The sidewalk chalk emerged last week. All down the block there are toddler scribbles, preschool stick figures, grade school rainbows, flowers and hopscotch games.
You cannot help but hop yourself down the sidewalks as you fully digest this first sign of Spring.
The girls and I spent the afternoon drawing suns and rainbows, making our names in multi-colored bubble letters and creating elaborate flower gardens. Eloise’s hopscotch game went down by 4 houses and numbered to 65. Astrid licked the purple chalk a few times.
We walked down the block to join our neighbors in the craft and came across this drawing by one of them.
A girl running with a handgun.
It stopped me in my tracks.
Now I don’t have a toy gun policy but we don’t own any for them to play with. Not on purpose, they’ve never made that request. We do have squirt guns I guess. I frankly have never thought about it. I also am not naive and if you don’t buy them guns – their guns are made from sticks, toothbrushes and fingers. I grew up in the 70′s when cowboys and Indians and cops and robbers was in it’s prime. My brother made me play. He had toy guns. I’m okay with it. I am also related to many hunters that I love dearly. I believe my husband also may belong to the NRA, but we have a don’t ask don’t tell policy.
And if this picture was of a great bear hunter with a rifle or an old West cowboy it probably wouldn’t have bothered me – but a modern day girl with a handgun and a sinister look – I disapproved.
Where were the rainbows, the sunshine, the flowers, the kittens, the butterflies? Where was foursquare, the hopscotch, the tic-tac-toe. Why do young children feel compelled to draw pictures of gun-toting bad girls? Why do they even know?
So weigh in readers – no wrong or right answers. Am I a rainbow smoking overprotective prude? Do you see nothing wrong with this? Not looking for an intense debate, I just am curious as I was just so shocked and sad and needed to explore my feelings, ahem. Maybe it is really no big deal?
Oh motherhood, how hard you are.
More wordless/wordful Wednesday and beautiful pictures at SevenClownCircus and Parenting for Dummies…
I don’t have kids yet, but lately I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about motherhood, just because I guess. I think I’d react like you would. It just makes me sad that this is what kids are given as entertainment and what they want to draw when they’re playing. My parents never tried to shelter me from violence, but I hardly ever watched movies and I guess I just wasn’t exposed to it very much. They let me read Time Magazine and I saw pictures of what juntas were doing to people overseas, but that didn’t make me want to play with guns. Pretty much the opposite. I enjoy James Bond movies now and I’d like to learn to shoot for fun, but to me that’s very different from thinking guns are a game. In my mind that’s pretty tragic in a kid.
Elizabeth recently posted..How formal logic helped me find beauty in a place of fear
Thank you, Elizabeth. I also don’t believe that seeing violent media makes violent people. Esther even asked me what the drawing was and it was strange to explain it to her.
Wow, I would be shocked too. Maybe it’s just me (and you) but childhood should be much more naive than girls toting handguns. There is nothing wrong with sunshine and roses when you are a kid.
Jessica recently posted..Did I Say That
Funny, when we chose homeschool, it was not for the reasons so many do. But now, our gentle life with our girls, we show them the world firsthand whenever we can. Shielding them from the violence of tv, while discussing the reality of life for many. Sheltered from the harshness of many schools today, but exposed to a world that I hope they will make a difference in.
I realise every day how very blessed I am.
When I read your posts about your girls, your hopes and your fears, I know that you are blessed too …
I love that you and Jeddy bear have a DADT policy.
I love that you call him Jeddy Bear. Oh you made my night dear friend. When a liberal marries a conservative – it’s best we just don’t talk about these sensitive issues.
I’m sorry, I saw that drawing and literally laughed out loud. I love that sinister look on her face. Then again, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see one of my kids drawing a picture like that, I’m pretty sure they would have a whole elaborate tale to go along with it.
It is a very good drawing. I admit I was impressed with the detail lol. I just don’t even think my kids know about “bad guys” OMG I am in so much trouble here…
As the mother of four BOYS, this doesn’t surprise me much. It could be a drawing of a boy with a gun. Would that bother you on the same level? We live in a houseful of boys–swords, guns, light sabers, you name it. Narnia is a favorite, as is Star Wars.
