Superheroes Are Not Always Super
When I was a kid, I loved superheroes. I still do. Big surprise, so does my son. Spiderboy’s fascination started about two years ago when he discovered my superhero action figure collection. They were only a couple dollars each so I started collecting them. Back then, Spiderboy only had a mild interest. This changed before he turned three. He fell in love with superheroes and claimed my collection as his own. Then the arms of my action figures started breaking off. I’m sure it was just a coincidence or as my son likes to tell me, “The arms fell off by themselves.”
When my son wakes up each morning, he “saves the day” by piling pillows on top of me and then jumping on me. I just want to sleep. Can’t he save the day with mommy? After Spiderboy is done saving the day, he and I engage in epic battles with his superhero toys. Apparently, my son’s team has the power to smack me with a nerf ball when I’m not expecting it. Cheater.
Throughout the day my son shoots web at his sisters imaginary bad guys and sometimes he even pretends he’s the bad guy (should I be concerned?). When I tuck him in at night, he wants me to read comic books to him. I got tired of reading them every night so I hid them and told him they were lost. Bad daddy. Bad daddy. At night, my son also tells me which superhero toys he wants for Christmas (that would be everything that he does not already have). He started doing this the day after his birthday…in June…that’s more than six months before Christmas. Did I mention he tells me EVERY NIGHT?
While my son has a passion for superheroes, he has no interest in learning his ABC’s, counting, drawing, or writing. I’m beginning to think his obsession with superheroes is interfering with his ability and desire to learn. Unless things change, my son is going to have a long career working at a comic book store when he grows up. I guess he’ll me living with mommy and daddy forever. I hope he still won’t be jumping on me every morning.
Take a look at the photo of Spiderboy below. All my son has to do is color shapes or trace over letters in his workbook. Instead, he cries. I bet the Silver Surfer didn’t cry when he did homework. BTW, have I ever mentioned that when I was a kid, I wanted to be struck by lightning so I could have Lightning Lad’s super powers?
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ooh! ooh! I know this one!
My oldest was giving the same kind of trouble for his reading lessons, so at the end of each one my wife would draw a little picture of Spiderman or Venom or whoever started with the day’s letter and they would practice writing the letter together. We also got him some superhero early reader books.
And we also have a collection of armless action figures. Look for them in an upcoming post.
You too, huh. I noticed none of my daughters’ toys have missing limbs.
Like father, like son, huh? I think it’s great that he’s so enthusiastic about something. Mark has the right idea - integrate the superheroes into the stuff he has to learn. Julia isn’t wild about trying to write her ABC’s, but she loves to try and write her name and my name and the cats names…by the time it’s all said and done, she’s practiced the whole alphabet.
The jumping thing? It’s not just for superheroes. Ariel, the little mermaid, hops on us in our bed every morning, too.
Luckily for me, the girls don’t jump on me too.
I must have lived a crazy childhood. I honestly don’t remember getting into superheroes at all until I was a teenager. It could have something to do with living in Japan though I think.
But yeah I’d say integrating superheroes into everyday things would be the thing to do.
“look at spidey write those letters!” he’d have no problems following in those footsteps I think!
I didn’t even know about superheroes until middle school. I use to read comic books at stores and friends’ house because my parents wouldn’t buy me any.
Oh that’s too funny. My son is also very into superheroes. He has a small collection of Star Wars ships that he dearly loves. He also has several small spiderman, superman and batman figures that he plays with. As it’s been big on my mind lately I just have to say that at this age their homework should be play. I stayed up visiting last night with my hubby about memories of what we did in elementary school and we both remembered clearly doing the same types of simple phonics worksheets and basics well into 3rd grade. Now my son is bringing it home at age 4. I think we want too much too soon and kids need to be kids. They have their entire lives to master writing. ;) Just my four cents. So keep play’n spiderboy…go boy go!!
Hugs,
Holly
I want him to have fun too, but I don’t want him to be the slowest kid in class either. Our kids don’t go to preschool so my wife has him doing the workbook about 15 minutes a day 3-5 days a week.
Look at Spiderboy in the first picture. We can see his whole face!
When Peep was little he would cheat on games and change the rules just so he could win. We were worried for his future, but he has turned out OK so far.
I’m with everybody else. Just integrate superheroes into his learning. You know, S is for Spiderman. V is for Venom.
I took that photo in November before he started covering his face. I wonder how Halloween pictures will turn out this year.
Ahhh….the “I’ll save you”-by-doing-you-bodily harm-as-I-laugh-my-head-off scenario….savor it now because it doesn’t last forever.
Oh, you know that one too. It’s even more fun when my son doesn’t land on the pillow and ends up kneeing or kicking me.
My son (who is 4) is not into the learning thing. The first week of preschool he cried the whole time he was in class and then when it came to playing or going to the playground, he was fine. He has finally gotten use to it. My friend keeps trying to tell me that he will learn to write in good time…and every child is different. To be honest I think he knows his stuff pretty well, he just doesn’t want to show it and/or is not interested. Oh well. Have a good Wednesday and rest of the week!!!
Oh btw, I like that workbook he has?? where did your wife get that???
We got the workbook at Costco. They even have superheroe themed workbooks, but those are for 2nd grade and higher.
You should introduce him to Super Addition Man and his sidekick Vocabulary Boy!
Keep smilin!
Reminds me of Letterman on PBS. PBS is suppose to have superhero themed educational show this Fall. I hope my son likes it. He doesn’t Sesame Street.
I still remember School House Rock. If only there were action figures. . . who am I kidding, that still wouldn’t be cool.
Nothing we watch would be cool to our kids.
My son is obsessed with all things Lego and Star Wars. I wish he’d put as much dedication into his homework and classwork as he does building his star ships.
Sigh.
My guess is that my son will get into Star Wars when he gets older. Right now, he doesn’t care for the movies. Something must be wrong with him.
I have a different problem, one of my boys runs around as superman, all when and good. The other seems determined to be the bad guy (the bald dude).
Apart from the obvious fighting that ensues, thing 2 feel its *his duty* to be the evil do-er around the house.
http://www.zonedefence.net
My son is like that. He tells me to get more bad guys so the good guys can have someone to fight with.
1. That is an awesome picture of your son crying over the workbook. Too funny!
2. You know you’ll miss it when he is no longer “saving the day!”
3. When my son was your age, he could often be seen in public in full Batman regalia. So funny. No worries, though, he grew out of it.
Aww, poor guy! He probably doesn’t understand why ( he is a super hero ya know) he can’t master all of that with ease, because everything else always works itself out perfectly in his super hero play time and imagination.
Anna is like that, she is pretty smart but still expects things to come easily to her, all the time. LOL!
Try the show SUPER WHY on PBS-I just found that it was on a month ago and my 3 year old loves it. He is into superheros and only talks now about SUPER WHY. You can watch an episode on http://www.pbskids.org and find SUPERWHY and then at the top it says “watch an episode” Then you can get another one through itunes free. They are based on fairytales but are about a kid and his friends who turn into superheros to save the day when the story isn’t how they would want it to be. Its very cute.
My son started watching that show too. He loves it, but there are a lot of repeats.