Retiring Heroes

John made a trip to the attic for me, to store some of my favorite toys from our boys 'younger childhood'.

Mason was the first child and our first boy. I was not into having toys around that taught our kid to shoot (see here). But I wanted to provide "boy toys" for Mason, so he could develop his male identity-but with a decidedly altruistic/community servant kind of bent. I looked for toys that taught our kid to 'help'.

The Rescue Heroes hit the spot.

They had cool uniforms, awesome "tools" that looked like weapons created for good, and they were always the good guys. I was a relieved mother that I could encourage any kind of product for my son to enjoy his childhood. Mason partnered with them to put out fires, stop earth quakes, save children and animals from danger and repair damages to the ocean floor. His imagination was sufficiently stimulated, my conscience was sufficiently at peace.

As time passed, the heroes passed from Mason on to his brother. Porter continued to rescue kids from cliffs and figure out ways of lessening the damage of impending typhoons. He could travel to space with these heroes to fix damaged satellites. He rescued and I reveled in the good 'win win' kind of products that I had found in these heroes.

Now, Porter has grown up (a little). The Rescue Heroes (which were enjoyed by my girls as well, by the way) have been collecting dust and losing important rescue equipment hidden under Porter's bed. I've had to come to face facts;

I've put the heroes in the attic to retire.

I couldn't bare to part with them, I wanted to save them for grand kids. So last Saturday John hauled all that blessed plastic into the attic to rest.

Until my posterity need toys to imagine with.

I'm thankful for those toys. They rescued me from bored afternoons. They've opened my boys' minds to the idea that 'we use our minds and our hands to help, never ever to hurt'. That has been my mantra as a mother-even now when the kids curl their fists up at each other I remind them 'we help, we don't hurt'-those toys made it easy for me to spread that message...and now they will wait for another generation who will need to learn the same.

Thanks Rescue heroes, I"ll miss you!