The strange thing to me is that the idea of it being a girl bugs me, but if I see the drawing as a boy, then I’m fine. Does that make me . . . naive? Prejudiced? Mom of boys? I don’t know.
How’s that for not shedding ANY light on the subject?
jen recently posted..Cranberry Velvet
I really appreciate this. Yes, I guess what shocked me the most is it was drawn by a little girl.
I used to be totally anti-gun for my kids play toys and then, like you, realized that my boys were making guns out of everything.
As far as drawings go, I have to say, I do agree with you.
Had the drawing been of an army scene, I wouldn’t be as disturbed as I am by just an angry armed child.
debi9kids recently posted..Peace & Contentment
I have four kids, and I am by no means the expert. But the first three weren’t allowed to play with guns, but found every toy that ressembled the shape of a gun, and used it to pretend kill each other. The fourth child has an arsenal of weapons, and they sit in his room, barely touched.
I wouldn’t worry. Rather I think that picture is pretty clever and creative.
Sandra recently posted..Blogging blahs
I think if my daughter drew that I would let my husband handle it. Not because I was trying to get out of dealing with it but because he is big into guns and they talk about them sometimes.
Jessica recently posted..Grandma’s Birthday
When I saw the picture, it kind of freaked me out. I don’t think it matters for me if it is a girl or boy who drew it, but rather the sinister look on the child’s face. If it was my son that drew this, I think we would have to address the underlying issues. I don’t know if I’m naive to believe that chilhood should be much more innocent than this.
Barbara recently posted..Steppin Out
I agree — the sinister look on the gun-holder’s face is more concerning than the gun. This means that somehow a child got the idea that when you get angry you shoot a gun.
Yesterday a kindergartener brought a gun to his Houston school and injured 3 kids when it dropped out of his pocket and went off at lunchtime.
http://www.whec.com/news/stories/s2072542.shtml?cat=565
Jenny F recently posted..The Family That Runs Together
Oh Jenny – KINDERGARTEN!!!! ugh
Sometimes I wonder if I am too naive or I overprotect my kids with very strict rules about what they watch. They aren’t even allowed to watch i-carly or other type “tweenager” shows and Eloise thinks I’m completely uncool. Perhaps I am, but that is okay. I like her dolls.
Wow, that rattled me. I am a card carrying “rainbow” girl too and this is something that bothers me..quite a bit. While I understand the kids see more violent things today , I don’t believe that any child will choose thid kind of image over a naive one unless it’s been introduced to them personally..in their life..and that bothers me.
There’s a story behind it for sure. Now, whether it’s Princess Leah (sp?) defending her home from evil or Lara Croft kicking some serious fanny or a little sister forced to play what her big brother likes to play, maybe I’m naive, but I don’t see nefarious tendencies. True, odd subject matter for the sidewalk chalk set, but maybe she’s the next great crime story novelist or director?
Or maybe she watches too much news?
The one thing I’ve learned from raising two boys is that it’s usually just innocent play. It would have definitely stopped me in my tracks though.
Ash recently posted..A different perspective
it would have shocked me to see too, i might have asked about it. But Kim Possible and others like her have been known to fire tranq darts at people, so for my girls, I would assume that was the inspiration. Im sorry its been haunting you!
Frelle recently posted..harmony restored
This is a little shocking. We are a no gun house (squirt guns that are colorful and some nerf guns are around). I just don’t think the kids need to play with things that resemble real weapons. Even if they are pretending something is a gun, it still doesn’t look like one. I feel if it looks like one and they find a real one (not at our house) they won’t think its a toy as much. I guess it all depends on how you talk with your kids too. If you explain what guns are and what they can do, it may work out.
This is just a tough thing to deal with.
Amy recently posted..Easy Baken Giveaway!
You’re no prude. That shocks and saddens me as well.
Ann recently posted..Simple Womans Daybook- April 18- 2011
That would have stopped me in my tracks, too.
