Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/438206
6 Hudson Valley Parent ■ January 2015 W hen I was growing up, my mother had a strict ban on toy guns in the house. I remember her confi s- cating the wee little guns from each package of my brother's Star Wars action fi gures before he was al- lowed to play with them. We weren't even allowed squirt guns. The result, naturally, was that we were fascinat- ed with gun play, and we'd fashion our own guns out of toilet paper rolls, paper clips, pencils — really anything we could get our hands on. We thought we were so defi ant and clever! Years later, my mother admitted that she was proud of the fact that we'd used our imagination. Now, as a mother myself, I'm al- ready facing a similar situation with my 3-year-old son. I refuse toy guns in the house, but their absence has only caused him to create his own guns out of whatever materials he can fi nd. And yes, I'm kinda proud of his ingenuity. But what rattles me most is when he talks of shooting me dead, or killing his stuffed animals. Where does this notion come from in kids so young? What have I inadvertently exposed him to that would make him even think these thoughts? I found this month's article on toy gun play ("Bang, bang! You're dead!" on page 18) to be particular- ly enlightening as to the "why" of gun play with children, and I hope you do, too. Instead of talking at him ("Guns are bad! We don't use words like 'kill' in this house!"), I try to talk with him. I ask him why he wants to kill, and I ask him how he feels about the stuffed animal dying. He's only 3, so his thoughts on the subject aren't very articulate. But together we're exploring judgment-free conversa- tions about his newfound obsession, and I'm learn- ing as I go. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic! How do you feel about toy gun play and children? Email me at editor@excitingread.com. 'Don't leave me!' How many of you have heard this cry of despair at preschool or daycare drop off? I certainly have — and it's truly heartbreaking. Make sure to check out our tips on making those drop offs easier for you and for your children! Let it snow! If the amount of snow days we have this year is anything like last year, my kids and I will be spending a lot of time climbing the walls! This year we're prepared, and you'll defi nitely want to check out the great ideas on page 24 for enter- taining yourself and your kids while you're snowed in. And if getting outside and en- joying the snow is your thing, then make sure to visit our website for a list of the top places to ski and sled in the Hudson Valley at hvparent. com/top-lists. A big thank you to all of our read- ers who submitted photos of your gorgeous kids playing in the snow on page 22! Have a happy and healthy 2015! The good fi ght KATY WEBER Editor's Journal Publisher TERRIE GOLDSTEIN tgoldstein@excitingread.com Editor KATY WEBER kweber@excitingread.com Media Advisors KIMBERLY MAYER kmayer@excitingread.com ELIZABETH GRACE egrace@excitingread.com Executive Assistant to the Publisher BRITTANY L. MORGAN bmorgan@excitingread.com Community Liaison PAMELA PERRY pperry@excitingread.com Web Ad Designer LESLIE CORTES Layout & Design ENGLE PRINTING also publishers of MY TripPlanner.com family MY TripPlanner.com family baby The HUDSON VALLEY G U I D E Hudson Valley Parent is published monthly by: The Professional Image Marketing & Public Relations Inc. 174 South Street • Newburgh, NY 12550 Phone: 845-562-3606 • Fax: 845-562-3681 hvparent.com This publication is copyrighted by the publisher. Reproduction without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Hudson Valley Parent welcomes submissions, although we cannot accept responsibility for work submitted nor guarantee publication. A MEMBER OF