Fake Tattoo Story

I obviously haven't felt much like blogging lately. I could say I've been busy, which is true, but I really just didn't feel like writing. So here's a story:

Just before we were leaving the house one day, I noticed Riley had used red and black permanent markers and given himself a tattoo. I wasn't overly thrilled about the marker but it was homecoming week after all. While most typical kids were marking themselves up with bobcat symbols, I should have realized by now that we're most definitely not a typical family. Even though we may look like it to the outside world. When I took a closer look at Riley's "tattoos" on both of his hands and his bicep, I saw that he had very accurately drawn and colored a Nazi symbol.

Steve's immediate reaction was to get angry and make Riley wash them off, no small feat since it was, after all, permanent marker. I'll admit, I was angry too but I put off my anger temporarily and talked to Riley. I asked him if he knew what the symbol meant. His answer was something along the lines of "powerful military guys". Which is true. And to an eleven year old boy who has very little power over anything in his life, I guess that would be alluring.

I simply told him that there was quite a bit more to the Nazi's than what he realized. I asked him if we could make a deal. I would rent the movie Shindler's List and watch it with him. If, after watching the movie, he still wanted to wear the symbol, I would let him. Until then, he agreed to wash off the symbol and not draw any more.

So Sunday afternoon, Riley and I went to Mr Movies. We came home, got some popcorn and settled in for a three hour movie. I let Taylor and Anthony watch it with us. I know it's rated R and very graphic but it has such a powerful historic message. I did fast forward through the sex scene ;)

All three kids sat glued to the tv through the entire movie. The most powerful moment came for me when it was over when I asked Riley if he still wanted to wear the Nazi symbol. He slowly shook his head, no, then glared over at his brother and said in a voice of steel, "and if you ever tell anyone I had it, you'll be in big trouble!"

I think a lesson has been learned.
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