A few days later we took him to Academy Sports to pick up a paint ball gun.
So I naively stroll into Academy Sports with the guys. I've been in the store a million times, checking out sports equipment, buying shoes for the boys. Stuff like that.
This time we headed to the other side of the store. I don't know what your sports stores are like but here in Georgia, we's gots us some huntin' supplies. Dang. We head straight to the paint ball gun area -- a whole freaking wall of them. I'm just standing there, hands in my pockets and I start looking around and damn. These are GUNS people. GUNS. All of a sudden I'm totally freaking out -- on the inside. My baby wants a gun that shoots stuff. We actually start having a discussion about paint guns vs. pellet guns. I recall my brother and cousin having pellet gun fights in the house and my thigh getting caught in the crossfire.
We start wandering around, back towards where they are selling real guns and there's a couple of good ole' boys wearing camo and checking out the merchandise. D7 looks up at the plastic deer mannequin target shooting thingy (god knows what they call it) and says, "Look! a Deer!" I respond (my voice raised about an octave), "yeah. a deer!"
D7 is all, "What's that for" and I'm all "stupid people shoot them for fun 'cuz they are mean and stupid."
OK. I didn't say that. I just told him some people hunt or something not graphic. D7 says, "We're not buying that. We don't shoot deer."
I reply kind of loudly, kind of loudly enough for the camo boys to turn around and look at me, "Damn straight we don't shoot deer."
Then I hauled my liberal, non-NRA, pretty much a vegetarian, ass straight out of the gun section, and tried to remind myself that target shooting is good. It's fun. I've done it. I liked it. And it's OK that my baby is getting a paint gun.
My boys are growing up and gravitating towards their father (thank god) and doing lots of guy things. It's good. They are both huge mama's boys and it's time for a little (ok a lot of) separation and some manning up.
I really am OK with the paint gun thing, and the idea of them being taught how to responsibly handle fire arms and to use them recreationally. We are so NOT a hunting family that I really doubt that's something my kids will ever try and if they even think about it, yeah, I'm going to be all over that.
It was just another one of those moments I didn't see coming where one minute my kids seem like my babies and then I turn around, open my eyes, and have to admit, yeah, they growing up. It's good. It's just a little shock to the system sometimes.
Plus, hello. Those are GUNS.
Note: This isn't an open invitation to discuss the pros and cons of hunting. I don't get it, but I'm not gonna be mad at you if you and yours do it.
Second note: Yes, I deleted all my pretty orange stuff and my blog roll (oops) and went back to a really plain template, 'cuz I always felt a little cluttered (and it was easier than decluttering the house)
11 comments:
I had the same kind of reaction when my boys started wanting gun toys (water guns, foam ball shooting guns etc.) but then like you I just relaxed a bit and let them have fun. I still talk to them about the whole gun, shooting thing but I try not to be too in their face about not playing with those types of toys.
And I like your new blog look! :)
I hate (love) my kids growing up.
I love that it was easier than decluttering your house. I need to think about that.
I hear ya. But then I'm Canadian and we don't have this kinda stuff for sale here...
Now that my darling boy is older he's going to these paint ball places and loving it too. Boys will be boys, I guess.
Sigh.
5 min ago my son said he needed boxers instead of tightie whities so the boys in school wouldn't make fun of him. i kind of feel like the bob the builder undies days were just yesterday. this sure is happening fast.
I used to have a no guns rule for my boys. But they made guns out legos, they made guns out of sticks, they made guns out of everything and eventually they got guns as birthday presents. but we haven't made it up to paint guns yet. I'm sure it will come too.
And funny about cleaning up the blog instead of cleaning the house. Makes me wish we had a delte button for the house. Sorta like the staples easy button.
Guns indeed. I write this from a state that just legalized 10-year-old hunting. D & I have decided no hunter's saftey classes for Team Testosterone until they are 12 because we're Old Fashioned like that. And we're the chaw-lovin', camo-wearin', hunt and shot it kind of folk. So yeah, even some zealots have their limit.
One of my brother in laws hunts, but he is the type of person who will go hunt a deer, and then break it down completely and actually eat it, for months and months, because he's broken it all down and frozen it up.
I'm not the hunting type.
Anna See's comment made me laugh. My son is in junior high now and we could never get him to wear underwear. Now that he has gym every day, voila! Suddenly boxers. It's cute. (don't tell him)
My dad is a hunter, but I never took to it. He tried to take me squirrel hunting once, and I ended up using the .22 as a walking stick, cramming mud and shit up the barrel. Not good . . .
Now I do love shooting a bow. There's just something so manly and releasing about the zip of the string . . .
I once went into a paintball specialty store and I had a really hard time there. Everything was designed to look so real and there was all the camo and I just felt icky.
I totally get you.
i don't get it either.
Yeah, I'm not ready to see mine hold a gun, but I want them to learn to target shoot (plus, I want to learn, too)... BUT wow, the growing up.
And the girl will be the first one wanting a gun, guaranteed...
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