Do you allow your children to play - with toy guns

moped wrote: I seem to recall a topic about this once - I am talking about toy guns, water guns, etc.

For Jacks birthday one of Toms freinds gave him 2 water guns - same as last year they went to the garbage as soon as they walked out the door.

Do you allow your kids to play with guns. I don't!

luvmykids replied: I do. I said I wouldn't but that lasted until about four, now I do. There are some minor rules though, no pointing them at people, etc.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Logan will make straws from Capri Suns pouches into guns. So, yes. They are allowed in our house. With him in daycare, I don't have absolute control over what he plays with and sees. I don't have a problem with toy guns. Especially things like squirt guns and the bubble gun Aaron's uncle got him.

BAC'sMom replied: Nope I dont

Crystalina replied: Yes I do.
With that said though they are to treat it like a real gun. I don't care if it's see-through hot pink with Spongebob painted on it. If they point it at someone it's gone. If they leave it laying around it's gone. If they point it at their face (like to squirt it in their mouth) it's gone.

We do not buy the big soaking guns because of course they are meant to soak each other with. My thing is, if the kids are hot and want to get wet they can grab the hose. It has a nice fancy end with many different settings.

So far we've never been in the position where we are around other kids playing with the big soaking guns. I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes.

DH is an avid hunter so guns are part of us. We have just always raised them to use safety because some of the toy guns look real. My kids don't even really think about goofing off with toy guns because they've never had the chance.

DH and I have taught them gun safety from day one because if they are ever around them they need to know the dangers. If they are ever handed one or are around other kids who have a gun I want to know that at least my kids know what can happen and they can make the right choice. I look at it as if a child is not taught and is put in that situation then they will either kill themselves or someone else because they didn't know what or how to handle a gun. I'm not saying that a child who "knows" could not kill someone or themselves but at least they have a jump start and have a clue.

I also think that every parent should do what they think is best for their child.

Calimama replied: Nope.

stella6979 replied: Funny you should bring this up cause Jeff pulled out his old game gun for the Sega and Avery started playing with it. I asked him if he thought it was a good idea and we both agreed that we don't want her thinking guns are a toy, so we put it away. I'm kind of torn on squrit guns though, cause they are fun, and most of them are bright colors, so I won't say I'll never allow water guns, but as for the real looking toy guns...no, they won't be allowed.

Cece00 replied: Yes.

I think waterguns are harmless. I played with them as a kid and I've managed not to become a serial killer. DH, too.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Yes.

He's a boy. If I didn't, he'd find something to make a gun out of...sticks, capri sun straws (that's funny, Kelly). Everything is a gun. It's just bred in him for some reason.

We have rules, too.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Yes she has a little pink gun that she plays with in a holster when she is riding her horse She is a sheriff sometimes and the other day she was outriding the sheriff She knows gun safety and will not go near the real weapons we have in our house.

luvmykids replied:
Macie has a pink cap gun and holster too

Kaitlin'smom replied: so far only water games, I will not allow DH to us his gaming gun when she is around, eventually she will learn, but its not on the top of my list. However there are rules with the squirt gun.

boyohboyohboy replied: we didnt use to, we tried everything to keep them away from caleb but it seemed just instinct in him to turn all kinds of toys into guns..and then it was his own hand even if there wasnt something around.

so now its common place in our house, but we have talked about guns and how to respect them it has actually been a good thing, and opened up dialog about gun safety.

i was brought up around guns, and have shot guns since i was 8. i have no issues with guns.

mummy2girls replied: nope! jenna doesnt like them and i dont allow the dayhome kids to bring them in the house. I told the parents that they are banned! It makes me ill too see a child hold a toy gun to another childs head and say im going to kill you. ive seen it at the place i nanny'd before and i couldnt stomach it...

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
well yeah I would say that is a little much....we shoot (imaginary) snakes and bad guys....don't have a problem with either....

Hillbilly Housewife replied: No, never. I don't even allow them to use other toys and point them to use like a pretend gun, nor their hands either.

I don't have a "problem" with guns - I just don't see playing at shooting each other as an appropriate game for children, and I won't allow it in my home. They do have water guns at my MIL's, even though I've told her again and again I didn't want my kids to play with them. But it's her place, so tey do what they do when I'm not around. At least they put them away when I'm there.

ETA: After reading the other replies, I suppose I could think about letting them use toy guns or water pistols on pretend snakes etc... I didn't even THINK of any other things that cold be "shot" other than themselves.

