I’ve never seen Star Wars.
(My friends dragged me to The Phantom Menace in 1999, which I mostly slept through, so I’m not counting that.)
So when my 5yo and I stopped by our 8yo neighbor’s Jedi-themed birthday party last week, we were not exactly the target audience.
They served “Yoda Soda” and “Wookie Cookies” and turned their backyard into a Jedi training facility, complete with light sabers made out of pool noodles and duct tape. It was very cute.
(My 5yo called it a “light saver,” also very cute.)
My son and I did some “target practice” with a NERF dart gun aimed at a pyramid made of white Solo cups with storm trooper faces glued to them. It was the first time he’s ever played with a toy gun of any kind.
At the end of the party, we were sent home with our own light saber (and one for his 2yo sister). After smacking the walls with his, my son was banished to the backyard, where he proceeded to fight an imaginary “Dark Vader.”
I’ve generally not been one to blame violent movies or video games for real violence in society. But, I can’t help but notice that a kid who was calling Starburst candy “Star Wars” last Halloween (adorable!) was now seemingly ready to go all-in on the franchise – starting with killing its biggest villain in our backyard.
Perhaps the real insight here for me as a parent isn’t the growing influence (and violence) of Star Wars – but the beginning of my slowly-but-surely shrinking influence with my child, who will be entering kindergarten in a few short months.
I’m learning as I go, and I’m willing to lean into my son’s interests – even Star Wars – but I’m not drinking any Yoda Soda!
The lessons of parenthood continue…😊