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agonyaunt2021-12-29 10:58 am
minoanmiss) wrote in agonyaunt2021-12-29 10:58 am
Entry tags:
Care & Feeding: "You'll put your eye out, kid!"
Content advisoty: sharp objects.
My Friend Got Her Son the Most Dangerous Gift
My friend’s 8-year-old got a bow and arrow for Christmas. Not a Nerf one, but one which could injure him or another living thing. My friend is a single mom, and confides in me about her struggles with her son who has impulse control and, like most (some?) 8-year-olds, can’t really be trusted to follow directions. He is left alone for hours sometimes to watch himself and if told not to watch electronics or eat candy will consistently do those things anyway. I usually keep my mouth shut and offer assistance as needed since it is candy or TV, but I am worried for the neighborhood children! Should I say something? She isn’t familiar with bows or any kind of weapons but thinks he will have fun. I just want adult supervision and a safe it will be locked up in.
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—Going to Shoot an Eye Out
Dear Shoot,
Yikes, I’m pretty sure that even Hawkeye’s origin story didn’t begin like this. I also have an 8-year-old, and there’s no way I would let her play with a real bow and arrow under any circumstances—supervised or not. What is he going to shoot with it, anyway? His friends? Neighborhood pets? Birds in trees? Random inanimate objects like cars or windows? No thanks.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with staging an intervention here, especially since your friend doesn’t fully understand the dangers involved. I would clearly state to her that a bow and arrow is a weapon, not a toy for children, and in doing so, you could purchase a Nerf bow and arrow set for him instead (my kids have them and they’re great). At that point, I’d donate the real bow and arrow to charity or throw the set into the fireplace.
If she’s of sound mind, she should probably be cool with what you offered. If not, then you have to be at peace with her decision. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
My Friend Got Her Son the Most Dangerous Gift
My friend’s 8-year-old got a bow and arrow for Christmas. Not a Nerf one, but one which could injure him or another living thing. My friend is a single mom, and confides in me about her struggles with her son who has impulse control and, like most (some?) 8-year-olds, can’t really be trusted to follow directions. He is left alone for hours sometimes to watch himself and if told not to watch electronics or eat candy will consistently do those things anyway. I usually keep my mouth shut and offer assistance as needed since it is candy or TV, but I am worried for the neighborhood children! Should I say something? She isn’t familiar with bows or any kind of weapons but thinks he will have fun. I just want adult supervision and a safe it will be locked up in.
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—Going to Shoot an Eye Out
Dear Shoot,
Yikes, I’m pretty sure that even Hawkeye’s origin story didn’t begin like this. I also have an 8-year-old, and there’s no way I would let her play with a real bow and arrow under any circumstances—supervised or not. What is he going to shoot with it, anyway? His friends? Neighborhood pets? Birds in trees? Random inanimate objects like cars or windows? No thanks.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with staging an intervention here, especially since your friend doesn’t fully understand the dangers involved. I would clearly state to her that a bow and arrow is a weapon, not a toy for children, and in doing so, you could purchase a Nerf bow and arrow set for him instead (my kids have them and they’re great). At that point, I’d donate the real bow and arrow to charity or throw the set into the fireplace.
If she’s of sound mind, she should probably be cool with what you offered. If not, then you have to be at peace with her decision. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
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Archery is a sport that can be done by kids in a safe and age appropriate fashion.
Giving a kid a bow and arrows for Christmas and letting them loose is not that.
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(I have zero issues with kids learning target archery, including appropriate safety, and actually learned to shoot as a child, but THAT IS NOT THIS SITUATION!!)
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and thought "Oh Christ, someone got their child a GUN"
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Ahahhaah I thought that too for a moment. I think it might be illegal, though, but in the US one never knows.
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"I" got a rifle for my 15th (16th?) birthday, but it was 100% "my dad impulse bought a rifle and needed a reason to not return it." We went shooting once. It was not fun and I did not enjoy it.
And even that is not the same as giving a kid with a greater than average impulse control deficit than his age peers a deadly weapon to be used untrained and unsupervised.
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Well. I was given a bow and arrows when I was eight, however I was taught how to use them and was aware of appropriate behavior with them.
So ..... hopefully someone can get the kid a nerf set.