BabyOwen427 replied: Yes we do. We will remove all the ammo from it and let him hold it. Not for long though cause he is so young. But he will be raised to know the difference between toys and real and how to treat each differently. IMO I don't think forbidding them is the way to go. Eventually they will want to know what they are and what they do and I think it is best to learn that at home and not at someone elses home. My children will also be allowed to have their own guns if they want someday. However there will be strict rules they must follow. My DH was allowed to keep his squirrl gun in his room when he was 12 because he showed the maturity to be able to do so.

Now that all being said, I know here I am the minority because most of you are not as extreamly conservative as we are so I am expecting the tomatoes I will not get into a war with words on this because I have done that here before and gotten insulted. I am not bashing your beliefs so please don't bash mine. We're just different.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Just want to add that here in Canada, the gun laws are wayyyy stricter than in the US, and not nearly as many people have A gun in the house, nevermind more than one.

moped replied: I don't necessarily forbid, but everyone kind of knows that i dont like them and don't want them to buy gun gifts for them............

moped replied:
Yeah true - we certainly do NOT own a gun.....or at least not to my knowledge.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: yes. though even when they aren't around toy guns legos, sticks, hangers etc. are all guns. I don't think he has ever gone more than a day w/o declaring something is a 'shooting gun'

tammyhopkins replied: no guns here. Jeff is a hunter so he will teach Josh gun safety when he is old enough and then he can play with toy guns if he follows the rules.

luvbug00 replied: umm i never had the issue but IMO i think it is up to the maturity of the child as to what type of toy gun they should be able to have.

gr33n3y3z replied:
I agree same here

holley79 replied:
Abbie that is just too cute!

When Annika gets old enough we will go through the whole gun safety thing and I'm sure I will allow water guns. I see nothing wrong with them.

Boo&BugsMom replied: It was engraved into my head to not let kids play with any type of gun while I was in school for Early Childhood. But now, after having my own kids (especially a 5 year old boy and another boy now) I have learned to just use my common sense about it more than anything, and a lot of other things for that matter . I think, like with a lot of things, someone had a horrible experience or made up a theory and scared half the world. I can understand the no guns rule though. Especially if you have a child who gets carried away with things easily. My cousin's little boy comes to mind. He would be the last kid I would ever want to play with a toy gun of any kind. He just can't handle the boundaries of them. Maybe when he's older, but even at 4.5, he can't handle them right now, IMO. His listening skills are void.

Tanner has water guns and he has action figures with weapons on them. He does very well with them and is taught that they are pretend and not to point them at people. He has seen a real gun before and he knows not to play with it and that real guns are not toys. I think it's more important to educate them about it than anything else. Also, I have learned no matter what, boys will make guns out of anything no matter if they have an actual toy one or not. Not all, but a lot. They are boys, it's like it's engraved in their brain.

Someone once told me that if you have a child who is facinated with them and likes to pretend, let them have one and it wont be a big deal anymore. Well, I did that, and they were right. It's not forbidden anymore so their curiosity lessens. Tanner has his action figures and he play fights with them, and plays with water guns, and he is one of the least aggressive kids I have ever seen...and I've seen a lot of kids his age. So, for him it's ok. We'll see what happens with Aiden.

MommyToAshley replied: Nope. I have taught Ashley never to play with any gun. She won't have to distinguish between a real gun or a play gun because she isn't allowed to use either. We do buy squirting toys, but it's just not shaped like a gun.

It gets hard though when Ashley sees other kids play cowboys or bank robbers, etc. The school doesn't allow them to play with toy guns or even pretend to shoot (with their fingers) at school, but you know how kids are.

stella6979 replied:
About 4 years ago, there was a 10 year old boy playing outside with a toy gun and one of the neighbors actually called the police cause she thought it was real. Well, when the cops showed up and yelled for him, he turned around pointing the gun and I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you what happened next. Of course, I'm right outside of Detroit and it's not that uncommon for kids to be carrying real weapons.

Crystalina replied:
I agree that you have to know your child is mature enough. Usually though if your child can't handle boundries when it comes to a toy gun they more then likely are not being made to have and keep rules with other things as well. I've seen parents make a rule and stick with it and then they start slacking. The kid knows when the slacking starts. I'm not sure whether you blame the child for not being mature enough or the parent for not sticking to the rules. I know when my kids are with my MIL they act crazy because she lets them. They know better.

My kids have been taught that when they are looking at a real gun their hands are to go behind there backs (like they are holding their own hand) and that is how they look at the gun. That stops the "urge" to reach out and touch it.

Boo&BugsMom replied:

Boo&BugsMom replied:
He he! You just described my cousin's son that I was talking about!

