Did I Over-react?

[Stang Girl]

Ok, this issue was brought up in a round about way on EF...thought I'd bring this back up to see what you think. This happened in the summer of '05 for a little history...

Here is the scenario on Saturday night...Jeff and I are going outside and we go through the garage. Up against the wall is youngster's (he will be 12 yoa on Sunday) loaded BB gun with an open pocket knife taped to the end like a bayonet. He used black electrical tape. ) Anyway, I lose it!!! How could my son be so irresponsible about using a real knife on a real BB gun? : Feel like this horrible mother and where did I go wrong, blah, blah, blah. : So, he gets everything taken away from him, his pellet gun, toy guns, sling shot, bow and arrows, all his pocket knives (he collects them), you get the picture. Well, I am really upset, so Jeff starts telling me stuff that he did when he was that age, my ex-husband tells me that boys will be boys, and one of my friends told me that up until the age of about 24, he was still having BB gun fights with his friends. 8O

So, did I over-react? Is this normal for 12 year olds? I am not ready to deal with this kind of stuff...I am used to locking kids up for this kind of stuff...what is a mother to do?

OK, I need to feel better than I am not this horrible mother...what did ya'll do when you were 12 yoa?

[KF5ZXT]

I think you may have overreacted a bit.
I don't know how good a sample I was, but by the time I was 12 I had already been in numerous fights, and probably about 5-6 of those included knives of some sort. None of these were my fault, mind you.
Of course, I had been arested a few times by then too. Anyway, I was a dumb fawker when I was that age, getting into all kinds of trouble. I don't really see the knife taped to a bb gun as that big of a deal. Maybe if he had been attempting to stab someone or chasing the cat around or something, or otherwise destroying your property with it, then I could see your problem. But technically all he did was tape two things together. Know what I mean?
I am in no way attempting to tell you that you are wrong, however.

[Stang Girl]

It's more funny now then it was then. I guess it was just because he had never done that before and it really shocked me. He is a lot better now, so he might start getting some of his arsenal back soon. Just depends on how he acts.

[Sexy Evil ST]

I think you should have sat him down and given him a beer and a penthouse magazine.

If you need help I can come up this weekend with some supplies.

You don't want him to be do you?

Just leave it up to Uncle Johnny!
He can come rolling with me in the Sexy Evil ST and the toothless ho's.

[Sexy Evil ST]

[SVO]

[TxPlates]

So now I know not to leave John alone with my son!!