Will you let your child play with toy guns?

[smokey]

I always thought before that I didnt have a problem with LO playing with toy guns, it is after all just playing.
I had toy guns so did my brother and nephew and it never did us any harm or made us violant (well ok yes my brother is but he perfers baseball bats)

But I came across this video on youtube, I was searching for iggle piggle being shot but thats a whole other story of revenge for getting his song stuck in my head.
And seeing this I cant help think where on earth did this child learn such things and is playing with toy guns no longer as innocent as it used to be or is this still just play that means notthing?

Whats your oppinions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2USczC4BiT0

 

[ShanandBoc]

I dont think any type of deadly weapon should be promoted as a childs toy. Doesnt sit well with me at all.

That video disturbs me, a 20 month old, knowing what killing is and trying to act it out

 

[pinklizzy]

No, I wouldn't want her playing with toy guns or any other pretend weapon. x

 

[amygwen]

I don't like guns in general, so definitely not. Although FOB loves hunting and wants to eventually share that passion with Kenneth, even though I'm dead set against it. I hate guns, I think they're awful so I personally wouldn't buy him one and give it to him. But obviously FOB is a gun fanatic so I doubt that will sit well with him!

 

[smokey]

I have always loved shooting I have been in competitions and won awrds and such for it so I always had in mind that when he was old enough I would like to share this with him.
I am of course talking about a controled enviroment at a shooting range with targets never as in hunting where he will learn the rules and how to use them with respect and safety.
I just never thought id have a problem with toy guns untill I saw this, he even lays they doll down as though hes killed it.

 

[amygwen]

^^ oh my god.. that video is horrible. (I don't know why it didn't show up the first time I posted)! That is soooo scary!!

 

[ShanandBoc]

Am i hearing things or is he yelling out 'die' ?

 

[smokey]

Am i hearing things or is he yelling out 'die' ?

I think he was making bang bang noises then shouted die at the end.

Im not realy bothered with how others raise their kids or judging anyone for this child actions realy.
Im just shocked more so how one little video cn make me rethink my whole view on it.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Brian is soooo cute btw, ive been meaning to say that to u for ages x

 

[wishuwerehere]

I don't think I'd choose to give my children toy guns to play with, but ultimately I've seen kids pretending a shoe is a gun, so you could say if they want to they're going to play shooting anyway!

 

[Nibblenic]

Although I dont paticually like guns as toys. I wouldnt stop my child having one.
I believe it is just play as long as its imagination. I draw a line at video games with guns where violence is whon rather than imagined.

I mean my Lo only this week told her dolly she was naughty and shoved her in the toybox and shut the lid. Shoutng bad baby.

Now I dont even do time out in another room let alone shut her in a box (before anyone calls SS) Its all come from her head and I think its good to let these things act out as long as its within thier imagination and not within someone elses like a fiilm or game producer

 

[smokey]

I don't think I'd choose to give my children toy guns to play with, but ultimately I've seen kids pretending a shoe is a gun, so you could say if they want to they're going to play shooting anyway!

True

 

[smokey]

Brian is soooo cute btw, ive been meaning to say that to u for ages x

Thank you, he is a right cheeky little monkey lately though and knows full well how to use the cuteness to get away with it

 

[Hayley90]

Personally, I wouldnt. I dont like them as toys anyway regardless of the connotations... but with Liam, i know he wants to explain to Harrison what his job is.. he is a sharp shooter in the infantry, he is proud of being one of the best shot in his batallion... its just something that he thinks is normal, so i can safely say i bet he WILL play with them at some point. Not if i can help it though!

As a side to that - violent video games disturb me more. x

 

[OmarsMum]

I will not make a fuss if he asks for a gun toy. If he's curious & sees kids playing with one, he will get one if he wants it. It's only a toy. My 3 brothers had gun toys & it didnt affect them, they also played with dolls & dolls houses. They are not violent or feminine because of the toys they played with while growing up. We had those laser guns when we were kids & we used to run around the house shooting & playing & it was fun

I will not introduce one or encourage him to play with it, but if he's interested, I dont think it's a big issue. xxx

 

[Hayley90]

I have those foam-disc guns which are hilarious things like that i dont mind. Same as lazerquest, paintballing, airsoft... thats not an issue really... x

 

[smokey]

Personally, I wouldnt. I dont like them as toys anyway regardless of the connotations... but with Liam, i know he wants to explain to Harrison what his job is.. he is a sharp shooter in the infantry, he is proud of being one of the best shot in his batallion... its just something that he thinks is normal, so i can safely say i bet he WILL play with them at some point. Not if i can help it though!

As a side to that - violent video games disturb me more. x

With this though your child will obviously be brought up with a healthy respect for a gun and know full well how to treat it with care and rules of using it and then in the long run will not missuse the power that it has.
Hopfully this is how Brian will be brought up as well as shotting was a big part of my teens and I was one of the youngest to shoot in national cometitions.
Iv shot everything from an air riffle to machine guns and loved it.
Its when children are not taught the value of a weapon and how to respect and fear it that the problems start,
I suppose in the wrong hands pretty much anything can be a deadly weapon

 

[pinkclaire]

I have the same issue Hayley, my OH is in the infantry and living on an army camp I know they will end out playing some how.

I agree with the others though, games scare me a lot more, and we will draw the line at that, if my OH and James are outside doing a bit of pretend shooting, its got to be better than sitting in a bedroom on his own watching god knows what!

I suppose its our job as parents to make sure a child understands the difference between right and wrong and keeping stuff away from them isnt neccesarily the best option!

 

[smokey]

I have the same issue Hayley, my OH is in the infantry and living on an army camp I know they will end out playing some how.

I agree with the others though, games scare me a lot more, and we will draw the line at that, if my OH and James are outside doing a bit of pretend shooting, its got to be better than sitting in a bedroom on his own watching god knows what!

I suppose its our job as parents to make sure a child understands the difference between right and wrong and keeping stuff away from them isnt neccesarily the best option!

I agree its all about what view we raise them to have.

I cant explain why though but I have it in my head that two kids playing shooting jumping behind boxes sort of thing is fine but the way this video was seemed bad, im trying to understand why I find the two so different.

maybe its because the child appeared to be holding down the toy and shooting it and how it came across as so angry as though he thought it was funny to kill things, maybe thats why it didnt seem right to me

 

[angelandbump]

To me, the child in that video has seen something alot more violent than something he shoud have been shown at his age.

If my son wants to dress up as a cowboy with a gun then he can have one. Thats one of the fun things as a child. . A police man has a batton and hat so is So should that be banned to.

I would never allow Mathew to be subjected to violent programs/films/video games where he can see them used in that manor.

In the summer if your child asks for a water gun, would you say no? It's still a gun and it shoots (yes water i know) but it should be fun.

I think it depends on how the child has seen that wepon be used.