1. I think people become too consumed with the thought of "war" and "peace" and how it involves their kids. I remember when I was his age (was it really 20 years ago! dang), we did the exact same thing, though our dads' didn't make jewelry from our drawings. I am no psychologist, so I can't really make any real conclusive thoughts about the matter, other than I believe it is just part of who we are. 1000's of years of evolution have instilled in us, boys probably more so, some primal (if you will) understanding that to survive we need to be stronger, better, smarter than the others around us. I think this is an extension of that feeling. All of my friends seemed to grow up just fine, even though we ran around the neighborhood shooting BB guns at each other and breaking more than a few bones in "war". I don't think that it really ever leaves us either, it just evolves into other things. I'd have a hard time believing that "war" is not evidenced in school when you are competing with your classmates for the highest grades, best spot on the team, best colleges, etc. Even when you get out into the job market, you have to have a strategy to get the job you want, the board room is sometimes called the war room, plans of action aren't far from plans of attack, and so on. Some of the kids I know who had parents that wouldn't let them compete are now back at home, essentially living with their parents, settling for things in life.
Now, I am making broad generalizations here, but I would wager that for a majority of the people I've met in life, it holds quite true.

Posted at 12:01PM on Jun 27th 2008 by Baron

2. You are very right! Children play war and other power games just as every other animal in the world. This also can go back to that post a few days ago on whimpy children. Dad's need to stand back up and start teaching their boys to be men again; and letting boys be boys (and girls be girls)
It's a sad thing in todays society.

Posted at 11:32AM on Jun 28th 2008 by Jenni

3. Fighting solves everything.

Posted at 5:16PM on Jun 29th 2008 by Me

4. I'm 69 years old and a woman. When I was a child we all played cowboys and girls.Up into a few years ago most all kids played pertain with toy guns.What have we become? This so sad for the children. You are so right of what you said.

Posted at 8:44PM on Jun 28th 2008 by marie

5. I was a kid during Vietnam, and we all played army. It's on T.V. news so we saw it every day. It was natural for kids to act it out, same for kids today.

Posted at 2:12PM on Jun 28th 2008 by TIMOTHY BECKEL

6. If you are really concerned about parenting and education of the World's Young, Start with the Islamic/Arabic Countries and a few African Countries.They Play it for Real throughout their Ignorant Lives. Send some American NEA Teachers to those countries and stop Babying the kids in the so called "Civilized World"

Posted at 2:27PM on Jun 28th 2008 by StoneMan

7. A lot of kids play war. If you don't give them a toy gun they will pick up a stick to shoot with, it is a big deal if you make it a big deal.

Posted at 2:52PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Susan

8. j01943e, the writer's name is Sandy, so that could be a man or a woman. Still, you are correct. Toy guns are harmless as long as parents keep the real guns locked up. If Maddox becomes a great U.S. Army general someday, his imagination will have paid off. This article proves that 99.99999 of what is written on the Internet is crap.

Posted at 2:53PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Nick

9. I believe it was a gift from his Heart. His mom is always shooting it up in her movies.

Posted at 2:59PM on Jun 28th 2008 by RuBu

10. First: let me say that, Sandy Maple cannot write an article very well when she keeps on making the same type-o, "TOYS GUNS". It's toy gun! TOY GUN! Singular!
Second: I agree with Timothy. I am a girl and I use to dream of going to Viet Nam and doing some serious damage myself. I didn't want to be a nurse, I wanted to fight! Carry a M16, crawl through the rice paddies and the water buffalo crap just like the guys. But I was a 17 year old girl that wanted to be a Marine.
Third and Last:There is nothing wrong with guns, but a child has to be taught safety and awareness. Children should never have unrestricted access to any type of gun until they are old enough and responsible enough. Playing is not bad, or being fascinated by something. Making a necklace from a drawing is WHAT? Evil? Should they check his head for the mark 666? Find something worthwhile to write about Sandy Maple! Leave Ms.Jolie and Mr.Pitt and their beautiful children alone!

Posted at 3:02PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Marie

11. you wanted to go to nam because you couldn't. 99.9% of women could not have survived in the bush in vietnam, I know, I was there in 67/68 in a Marine recon unit. women are not able to do many things required in combat. what happens when ur buddy gets his ass shot off and can't walk or crawl? you couldn't carry him so what do u do leave him? A fine friend you would be. I don't know how much u know about Marines but we didn't leave our wounded, hell it killed our souls to leave our dead and didn't very often! I'm sorry, but women don't belong in combat, in support and logistics fine but not in combat. Some things need to be done by men and combat is one of them, no offense hon but when the s**t hits the fan I want someone who is able to do whatever it takes, someone who can throw me over his shoulder and get me out of trouble, not someone who wishes she could but can't! I'm all for womens lib, but only if you are equally qualified, and in combat you're not.

