Shotguns and Four-Year-Olds

What? You don't let your preschooler play hunting games? Well, I used to be a really good parent. No violent games, no pacifiers, always dressed in clean clothes, never eating cookies for breakfast. I could do it all. That was, of course, before I actually HAD kids. My, oh my, how things change. So here's the latest example. Ryan sweet talked me into buying this crazy video game that plugs into the TV called "Deer Huntin' 3". I think he loves it almost as much as me and maybe, just maybe, as much as chocolate milk. It has this shotgun that you have to pump and pull the trigger, after you take the safety off naturally, to shoot deer, bears, and elk. Here's the kicker...he's really good! Once he got his dad to give him a turn *grin* he started blasting everything away in sight. He's convinced he's a real hunter now and even has big plans on bagging a deer with Daddy this year, so when he asked to call Granddad the other night, I figured he wanted to tell him about how many he shot. Instead, here's the one-sided version of the conversation I heard:

Ryan--"Hi Granddad!"

pause

Ryan--"Did you buy me a gun for Christmas yet?"

pause

Ryan--"Yeah, a GUN."

pause

Ryan--"OK, bye!"

I don't know what Bob actually told him. This might be the most exciting Christmas we've ever had in this family!!!