Toy Guns

[CharlieKeys]

What are your opinions on Toy Guns or Toy knives?

I saw one of my mum friends the other day and she was ranting about mum's who refuse to ever let their kids have a toy gun. Now I've never really thought about it before, but I'm not actually sure if I'd let my two have toy guns but then again, would it be better to let them have one and then educate them on the dangers of gun crime etc?

 

[Kimmy25]

my ds1 has both and plays soldiers, I just see it as a boy being a boy. I dont think this will lead on to him being a knife wielding thug though x

 

[Seity]

I would use the toy ones to teach my son proper respect for the real thing.

 

[Rose_bud]

I won't actively go out and buy DS 1 but in my experience if boys want to play guns they'll use whatever they can find eg sticks to pretend anyway. I'd rather he didn't though so will try to encourage him to do other things.

 

[Lyndz]

I just don't like the thought of kids running around pretneding to shoot eachother, that, playing or not, just doesn't sit well with me, so no, if i had a son (or a boyish daughter), they would not be allowed pretend guns.

 

[Kimmy25]

I won't actively go out and buy DS 1 but in my experience if boys want to play guns they'll use whatever they can find eg sticks to pretend anyway. I'd rather he didn't though so will try to encourage him to do other things.

very true corey was using sticks tennis bat etc

 

[bathbabe]

My son will not be having toy guns or knives to play with. The real objects arnt toys so im certainly not going to teach him that they are.

 

[Torz]

I just don't like the thought of kids running around pretneding to shoot eachother, that, playing or not, just doesn't sit well with me, so no, if i had a son (or a boyish daughter), they would not be allowed pretend guns.

^^^^^^^ WSS

Its something i have thought about quite alot. My best friend lets her children play with toy guns & knifes & has let them play violent video games like COD etc from been a very young age. her youngest is 5 & has been playing xbox games as soon as he was able. I watch them & have always said to myself that my children wouldnt be like that. I will be asking all family & friends not to buy any pretend wepons for my LO's as presents.

The only 'gun' i would allow is a water pistol.

 

[Lightworker]

I personally don't like toy weapons. I feel they are inappropriate iykwim? I don't let my children view any media that has weapons so she won't know what a gun is for a while to come. I think toys play a significant role in LOs lives as children learn alot through play and I don't want her thinking weapons are ok- cuz IMO they are not. X

 

[charlotte-xo]

ill be letting alfie play with them. I personally dont see a problem with them I can remember my brother and all of his friends playing with them when they were younger, hes gone onto become a royal marine and none of his friends have ever carried guns or knives, i just see it as boys being boys, cowboys and indians, cops and robbers ect..

 

[charli87]

im glad i dont have a little boy so i dont really have to worry about it too much, but imo i dont feel they are appropriate 'toys' so wouldnt actively encourage a child to have them, if they did have them i want them to understand about them though

 

[Kimmy25]

ill be letting alfie play with them. I personally dont see a problem with them I can remember my brother and all of his friends playing with them when they were younger, hes gone onto become a royal marine and none of his friends have ever carried guns or knives, i just see it as boys being boys, cowboys and indians, cops and robbers ect..

completely agree

 

[binxyboo]

I just don't like the thought of kids running around pretneding to shoot eachother, that, playing or not, just doesn't sit well with me, so no, if i had a son (or a boyish daughter), they would not be allowed pretend guns.

this ^^

 

[Breezy]

My little brother (7yrs) plays with toy guns and real (unloaded, obv) shot guns of my dads. He has been taught gun respect prior to playing with them- don't point them at other people, always check and make sure they are loaded, etc. He LOVES them and talks to me about them every time he calls me "Did you know daddy lets me play with his old shot gun???" ...... "Yes, you tell me everytime I talk to you".

He pretends he is a hunter and can't wait to go hunt deer when he is older!

 

[Kimmy25]

To the mummys that said no out of curiosity would you allow your children to play with:

Swords (such as the merchandise by Pirates of the Carribean), those little toy soldier figures (like in the toy story movies), toy tanks and action men (my son has come by HM Armed Forces for eg)

Wondering if im doing the wrong thing now lol But ive seen no bad effects on my son from it hes a very well behaved respectful boy and very soft lol Infact were in the process of doing his room army style with camo wallpaper and camo nets etc

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

No I wouldn't let any of my children play with toy guns, swords etc. There's a million zillion other things out there to play at, shooting and hurting people really needn't feature.

 

[sunshine114]

No, no toy guns, knives, swords or anything violent allowed here. We were not allowed them as children as my mum was really against them and I totally agree with her. We didn't miss out from not having them, and neither did my brother play guns with sticks. I just don't think it ever occured to him. He had an action man, but he just used to rescue my barbie from the top of the wardrobe via a complicated string network. He wasn't used for war games or anything like that.
We did have water pistols though!

 

[mrs_park]

I would like to say no but in all honesty, I don't think you can stop it. Both my mum and best friend work in childcare and they say that boys will make guns out of Lego or sticks. For some reason that I don't understand, boys love guns, action movies, war games etc etc. Maybe it's a deeper issue that stems from a male desire to protect and defend? Who knows?

While I will not be buying toy guns for Isaac I've accepted the fact I may not be able to prevent it. And if it does come to that, I will enforce the rule 'No guns inside the house'

 

[Janidog]

I don't like the idea of my son playing with guns, so will hold off for as long as possible.

I think its sad when i hear 4year olds running around saying 'Bang bang you're dead'

 

[bathbabe]

To the mummys that said no out of curiosity would you allow your children to play with:

Swords (such as the merchandise by Pirates of the Carribean), those little toy soldier figures (like in the toy story movies), toy tanks and action men (my son has come by HM Armed Forces for eg)

Wondering if im doing the wrong thing now lol But ive seen no bad effects on my son from it hes a very well behaved respectful boy and very soft lol Infact were in the process of doing his room army style with camo wallpaper and camo nets etc

I dont think your doing anything wrong its your way of parenting.

I wont allow him to play with swords, by this i mean wont be buying him a sword, if he makes a sword out of something such as a stick i would just explain not to hit people with it and that id rather he didnt play with it.
Toy soldiers i dont have an issue with, amy men etc. not a problem.

In my family (obviously this is probs a coincidence) all the boys who were allowed to play with guns when younger have prefered to be be playing console games now older usually being violent ones and the boys who wernt allowed to play with toy guns have all been out doorsy types, ie my brother.. he wasnt allowed to play guns hes 15 now and would rather be out playing on his bike or fishing.