What's your opinion on toy guns?

[zebrastripes]

Something I read made me think of this today What's your opnion on giving children toy guns?
I was never allowed them as a child. Mind you, I have been handling real guns from I was about 11ish. So I always knew they weren't a toy. I learnt to shoot as a matter of course: I live in a rural area, you need a gun. I don't shoot for sport.
I wouldn't exactly overload a child with warlike toys etc, but then neither would I drown them in a sea of pink tackiness as I think both can be just as damaging unless in moderation...
Plus making bows and arrows is much more fun

 

[x-kirsty-x]

I remember asking this ages ago. Personally I wouldn't go out and buy my children a toy gun or knife. I don't want them growing up thinking it's alright to use them.

Allowing them to play with them has no benefit at all. I wouldn't let my child 'pretend' to do drugs, so why would I let them pretend to shoot or stab people.

I'm expecting alot of people to disagree with me, but yeah, that's my opinion

 

[mary70]

to be perfectly honest whether or not you give your child guns or you dont they WILL play guns at school this will be with their fingers, a tree branch or some other toy that they pick up, i had the idealistic view that kieron wouldnt have guns but they play whether you like it not

 

[Manda&Thomas]

i agree with kirsty on this one
i will never buy thomas a gun nor will i let anyone else
i wont buy my nephews one either i dont see the need for them
xx

 

[LucyBee]

I agree with Kirsty too. I'm not buying Tom any guns or knives to play with.

 

[x-kirsty-x]

My Mum has bought Josh a toy gun before and he loved playing with it. He's just a typical boy and he loves things like that. I wasn't happy but I let him have it for a little while, then took it off him when he'd forgotten about it

I can't protect him from the real world forever, and eventually he'll grow up and realise that guns only have one purpose.

I can't stop him using his imagination, boys will be boys and they'll always find something to use as a 'weapon' but I wouldn't purposely go out and buy something that'll encourage him to be aggressive

I think I have far too much to say on this subject, I'll shut up now

 

[Squiglet]

to be perfectly honest whether or not you give your child guns or you dont they WILL play guns at school this will be with their fingers, a tree branch or some other toy that they pick up, i had the idealistic view that kieron wouldnt have guns but they play whether you like it not

I have to agree with this.. its idealistic to think not allowing kids to play with guns stops them playing the game... Its kinda the same thing of not giving a little girl a doll in case they get themselves pregnant as teenagers on purpose. Its not the toy that causes these things its the parental upbringing...and the crowd they fall into as teenagers. and lets not go into the subject of aggressive video games...

 

[Quill]

I played with toy guns as a kid but I was NEVER allowed to point them at anybody - rule #2 of gun safety is never to let the gun point at anything you don't want to destroy or kill. I don't care if my kid grows up to play with guns but he won't point them at any humans without me telling him off. I know he won't grow up around guns like I did, but better safe than sorry.

 

[budge]

Something I read made me think of this today What's your opnion on giving children toy guns?
I was never allowed them as a child. Mind you, I have been handling real guns from I was about 11ish. So I always knew they weren't a toy. I learnt to shoot as a matter of course: I live in a rural area, you need a gun. I don't shoot for sport.
I wouldn't exactly overload a child with warlike toys etc, but then neither would I drown them in a sea of pink tackiness as I think both can be just as damaging unless in moderation...
Plus making bows and arrows is much more fun

give then guns and bows and arrows. If you don't they make their own anyway

 

[beanie]

I read an interesting article about how playing with weapons is a natural thing for both girls and boys, and helps them to make sense of the world and what is right and wrong. It can also help to improve academic achievement in boys too. However whilst I am happy for Seren to play cops and robber, cowboys etc with sticks or using her fingers as a gun (I used to do this all the time as a kid) I will never buy them a toy that looks like a gun, nor would I let anyone else buy them a gun or knife either.

