Fighting, killing, bombing, stabbing, hitting...

[mama01]

All the games my just turned 3yo son loves. Assuming this normal for a boy....? Also obsessed with putting his "naughty" toys in "jail". All very amusing just want to make sure I'm not raising a serial killer!

Sounds fairly normal to me. :)

I don't know that that's 'normal' for anyone...and it would concern me, but I guess that it would definitely depend on what kinds of things he's being exposed to in his environment.

Whilst I know this is purely anecdotal - my DS didn't even know the word 'kill' until we went to a BBQ at a friend's house one day. Said friend is in the Army and his DC have access to every imaginable toy weaponry. After that day, my son started playing at 'guns' and 'killing' people. Frequent discussions about why this was not okay, what violence is, why it damages and hurts people, and how it's not okay to even pretend to threaten to kill anyone else has lead to an almost total elimination of the behaviour.

I don't, for a second, mean to suggest that I think you're raising a serial killer - but I think that a child will naturally play pretend at what they've been exposed to in their environment. Unfortunately that can sometimes be something destructive and unhealthy. It's up to each family to decide what things are acceptable within their family though. For us, no violence is acceptable - not even pretend violence.

think its normal for some boys not for others all you need tro do is encourage a balance and stop it all before it gets to killing hitting etc. the jail thing and blowing up is reasonable but no hittind, killing or hurting inho thats how I would play it. one gun one sword nothing else weaponary in the toy the collection is how my dsis managed this with a very agressive toddler and the sword and gun where often put away out of sight. he is now a very calm 5 year old.

He's not exposed to any violence in real life as it were, I suppose it's come from films on tv and on that case then yes it's up to us to decide what's appropriate and police it that way. We do tell him that hitting and killing is not nice etc but it is all in a play context and he'll say things like "let's play fighting, get your sword mummy" ( yes we have more than one...). And we do play these games with him but always tell him when he's getting a bit too giddy or boisterous and remind him it's just a game.

Not had a key worker meeting with the nursery he started in august yet. It's on my list of things to do in the new year ( he's down for a meeting in deb but that seems ages off). It'll be interesting to see how he plays there, they haven't flagged anything up with me yet.