I Would Make That Sacrifice

For some reason, Tai tends to pick that while-he-should-be-getting-ready-for-bed time of day to ask important questions or dump a load of new information on me. A couple times he has chosen tooth brushing time to suddenly give me all the dirt on his classmates -- who the best readers are, who teases who, and who gets sent to the Principal's office.  Maybe this is just a bedtime stalling tactic?  Well, when the topic is interesting enough it totally works.


Tonight as he stepped up to the sink to brush his teeth he announced, "I want to join the USA Army when I grow up."


Now, I am absolutely not going to start any pro or con military talk here.  But I think it is probably a very rare mother who would want her child fighting on the front lines.  Could I be proud of my child for choosing that career?  Of course. Would I rather him be an accountant?  Hell yes.


Anyway, trying not to sound alarmed by Tai's sudden announcement, I inquired what, specifically, he liked about the idea of joining the army. We talked briefly about the different jobs one could do in the army and Tai indicated he wanted to be, "a soldier who fights in war."  I asked if this was just because he wants to use a gun (figuring this was our payback for not letting him have violent toys) and he answered back with, "No, it is because I want to protect my country and my family."


Have I mentioned he's only seven? And living in the peace-loving hippy-dippy Pioneer Valley? Where did he get that language?


I tried the old, "Well you have to be 18 to join so you have plenty of time to decide" and, "Daddy and I will be proud of you no matter what job you choose because we know you will work hard and do your best," tactic. But he wasn't done with this conversation.


Even though I said nothing anti-military, he launched into a little persuasive speech, complete with detailed examples: "I would try to solve problems with words first, Mama, but sometimes there is just no other choice but to fight. .....the problem is.....if we fight them we might kill them."


I couldn't help but interject, "And they might kill you. "


"I know," he said, "but I would be willing to make that sacrifice."


And then he continued on with the example that I had apparently interrupted: "But, Mama, the problem is if, say Japan, is trying to take over our country and we have no choice but to fight them, we might kill them. But then the problem is this would just make them more mad and they would want to fight us more."


My attempt to take his Japan example and use it to show him why he should not hit back when his sister hits him failed spectacularly. He would not lose sight of the original topic of conversation.   But we did get to learn the word "escalate."


Feeling like he really needed to make me see just how dedicated he is, he gave another example. "If someone was trying to take over all of North America and make there be Unfair Rules, and we were really losing bad, I would sacrifice myself so we could win.  I would let them kill me.  I am not lying, Mama. "


By this time, we had made our way into his room for a bedtime story and Quynh came to join us.  I read, and Tai stared off into the distance all through bedtime story and then asked me to write a note reminding us to pick this conversation up again tomorrow.


Quynh also wanted me to write a note to remind us to discuss her future career.  As a ballerina.