But yours and your daughters drawings of spring? Perfection.
Stacy Uncorked recently posted..Dork Dogs & Cats- Wordless-Wordful Wed
I would be shocked. But maybe she was just drawing herself with the squirt gun?
Lisa recently posted..Maggie- this is how its done And PJs big boy bed
The fact that it even came to her mind to draw it scares me. It must be something she’s familiar with, and I hate to think that her childhood is made of those kinds of thoughts.
blueviolet recently posted..Bourbon Street &124 WW
Honestly, I probably would have had the same reaction as you. I’m guessing somebody has been watching a “leeetle” too much t.v. But I could be wrong…
On another note, I ADORE that first photo SO much.
Elaine recently posted..They were supposed to be yellow
I have a lot to say and I will try not to rant.
If the picture is a one time thing because she has recently watched a movie/cartoon or something with a gun, I’d let it go. If I saw something like this again from her, I would try to engage with her to see why she was drawing it.
There are many, many reputable studies that show kids who are exposed to media violence on a regular basis do have changes that occur in their brain. It does affect them. That does not mean that they will go and shoot someone, but it contibutes to problems if they are pre-disposed to mental health issues.
If a young child is drawing like this on a regular basis there is reason to be concerned.
screw the story behind it or the feelings of whether or not it’s ok to play or if it is a drawing of a movie or whatnot.
what freaks me out is that it was enough on someone’s mind to draw it.
scares the bejeezus out of me … and makes me want to pull my kids out of school and run away in an rv forever. or at least until they are 30. or maybe buy an island.
and imagine this?
i’m about to raise a boy. and he loves trucks and balls and there is so much different about him in comparison with the girls. but guess what, mama? i will not ever let that boy pretend with a gun. because they scare the hell out of me … and i don’t want him to think that violence of any sort is ok.
and yes. you are totally allowed to bring this back to me someday down the road. because i realize that things might change around here … but i’m fairly positive that guns will never be on the agenda.
jen recently posted..amongst other things stella really did turn seven
We can go live on a commune together and take beautiful pictures. HA
Oh, wow! No, I much prefer your girls’ sweet SPRING drawings over the handgun one!
liz recently posted..Blame it on the 90&8242s- Man!
Mom of two here, and I think that even if we didn’t buy them toy guns, household objects would become guns. We take special care to purposefully shield them from extra violent media, but I guess part of that is just ingrained in who they are. They love nothing more than playing wrestling or “kill the monster/bad guy” with their dad and each other. we’ve had discussions with them both about “killing” someone maliciously, even if it is with a toy gun isn’t ok. that they need to be kind in all of their actions — they make sure to only kill the monsters.
fortunately, they also have sweet hearts and almost always stop their monster killing to pick their mother some flowers.
Lindsey recently posted..Buckwheat Tabbouleh
LOL – I love this. We spent our fair share of time growing up wrestling also. I am glad you get some sweet flowers. xo
Is it a wand, or a gun?
My mom always freaked out about toy guns, and it took a friend’s kid (12 years younger than my brother) saying “Its just pretend” for her to relax, a little.
Personally, I think its a pretty fun drawing, and without interpretation from the artist, you don’t know what it really is. All of M’s people look like giant breasts with heads.
Amelia Sprout recently posted..Boy Toys- Mean Girls & Introverts – Part 2
No she told me it was a bad girl with a gun.
It could be the little artist was trying to work through some violet images in her head. They are everywhere; if she was watching tv, playing video games, reading a magazine, newspaper…however, this looks like the work of an older kid. Much older, if not adult.
The boys in our house have wanted to turn everything from Tinkertoys to french fries into guns. When we see it happening, we make sure they are not aiming for other people. If they are shooting each other, there are consequences. We have a no violence tolerance policy in our home. That means no violet play, words or physical actions. It is on the TOP of our rule list.
We also talk about guns and their use. I have a brother who is an avid hunter and kills a deer probably every season. Guns are utilized for hunting in our world, and when they are used for anything else, they are inappropriate.