About twenty seconds into viewing these sweet jedi moves an uncomfortable feeling crept over me. And I realized I was watching my oldest son, 10 years in the future. I mean, I hope it's not, but it may be.
Recently we let our kids watch Star Wars and now they pretend Star Wars all the time. It never stops. They sleep with their light sabers, wear capes all day, and even bring Clara into the mix by giving her a weapon and crowning her Princess Leia. (She's pretty good at killing her brothers.) 
Out on the front lawn they layer camping cots and snow tubes on top of each other for their base camp. In their room they don all their Jedi accessories, real or improvised and become Luke, Darth, Obi Wan, or Quaigon. 
They sleep with their weapons (as all good Jedi do) and spend a lot of time on the trampoline sequencing fighting moves and simulating training sessions. And while Asher feels content to stick to established Star Wars characters - Luke, Yoda, and on, Lincoln can only refer to his Jedi alter ego as "Force of the Green." As parents we mostly just enjoy the show, but at times I wonder how long and far their pretending should go on. At what point (12, 14 years old?) do I say "Please DON'T post your Jedi moves on YouTube"?
I mean, the other night after a heartfelt discussion about spirits Asher announced he was the bad Emporer from the Return of the Jedi. And it kind of spooked Joel out what with Asher forming his hands into claws and hissing, like he was killing Luke with his lightning powers right there. Star Wars is the newest incarnation of fighting warriors around here.
Before Star Wars we beheld the terrors of Cap'n Jack Sparrow and his band of pirates.
Last summer we witnessed the daring adventures of every superhero known!
A year ago we could only watch in awe as Luchadore's frequented our house, entertaining us with killer wrestling moves, eagle powers, and amazing skills in the ring.
And before that underpants warriors, who remained unnamed, lurked in the shadows of our humble home, fighting who knows who or what.
Amazing, huh? We love all the heroic dramatics. We're mostly content to allow these theatrics to continue until they've outgrown them. However, if you EVER see one of them displaying these antics when they're WAY past the "cute" stage, please, help me and help them by simply removing the light sabre from their hands and walking away.
P.S. I realize Clara is shirtless in the video, but she takes after her Aunt Megan in her love of tube tops. I only wish this were a video of Clara mowing the lawn.
7 comments:
I think your kids are adorable and very very normal;) If yours arn't normal than neither are mine. I'll take your kids light sabers away if you'll do the same with our kids. Hopefully it won't come to that though!! Clara is so precious dancing! I love it!!
Hi! You don't know me, but I was doing a google search for "compasionate service leader" and a link to you post back in February came up. I would've normally added this comment to that post but since it was last month I figured you may not see it.
I just wanted to add how much I feel your pain! seriously lol...Back in December I was called into the Bishop's office (at the time I was perfectly happy being a primary teacher) Earlier that morning my husband was in Ward council and tried to get the bishop to give him any info about the "impending calling" because he knows my anxiety over such things. He didn't get any solid info out of the bishop but enough to be nervous for me. That was concerning for both of us. ;)
We (DH and I) talked during sacrament about what it could be. I said I'd hoped for Primary Chorister considering the current sister has had that calling for more than 3 1/2 years now. My HUSBAND said "What if it's compassionate service leader?" with that tone of fatal dispair...I laughed and said "I'll say no"
Into the Bishop's office I go and much to my despair he tells me that indeed they want to call me to be the compassionate service leader. At which point I proceeded to explain that over the course of my 11+ year marriage my husband and I have talked about which callings we would like, which we wouldn't, and which we knew (I) should NEVER be called to...compassionate service leader was TOP on the list. I further explained, I am not the warm and fuzzy person. I am the one who thinks people should get over it. That I am blunt. I am honest. I do not sugar coat and that he was asking someone who holds the stick of the pot stirring to be in a position I have no business being in! I politely (seriously) told him they (the bishropric) are crazy! Mind you, this entire time I have tears streaming down my face AND I'm almost 4 months pregnant (at the time) with baby girl #4 and no one knew it. I told him I couldn't accept this calling right now...he gave me two weeks.
Although I accepted the calling I told him I don't think this is a good idea. He admitted I wasn't the obvious choice...OBVIOUSLY lol
I read some of the comments and it looks like you have good friends that see your potential. When I told my good friends what calling I'd just received they laughed...hard...because, well...they KNOW. I laugh too becuase, well...I know. And as much as this calling may be about what I need to learn I made it very clear to the bishop I would not be soley accountable for people being offended because he was the one who issued the call. He was OK with that.
This post was great for so many reasons. I loved the review of the super hero phases the boys have passed through thus far in their childhood. The luchadors were a personal favorite. And the video? Well Clara obviously takes after her favorite aunt Megan in that she looks FABULOUS in a tube top. Fabulous. As I'm sure I would if I were allowed to wear one. And about your concerns for Lincoln. Look at Lincoln's father playing the fisher price drums like its his most serious responsibility in the world...the boy is in trouble as all Williams men are deep down. But if Cam could eventually put all his animals away...even though he was 16 at the time-- all things are possible. Lincoln is such a Williams. I'm sorry about that.
All I have to say is I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! I laughed and laughed and laughed so much that Ethan got out of bed and Ammon came over and we all laughed some more. You guys are awesome in every way and I have to say that Joel is one serious and talented drummer. You have had a legacy of some seriously great costumes and fun dressing up. What you didn't show was yourself and I bet YOU were dressed up as Princess Leia right along with them-braids and all!! :) Just kidding-we love you guys. Thanks for making me smile tonight!
I love that Clara was the one who kept dancing while Joel played the drums. It was so funny.
Thanks for the pictures of the boys and their phases they go through...now I know that when Gabe goes through them it is normal. Love the underwear for head bands...made me laugh.
That totally took me back to my childhood. I followed my big brothers around and was the audience to many battle for TRUTH against the evil villains of the darkness of evil. I just wish someone had taken away their ninja turtles when they were in middle school!!!! :O)
I love boys, so ready to defend and protect, and be very macho men even if that means they are running around with underwear on their heads. LOL :O)
This is a tough one. It's sad to imagine your kids being ridiculed in front of 29 million viewers, and yet it seems to be a normal part of childhood development these days. When I grew up, junior high served that purpose, today it's Youtube. In either case, the refining fire of society's mocking eyes purges all traces of future jedi-ry.
Call it cruelty or natural selection, it's still effective.
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