What Buffy Did for Me and My Family

[muck_a_luck]

AG33 and The Barbarian can actually play together now. Last night, after The Barbarian came home, they played for a long time, having a blast. She's open to instruction, but imaginative, completely uninhibited and wonderfully enthusiastic, and she doesn't mind doing the same thing over and over again. AG33 has our old king mattress and boxsprings, but no bed frame, so it is low to the floor. They were leaping around on it, built a fort on it, hid behind it.

They were, of course, playing Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Now, before you think AG33 was the ringleader... well, he did start it. But at the beginning, before I realized I could leave them up there to their own devices, I supervised for about 20 minutes. And the Barbarian, upon being handed a "stake" went up to a "vampire" and growled, "I poke ju in ju EYE," and proceeded to visciously stake the vampire. When we pointed out that might not be the best way to kill a vampire, she yelled, "I cut off ju head!!!" And proceeded to try to saw the heads of various stuffed animals representing the bad guys using her cardboard stake like a knife.

But *very* soon after the got started, she announced menacingly, "Barbarian is the vomper!" and turned on AG33! She snatched up the stuffed animal representing Buffy, and began BITING I ON THE NECK!!!!! Eventually, she and AG33 had a big sword fight with AG33's homemade cardboard weapons, very Buffy v. Angel.

I dragged her downstairs for a "real" dinner. When she was done, they went back to their play, although it was much quieter. This was when they built the fort. I think they were allies again against the vampires at that point.

While this all is making me think maybe she should NOT see any more Buffy, as probbaly it is not good for a three-year-old to creatively decide to cut off someone's head, I was delighted by the maturity she showed in playing. They she was whaling on her brothr with that floppy cardboard sword, but not in any way that made me concerned for AG33. She was kicking, too, but only animals, not him. She was jumping and flopping on the bed, falling down dramatically into the pillows and animals, but never near the edge. Really, I am so protective of both of them, but she was actually rough-housing very safely! They did have one skull crack that AG33 blamed on himself. No harm done, I don't think it was very hard.

Sometimes there really are joys in parenthood. It's nice to see the sun shining through the clouds. Welcome, three. Two, we are not that sad to see you go!

Comments

[seleneheart]

For my kids, three was actually worse. *shudders*

You'll miss these times, though. I know I do, especially since *my* daughter just started shaving her legs. *wibbles*

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

Awwww. *pets*

[alpha-strike.livejournal.com]

She obviously understands complex concepts. And she can think of her feet: if poking them in the eye doesn't do the trick, perhaps cutting off their head will.

All things being equal, there are much worse things for her to watch than Buffy. Buffy provides one of the few examples she will *ever* see of a strong and capable woman dealing with complex issues in (aside from she head cutty-offy parts) a rational and competent way. Yes, she uses violence, but only in response to violence (she never hits Xander, for example) and the other qualities Buffy and her friends display more than make up for the violence.

OTOH, there are an awful lot of adult concepts... maybe you're right.

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with your analysis on Buffy! I just think maybe it would be better for when she's six, rather than barely three. On the other hand, maybe it's too late already...

[emeraldsword.livejournal.com]

oh, this story is adorable!

If it's any consolation, the 'adult issues' will probably go straight over her head - my sister and I watched Red Dwarf aged 10 and 8 and completely missed all the innuendo. I rewatched at 15 and was 'OMG, this is totally dirty!'

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

:D Actually, there are certain shows that she CAN watch (or be in the room for, as she usually ins't paying much attention to these shows) that we don't let her older brother watch, for exactly that reason! So the sexual/romantic issues in Buffy are not the concern. It's the straight up violence, that she's obviously completely absorbed, combined with the scare factor, which is a lot for her. It's sad, because she really likes the characters in it, but the monsters are a bit much!