from my childhood that still gets done today) he loads away like I did at his age but I shy away from letting him run the saw. At his age I could drop a tree anywhere I wanted and cut it up one handed yet today its too risky to teach him.
Maybe boys are still boys but its been my experience that the activities of a young teenager for the passage into manhood are just not "allowed" like they used to be. The tolerance just isn't there and the "cost" is too high.
Let our boys be boys and let our teenagers become men we may need them to be sometime.
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ReplyDeleteParents shelter their children much more today than they used to. I remember my brother and his friends playing Cowboys and Indians--but now we aren't allowed. I remember him playing with water guns and pop guns, learning how to use a knife, tie knots and survive in the wilderness--after all Boy Scouts was really about learning how to do these things for military life later. I can understand not wanting actual weapons at school, but a BREAD gun? Come ON! A WHOLE YEAR for bringing a folding knife to school? It's not like you are in Los Angeles gangland where kids don't use knives for things like whittling or hunting. Having been a teacher in LA, I understand, though once I had to make use of my mini Swiss army knife with the little scissors and tweezers.
ReplyDeleteyes, during class.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much sheltering as it is an attempt to suppress certain traits and behaviors.
ReplyDeleteIn this attempt to drive masuclinity underground, coupled with feminized parenting (thank you single moms) you get either confused sullen boys or hypermasculine gang-bangers.
Exactly EW
ReplyDeleteMost of the people in power do not even see it, the feminists know they are doing it but the others are just sheeple and haven't a clue what is really going on.
Not to mention the risk factor. I could in fact allow my son alot more freedom to run around like I did. More opportunity to learn to become a man but the potential cost is staggering.
ReplyDelete30 years ago if I got hurt (and I did do some stupid shit) no one blamed my parents, no social services came crawling up their ass.
If my son got hurt or got caught doing something today it would cost me a ton of money and the possibillity of him being removed from my house. Its too much of a risk.
Yeah, you can't even ride in the back of a pickup truck anymore; it's illegal. WTF?! We knew that you sat down, and kept yourself (and your body parts) INSIDE the bed area-duh!
ReplyDeleteWe used to ride our bicycles without helmets; the thought never occurred to us to wear them. Besides, any injuries (arms, elbows, hands, and my jaw once) I got on bikes wouldn't have been prevented by wearing a helmet anyway.
We can't do many of the things we used to do as kids! Oooh, it's too dangerous. GTFO of here! Someone needs to line up the feminists and their adherents against a wall, then shoot 'em. Kill 'em all! Let God sort 'em out...