Mafia Madness
Boy loves guns, war stuff, crashing planes, murder, weapons and anything that produces pain and blood. I am a conscientious objector: the daughter of a decorated, three tour, now retired Army officer. I grew up in Army camps overseas. Boy grew up with me trying to minimise weaponry in our home. I lost the war against Boys with Aspergers and their obsessive interests in things that stress their parents out!After our week of trauma and negotiations around how our new life is going to look, Boy and I have discovered that an hour of our Monday morning school time will be spent in the car, travelling. He wants to use Monday as excursion day. He wants to explore every nook and cranny between Innisfail and Cairns.
"Is there any like, Army stuff we can go see," he seriously asked. I seriously wanted to Court Marshall him and measure out geography lessons as more than punishment: more like sheer hell boot camp for him.
"Could I do a project on the Mafia," he asked eagerly.
"Sure." My mouth looked like it was smiling but I was in fact gritting my teeth and grimacing because my last chance at raising another conscientious objector was never really a chance at all!
This morning we added Mafia type words to our spelling list and Boy searched for Mafia history on the net. The doubting Thomas and pure pragmatist in me wondered at the validity of the information but I am hardly going to condone Boy interviewing a gangster to get an insiders view of organised crime. I wouldn't know where to find a gangster anyway, nor do I wish anyone to point me in the right direction.
Boy has printed off Mafia information, family tree (just love the pun here) and photographs. Step father and I will be privy to a poster presentation on the History of the Mafia and I am sure that we will have to watch Al Capone and the Untouchables another 50,000 times. I am sure it will be madness, but, the learning will be invaluable. From Mafia Madness to modern and contemporary history: I can easily make the link and locate the teachable moments around peace and honesty. Will Boy?
1 comment:
I know how you feel.
When N. was about 2, het bit his breakfast toast into the shape of a pistol and started "bang, bang!"
(The realistic sound effects must also be on the Y Chromosome).
And I said: And I won't let him have even a squirt gun?"
It's the same type of revelation that I had when I gave my little girl a large Tonka dump truck, and she used the bed as a cradle for her doll. Oh, well!
By the way, there is a great Star Trek (Original Series) Episode called "A Piece of the Action." A planet that the Enterprise Crew is visiting has modeled their whole society after a book about Chicago in the 1920's. It's fun and funny and pokes some fun at the insanity of gang violence. Boy would enjoy it on one level and you would enjoy it on another!
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