Crystalina replied:
Not jabbing at just you Rocky but alot of people think like this. When a child wants to check out a gun with their friends (or a friend whips one out) more then likely the parents are not around and I'm sure you know that. I don't want this post to sound like an attack on you or anyone else but that is the very reason I've taught my kids what I have so far.

I know there is no real gun they would be playing with there but I'm talking about at a friends house. None of us can ever say it won't happen because we don't know.

lisar replied: Not attacking anyone here I am jsut stating my own opinion. If the child doesnt know anything about guns, when they do see one at a friends house or somewhere else then they might wanna check it out and someone could possibly get hurt. I have taugt my kids about guns, well Lexi atleast Raygen is still a little young. Thats all.

And I know lots of parents who dont let thier kids play with toy guns, and when there kids are at my house I dont allow Lexi to play with hers in respect for the other parents.

lovemy2 replied: Well I have not yet had to deal with this with my kids - Olivia is a girl and has never really asked about or for them - she has had squirt guns from time to time but was never overly fasinated with them - and Dylan has just gotten to the Little People farm stage so - but that all being said...

My husband is a cop - he does carry a gun 99% of the time especially when we are out as a family - it is reality - he works in the jail - he runs into his "clients" from time to time in public - he does a good job of walking away with us and is one of the most perceptive people around - when you think he is in la la land he is actually EXTREMELY intune with what is going on around him - he was trained to do that....so guns are a reality in my world - in my house - they are locked away AT ALL TIMES and we have not yet decided if we will ever really "show" them to the kids to show them real from fake, etc. I guess we will play that one by ear based on their maturity, curiousity, etc.

I think it is a VERY personal decision and NO one should be judged by whether they do or don't allow guns in their house, etc. fake or real....

lisar replied:
I agree with that. And I wouldnt judge anyone for it. All of us on here raise our kids diffrently so I wouldnt down one person for doing something diffrent than me.

Calimama replied: I'm torn. Let's say I teach Bella about gun safety AND allow her to play with toy guns. Isn't one of the rules of safety to NOT point it at anyone? So what do I tell her when she points her toy gun at something? Doesn't making her treat the toy gun as a real gun take away from the point of it being a toy, so in some way promote violence? Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, bear with me I've only been a mom for 11 months.

TheOaf66 replied: well being an avid hunter, Tanner has seen me shoot a gun but he also knows

a) the difference between a real gun and a play one
he is never ever to touch one of the real ones

a lot of it too depends on the parent...if they leave loaded guns around they are just as much to blame. Even during hunting season we have guns laying all around the kitchen but all UNLOADED. Tanner still doesn't touch them. A lot of the problems you hear about are loaded guns in the house or guns not loaded but ammo not locked up...if you are going to have guns in the house...have some common sense and have loads of education for children. I grew up around guns all of my life and was taught early to respect them and was educated about them.

moped replied: This is interesting, now when i was growing up we spent all sorts of time at my GP farm and I think I remember shooting at pop cans and stuff.

I don't think Jack has ever been to a farm, so he wouldn't see that. At least not yet, but I do hope to take him to a farm one day - LOL

We are pretty much full fledged city people, is it maybe different when you live on a ranch, agreage or farm??? I think if I lived on one I would need a gun - safety wise, but I don't know

Maddie&EthansMom replied:

Absolutely!!!! Owning any kind of gun...toy gun, squirt gun or otherwise takes a lot of discipline. You pretty much have to stay on top of their actions, but that's pretty much the same w/anything, imo. We are here to raise our children and train them. Might as well train them about gun safety while we're at it.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Wil is the same as Logan and Ethan, turns sticks and other things into guns. Not all the time, but I've seen him do it. We haven't bought any water guns yet, but I will as he gets older. I agree with the person who said I played with them as a kid and turned out fine. BUT only water guns, nothing else.

Just an FYI, there is a great water shooter from Discovery Toys that is not in the shape of a gun (for those who like the idea of water playtime for your kifs but without the gun shape). It's just the shape of a cylinder tube. I almost bought it for Wil, but you had to "pump" it and he was too young at the time. Just an FYI. I did buy him the firehose from DT that squirts water! It's been a fun toy (innocent one).

Maddie&EthansMom replied: We have that squirter, Rae. It is kind of hard to pump.

Crystalina replied:

I don't think it promotes violence. DH uses them but he doesn't point them at his friends or pretend to kill them. My kids just act like they are shooting trees and things like that. They don't really mess with them alot and I think that's because they are allowed to. During hunting season Evan will drag out his toy hunting gun that makes all the sounds but he just pretends to hunt rabbits (which he never sees so...)

gr33n3y3z replied:
ditto

luvmykids replied:
I think that can be part of it....not only for safety if some weirdo ignores your "no trespassing" sign or something else happens and it's going to be 20 minutes before law enforcement can get there..... But safety with regard to other animals too....DH has had to shoot a wild dog and a coyote. Our neighbor had to shoot a bear last year and we've had mountain lions run across our property.

