Parents Forum

Mama4ever · 12-09-2009, 02:41 PM

I have 3 boys & they all like to wrestle each other (& their dad). The oldest is usually careful (sometimes with reminders) to go easy on the younger ones. Still, I wonder what kind of limits I should enforce. For example, my oldest can tackle & hold down the younger ones, but the younger ones can't so they hit & kick mostly. I often step in & tell them to not hit or kick - even though they're all smiling - but then I feel that I'm not being fair, since that may be all they can do. I always thought hitting & kicking was wrong - but is it wrong if they're wrestling & having fun? I don't want them to think it's ok to hit & kick others.

What do you think?

bssage · 12-09-2009, 03:27 PM

My brother and I still tackle each other when we visit each other. Purple nurple's and the whole ten yards. Its kinda a mommy question. My feeling is when it get annoying things are being broken or lots of blood (not a little). Thats when you should intervene.

You could do what my mom did and chase us around with a shoe or fly swatter or something like that.

NinJaBob · 12-09-2009, 06:05 PM

Maybe try channeling the aggression by getting boxing gloves or something like that. Otherwise you have to evaluate your kids. Ask yourself will they or are they being aggressive with other kids.

It's a personal choice. Personally I don't let my kids play fight. If I remember correctly from my youth it almost always ended with someone going too far and the other guy getting hurt.

My Brother who is 15 years older then me still punches me in the arm and stuff like that. I find it very annoying.

Jeremy+3 · 12-10-2009, 02:17 AM

Our children are not allowed to play fight, to us violence is violence and me and my wife don't tolerate it.

Mama4ever · 12-10-2009, 09:58 AM

Thanks for the responses & I welcome any more.
Funny suggestion...about your mom chasing them around with a shoe or fly swatter - sounds like my mom!

I wonder if violence as a sport isn't so "violent." Sports can get pretty violent (ie Football, wrestling...)! But then again, I'm not exactly that into Football, for that very reason. Sometimes I wonder why I've been blessed with only boys. They are very different from girls & I'm learning as I go...

mom2many · 12-10-2009, 02:25 PM

My kids rough house, there are 8 of them and range in age from 18-5 weeks, you can find any combination of them "going at it", I don't mind a little hitting or kicking from the littlier ones when they are up against the older ones, it is the only way to make it a fair fight. I do watch to make sure it doesn't get out of hand....of course someone always ends up hurt, but they know going in that that might happen so they handle it much better then if this was a sibling fight.

My kids know the difference and I have never had a problem with it outside of the house or with other kids. They understand that it is only allowed in play with thier siblings.

They are smart buggers, they can tell the diference.

NinJaBob · 12-10-2009, 06:04 PM

When I was about 9 years old I would go to the neighbors house for about an hour before catching the bus. The neighbor kids got some boxing gloves for Christmas. We started boxing everyday before school. I would occasionally go to school with fat lips black eyes and bloody noses (you should have seen the other guys) Anyway the school got sick of it and called Child protective Services on our parents thinking that we were being abused. There was an investigation. I was asked a lot of questions and my mother was given the third degree. Anyway soon after that the boxing loves disappeared and I was beaten. (just a little)

There's no point to the story just seemed like a good place to tell it.