Super Heros and Boys

 I am the mother of two school aged boys.  Boys that started out loving trucks, front end loaders and tractors.  As they grew older they moved on to cars and race tracks, then it was trains and most recently it's all things superhero.  I thought this was normal, acceptable, and part of their boyhood.  That is until my eight year old son came home from school with a birthday invitation that specified "no superheros please".  In checking with the mother of the birthday boy regarding some suggestions for suitable gifts, it was mentioned that superheros were not okay in their house.

I fully respect others choices but I have to say it got me thinking about what life would be like in our house without superheros.  We have not forced our kids to play with Batman, or Superman or Power Rangers.  Neither did we force them to love trucks when they were toddlers.  These are their own interests developed with minimal interference from us.

Not all boys love superheros.  I venture to guess that my brother never owned a single superhero action figure.  My boys, however, do love superheros.  And I think that's wonderful.

I have watched my boys play together for hours with their superhero action figures.  Spiderman and Optimus Prime, Red Ranger and Buzz Lightyear, Bumblebee and Eagle Ranger.  They work together, as a seamless team driven by the powerful force of the imaginations of an eight year old and a five year old.  Together, they soar into a world where good conquers evil, where the underhanded way is the wrong way and the bad guy finishes last.

None of their other toys inspire their imaginations to this extent.  To the point where one is impatiently waiting for the other to finish his supper so the battle can begin.  A battle that has intricate plot twists, suspense, and plenty of action.  I rarely hear those words dreaded by parents of school age children the world over, "Mom, I am bored."

Because my boys have playtime possibilities limited only by their imagination.  And if all it takes is a few superheros to spark that, then superheros are okay by me.

Original post to Canada Moms Blog.  Kami can also be found conquering evil at Kami's Khlopchyk