Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy 9 year old son and fascination with weapons?

I think what the OP describes is completely "normal" in that it sounds like a deep fascination with one specific subject. I have a friend who's son also has been deeply fascinated by WWII around the same age. Likewise I've seen lots of kids fascinated by one thing for extended periods of time. I suspect that for the OP's child, it will be possibly a phase that passes into deep fascination for something else. Or perhaps it will lead to a life-long interest. It's too early to tell. I wouldn't necessarily think it's anything to worry about unless the child was showing other types of troubling behavior (either thoughts or actions).

I don't think a facisnation with guns/weapons is "normal" in the sense that all boys get excited about weapons - i.e.:


I've known lots and lots of boys, and there's no way you can characterize all boys as enjoying weapons and being fascinated by weapons. Talking about weapons isn't how you motivate boys, or anyone, to get interested in history. The way you motivate kids to get interested in history (or any subject) is by having the person who is teaching it be interested in it and make that interest obvious to the students.

Yes, some boys are interested in weapons. Some aren't. It's not something that defines the male gender.

You also can't make the inverse assumption - that girls' attention is turned off when the subject is weapons.

polarbear

Well said.

Ok - maybe I overgeneralized my own experience - but I would have liked more coverage of weapons technology in history class.

The high interest might include an interest in weapons technology.

Just be careful about the shooting ranges.. A LOT of lead in the those places...

I think there are ways to encourage his interests without taking him to a shooting range if that is not an actvity your family...values.

I also have a little history buff but mine is female. Among others we have gone through all consuming fascination with Ancient Egypt, the American Revolution and the pilgrims. As someone mentioned above we threw ourselves into each one - visiting every Egypt collection we had access to, touring Boston and Philadelphia and attending a harvest dinner at Plimouth Plantation - each at least twice. If you are uncomfortable with the weapon fascination - and I have to admit that I probably would be too but that's because I'm a total pascifist - I would gently try to guide him in the direction of a new area to throw himself into. You never know where it's going to come from. We got free tickets to a performance of the musical "Teddy and Alice" and DD fell head over heals for Teddy Roosevelt. An unusual passion for an 8 year old. And in our typical fashion it led to visiting the Panama Canal - twice.

When I taught gifted kids there were a TON of boys (I don't remember any girls but who knows) who were fascinated by war, weapons, etc. Both of my sons are WWII buffs, as are my brother and father. I think it's common. My history interest was more domestic (lived and breathed Laura Ingalls) as a child. I think it's all pretty normal for intellectual types.

Thank you everyone for your responses. The kid wants to visit Pearl Harbor and other history museums so it looks like my summer will be busy and expensive lol. The idea that he's fascinated with weapons and war and history doesn't neccessarily surprise me as my father was a member of a World War 2 online fighter plane group (no joke) and they used to have annual meetings and they would do Dog FIghts in the air using acrobatic planes. Totally not my thing lol. But, my son is so interested in it. There was recently yet another shooting by a child in my area, and on the news "experts" were talking about how the child was interested in guns as a kid and was around guns therefore that must be why he did it. And yes I got terrified. However after talking to DS (whom by the way is now timing me in my showers because according to him we waste water, and has now decided to champion for Pittbulls so he started a website) I'm no longer concerned he would do anything to intentionally hurt anyone but I also need to make sure he doesn't go to school and start talking about this stuff or CPS will show up at my door!

If you're going to be spending the money on traveling to museums, it's probably cheaper to go to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans than to Pearl Harbor.

As far as morbid fascinations, I'd say there are some major differences between interest in handguns and rifles on one hand, and tanks and battleships on the other. For one, there's very little opportunity to experiment with the latter.