 

[Misslarue]

.................I think I will let Dan Boys will be boys, my brothers both had toy guns growing up and it never gave them the message that guns are good. Although they played 'war' they still understood the differenece between right and wrong.
I see no difference between playing cops with guns and batons (good guys) or being a jedi with a light sabre from starwars. Or even war 'toys' such as air craft carriers/tanks/soldiers or plastic swords for pirates or water guns. Where do you draw the line? I want to teach Dan the right message but at the same time not sheilding him from the world as it is or stifling his imagination in anyway. It's hard to get the right balance this parenting lark!

 

[lfc_sarah]

I agree with Kirsty too

But i also think they will do it anyway

 

[dannii87]

Not sure of my view on this to be honest?! I can see both sides so I'm not too sure.

I guess I sway more towards not thinking too deeply about it, if we all thought about the effects of everything we give our children, I guess we shouldn't give them;

Dolls: I wouldn't say it encourages pregnancy...
Action men/war figures: Neither of my brothers want to join the army/intrigued by guns and war...

I can't think of any more right now It's a Sunday! The day of rest lol x

 

[MagicMarkers]

Im not sure, im not sure whether kids have toy guns has any relevance or effect on whether they progress into gun crime
Im pretty sure i remember playing cowboys and indians with my brother with bows and arrows and guns, and i cant say its ever instilled any positive connotations of guns for me, i agree kids will always play cops and robbers etc and you cant keep them ignorant to guns forever, i really dont know not being a parent I just think if a little kids dressed ina stripey jumper with a SWAG bag i dont think theyll end up a burgular, so i cant think toy guns have much of an effect either way.

Ps- How comes you need a gun in a rural area ?

 

[evemarie8]

I wouldn't go out to buy any weapon type toys for Clark but then if he went to a friends who had them I wouldn't say he couldn't play with them because that would just make them look far more appealing to him. Also if he ever asks me if he can have toy guns or knives I will have to talk to him about why he wants them and give him a bit of background on what the reality of them is!

 

[Melly+2]

I wouldnt buy my kid one but if someone bought them one i wouldnt take it away, they are gonna see worse in films, video games ect, there gonna be exposed to it in some shape or form some day

 

[skairdykat]

to be perfectly honest whether or not you give your child guns or you dont they WILL play guns at school this will be with their fingers, a tree branch or some other toy that they pick up, i had the idealistic view that kieron wouldnt have guns but they play whether you like it not

I agree with you Mary too.
I work in a school with aged 4-5 year olds and even though they don't have toys like that in class the kids always end up either running round pointing their fingers going 'bang bang' or will make guns out of stickle bricks etc. Although they are told not to they still do it. I think it's just natural, it doesn't mean they're all going to end up killing someone for real when they are older. I cetainly haven't and I'm sure I had a gun finger when I was a kid. LOL I remember pretending I was a 'cop' one day and you know how on the films they throw themselves on the floor whilst pointing their gun at someone? Well I did that but ended up with sore knees, elbows and face

 

[Magic Monkey]

My mum always said that we wouldn't have toy guns, one day my brother ate his toast into the shape of a gun and started shooting me with it and she gave in!! Never say never!

Plus, I teach 4 year olds and spend half my life telling them not to make guns out of every construction material we have.

 

[rusks]

luke has a toy gun cos he was a cowboy in a carnival so i got it as part of his costume but would he hold it? no!!

he likes me tickling him with it though!!

i don't object to him having one at all.

 

[Jade&Evie]

My FIL hunts so his boys have been bought up with real guns around them. Because of that they are a lot more clued up than most 8/10/21 year old kids about the dangers of guns/knives.

John's little brothers have real DEACTIVATED AK47's that they play war with. The dress up in cammo, paint their faces and stalk in the garden with them.... I don't think TBH that it makes them think... "oooh i'd like to machine gun someone to death! "



Saying That....

I'm glad Evie is a girl and more likely to play with dolls.... sods law she wont!