Eleven-year-old Mr. A is a seasoned maker of bows and arrows. He has even made compound bows, and his aim is quite good. His bow-making skills are well known in the fifth grade, and he's actually sold bows and arrows to his friends (yeah, you can bet their parents hate me).

Now, he's turned his attention to blow guns, fashioning darts out of toothpicks and Q-Tips. Having advanced beyond the standard plastic straw stage, he has moved on to more durable materials: copper pipe and tubing. He bought a length of pipe, polished it with Brasso, and lacquered it to keep it from tarnishing. His accuracy with it is surprising. He can now hit and pop balloons as they float to the ground after being tossed into the air.

See? If you don't let your kids play violent video games or watch TV, they have the time and initiative to create REAL weapons at home. Why settle for virtual violence when your child can study the physics and impact of projectiles at home?

We're just hoping he never develops an interest in explosives...

April 13, 2007