We have a video called Gun Safety with Eddie Eagle, I think it's a great tool for those who do want to teach their kids about gun safety.

PrairieMom replied: I have heard arguments on both sides of this argument, and I can see where the other side is coming from, but we do not, and will not have guns, of any type toy or other wise in this house. Ever. We talk to Benjamin about them, and quiz him about what to do if he sees a gun, (don't touch it, go away from it, and tell a grown up) They make me very uncomfortable. IMO, Guns have a place, and that is for shooting food that you intend to eat, and that is it. We don't hunt for our food, there for we don't have guns.

Crystalina replied:
Other then hunting that is what DH uses his for. It's rare but he had to shoot a coyote not long ago because it had a mangled foot. It was injured and I hanging around our house and tried fighting one of our dogs for food. I would say it had gotten caught in some ignorant persons claw trap.
There was one other time when a raccoon was killing all of our chickens while they slept at night. It wasn't the raccoons fault but at the same time I he can't just chicken-nap our chickens.

moped replied: Yeah I was thinking safety from animals and stuff......

When I lived with an ex on an acreage for a short time he had a gun under the bed and tried to show me how to use it if I was alone - I did think about it once when a car full of strangers pulled into the yard and stole a bunch of stuff out of the shed - I was freaked

A&A'smommy replied: yes and no

yes we let her play with those toy Nerf guns but she is NOT allowed to point it at anyone it had a target and she shot it at that until it went missing.. the gun happened to go missing also and I'm glad!!! BUT I wouldn't have ever let her play with them if it hadn't been for my in laws they have toy guns all over their house and when I'm not there I can't control that SOOO therefore she plays with them over there however the same rules are applied she is NOT allowed to point them at ANYONE...

Everyone in our family hunts (well at least all the males) and I'm sure she will go hunting at some point SOO I want her to learn gun safety NOW!

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Don't get me wrong. They've seen toy guns, they've seen movies and tv shows with guns etc, they know ABOUT guns. They know to never shoot at people, we've taught them the reasons that some people might use a gun, such as hunting (for food, not for sport), as part of your job like a cowboy or a police man... I know all too well that kids will try to figure out about things their parents don't allow them to have when the parents aren't around... along with guns, there is underage drinking, drugs etc...

my kids aren't ignorant.

I know it's not an attack on me - I'm just saying, although my kids aren't allowed to, they're not ignorant about them - they do know about them, know how dangerous they are... and as far as they're concerned, "only bad people have guns, and the good guys who protect us as well.".

jcc64 replied: Well, when my boys were little, we never let them play with guns, though we didn't prevent them from manufacturing weapons out of sticks or legos or whatever. It isn't part of our culture here- we're not hunters, and to my knowledge, there are no guns in the homes of their friends. However, now that they are at the video game stage, they play a game on PS3 that involves TONS of gun violence- I think it's called Resistence, and it's pretty graphic. It's disturbing, to be honest, and I'm perpetually conflicted about letting it into my house. My kids are old enough to distinguish between fantasy and reality (11 and 14), but I just don't get what's entertaining about blowing someone away.
Call me a crunchy hippie, but where's the fun in that?!

Boo&BugsMom replied: Troy forgot to add that the "guns laying around the kitchen" is at his parents house WAY up nort' (typed that way on purpose) in the country. We live in the city so there is no hunting where we live. I personally, am terrified of real guns and don't feel comfortable having one in our own home. It may be different once the boys are older and start hunting as well if they want, but for now, I dont like to even see them. They creep me out. Toys ones are ok, real ones just give me the heebie geebies.

And I totally agree that this is a very personal decision and wouldn't think anyone was "wrong" for not allowing their child to have them. As long as child are educated about the dangers of real ones, that is really what matters.

Twelve Volt Man replied: I grew up in a home where there were no guns. As a police officer, though, it is inevitable that there are guns in my home. As a result, I plan to teach my son proper firearm safety. That does NOT mean that I will not take the appropriate steps to ensure that my weapons will be secured. In my state, it is illegal to leave a weapon unsecured, where a minor could readily access it. Since my son will grow up seeing me carrying a gun, I think it would be pointless to try and prohibit him from having a toy one.