Posted at 8:50PM on Jun 28th 2008 by richard

12. Richard: I didn't say I could, I said I wanted to! I know women do not belong in combat like that. I totally agree with you man. So, I ended up doing the next best thing, I marrying a 6' 5" 240 lb Marine that went to Nam and kicked ASS (twice). I joined the Corp when he re-uped (on the buddy system) at the end of the war at Camp Pendleton. Stayed 4 years, worked in the motor pool along with him as a mechanic, even learned to drive a 10 ton wrecker (on the sly of course). The article was really about Jolie and Pitt. But it is nice to talk(?) to someone around my age that knows about that war. It may sound funny or stupid to you, but it changed me, it did something to me too. I do know what you went through. Even though I wasn't there I felt things through my man, every horror he felt. He went face down in water buffalo crap in the rice paddys. He had to stay there all night or die. He was the radio man for his first tour. You know what that was like! When He did come home he had left some of his soul behind. I know the Marines did not leave their wounded. Even though I am 5' 8" and only weigh 140lbs (muscle not fat) and let me tell you, a woman had to work twice as hard as a man did, to prove herself as a Marine in 1974. That is no lie.

Posted at 11:42AM on Jul 2nd 2008 by Marie

13. Its play. When you make things taboo kids get even more curious. Teach them respect and there won't be accidents. Don't teach them anything and when some fool leaves a gun unattended tragedy can happen.

Posted at 3:24PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Joe

14. i totally agee with you.

Posted at 5:50PM on Jun 28th 2008 by marsha

15. Its not a matter of making sissies out of boys. If children( boys and girls) are interested in army type play ( or as in my day- cops and robbers and cowboy and indians) they will use toy guns if allowed. Or sticks and fingers if not allowed toy guns.
There is nothing wrong with children making up these games and role-playing them out.
However, it is quite another thing to encourage this type of behavior and preoccupation.
I would not be encouraging my child's love of guns and fighting by making a gun necklace for his mother. I would explain to the child til he ( or she) was blue in the face how dangerous guns were and how fighting is not the best way to work out conflicts.
For someone like Angelina Jolie who works closely with the UN and sees first hand the effects and ravages of war, i would NOT allow my child to have weapon jewelry or dress my small child in camo attire.
War should not be glorified or normalized.

Posted at 3:27PM on Jun 28th 2008 by kerri

16. This is stupid all kids play war and like toy guns! Girls play this also!

Posted at 3:36PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Brenda

17. Oh, how sweet. A deliberately set-up story to bring out the anti-gun lunatics, all ranting about how evil guns are. Hey, Dodos, I grew up with guns. In my time, a kid walking down the street with a .22 rifle in his hand didn't draw a second glance. I went down to a field, shot rabbits, then brought them home for dinner. Nobody went into a tirade over it. Today, a SWAT team would descend on the kid, CFS would take the kid and stick him in a foster home, the parents would be arrested on Felony charges, and the anti-gunners would all sob hysterically about how the parents just ruined the kids' life forever. How strange... in the next 50 years, nobody in my graduating class was ever arrested for anything, EVER. We all grew up to be well-adjusted citizens. We all still have guns (but we have to keep them hidden from the lunatics who mindlessly hate guns). And we have ZERO crime in our city. But hey - why let the facts interfere with the anti-gun maniacs?

Posted at 3:54PM on Jun 28th 2008 by Doctor Bob

18. Wow, don't you read the responses? Everyone's saying what you are! lol

Maddox is a little boy. Little boys play war. They also draw pictures. In my house, we framed our pictures. We put our pictures on ceramic dishes and mugs, too. So, Brad made a necklace. BFD. There's something wrong with the world when a mother can't be proud of the artistic accomplishments of her child.

Posted at 5:54PM on Jun 28th 2008 by lisa

19. Really? No one in your entire graduating class ever arrested for anything - EVER? Over the course of 50 years? And the city you live in has ZERO crime, you say? I am sure this is all because the kids in your neighborhood walked around with rifles. Of course!

Where do you live, the Twilight Zone? Actually, I think you live in the capital of Fantasyland, otherwise known as Delusional City.

I hope you actually hide your guns to protect the children in your community from accidentally shooting each other. Although in Fantasyland, this would never happen. How silly of me.

I am not a maniac or a lunatic, but I believe allowing children to make games out of guns is inappropriate. Children should be taught that guns are not a game, they are very serious and the point of handling a gun is to kill or mame another creature. This is not the kind of games I will ever condone my children playing - I want them to grow up respecting guns and the power they have over everyone who comes into contact with them.

Posted at 6:47PM on Jun 28th 2008 by ARH

20. and just what planet do u live on that there is no crime? Iwant to move there, but tell me this, u don't use a gun to feed ur family like they did 1 or 200 years ago, and there's no crime, why do u need a gun? Let me guess, just incase china attacks us right?

Posted at 9:04PM on Jun 28th 2008 by richard