He will not be permitted to drive a car until he's old enough and responsible enough, but I will not forbid him from having/driving toy cars as a child. This is, no doubt, a tricky situation. Since children tend to emulate their parents, I think it would be futile for me to ban toy guns in my household. Instead, I'll opt for proper supervision of my child and, more importantly, proper firearm storage.

Sam & Abby's Mom replied: Good question. Since Sammy is only 2-1/2.........I havent really thought about it much. So far, he's just into anything with wheels.

BabyOwen427 replied:
Very well said. Thank you.

I believe education on weapons (of any kind) is how we keep our children safe.

A quick story, I'm not 100% positive how it went though: When my DH was in college a student brought a handgun to school in his bookbag. Somehow it fell out of his bag when he and the instructor were out in the hall and all of the students in his class just stood over it and stared at it. DH picked it up and cleared the breach and dismantled it and then sent a couple students to inform the instructor. My point is, everyone was so scared of it. Noone knew what to do when they saw a firearm. They just stared dumbfounded. DH calmly took control of the situation until proper authorities were on scene. Personally I think everyone should know how to remove any ammo in the event they 'find' a gun somewhere.

CantWait replied: With Robbie I managed to keep them away from him until he was around 6, that included waterguns and even then the rule was never point them at a person or an animal. My friends were very respectful of our rule and never went against my rule.

With Anthony it was a lot harder seeing on Robbie had them already. He'd also use his hand real early on. The rule is still the same for both though, no pointing them at people or animals.

*The exception to the rule are waterguns.

jcc64 replied:


Maybe the reaction had less to do with no one knowing how to properly dismantle a gun than with the recognition of what has happened in the past when guns were brought into schools.
I work in NYC. Though 9/11 is now a bad memory, anytime a low flying plane, unexplained odor, alot of people congregating outside a building, too many sirens for too long, steampipe explosion, etc, happens, you can literally feel everyone on the street freeze/beginning to freak out. It's not that any of these things in and of themselves are catastrophic or scary- it's the triggering of the traumatic memories, kwim? We all remember that we are vulnerable, and maybe that's what these kids were thinking when they saw the gun-not "how to do you work one of these things" but rather- "Oh no, is this kid nuts- is he gonna go Columbine or Va Tech on me?" It's a legitimate fear.

From past discussions on this board and elsewhere, I am well aware of how much a part of American culture guns are and will always be. But I think it's a healthy reaction to be terrified of a gun- they are instruments of destruction, no matter how you want to spin it.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Jeanne, I'll join you in the crunchy hippie club. Aaron brought home a game based on the movie Scarface. Totally a NC-17 game if I ever saw one. I came home and found him and Logan "playing" it. Logan had an extra controller and was pretending to shoot "bad guys". I came unglued! The language in it was enough to make me blush and there is no way I wanted Logan exposed at the ripe old age of 3. Needless to say, Aaron hasn't even played it since.

lovemy2 replied:
I live in the same world as you having a DH who is a cop - it is a reality and has to be dealt with as you say very carefully and very responsibily....very well said!

Farelle replied: Absolutely not and will not!!!!! I see no reason for kids to play with toy guns, they're are plenty other kinds of toys to play with. I find nothing funny or "playful" about a gun and pretending to shoot someone............??

hawkshoe replied:
Well, you wouldn't want to have your kids come play at my home. They have all sorts of gun toys. We have taught and continue to teach our kids about the dangers of guns and what to do if they come across one (or are neas someone with one). Our kids play with toy guns and have shot real guns (under adult supervison). We believe that it is important to educate our kids on guns (as well as many other things). I do not give other kids guns as gifts unless I have been told by the parents that it is okay as I do recognize that many do not allow them in their homes.

Next time you get some guns and want to throw them away, you can send them to my boys.

Mommy2BAK replied: Okay, I'll start off by stating that 3 pages is a little long for this topic so I'm sure that things have been taken in a different direction somewhere along the way, but instead of reading the whole thing I'm just gonna answer the question at hand....

I can absolutely see both sides to this, on one hand, I played with toy guns when I was little and I don't think it ever had any sort of negative effect on me but then again, I want my children to know that guns can be very dangerous. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I'm pretty sure my DH would think I was CRAZY if I were to forbid the use of toy guns by our children.

Crystalina replied:
Nope. We've all been cool as cucumbers in here. You'd be proud.

Mommy2BAK replied: I wasn't saying that in a negative way.

PrairieMom replied:
I was kinda surprised too. we have had this debate before, and things can get kind of heated, and there can be a little
but, it just goes to show that we are all adults, and can learn from each other , without judging.

Crystalina replied:
Oh no, no! I didn't mean that you did. Sorry if it came off like that.