What's the longest anyone's kept up the no toy guns rule and how?

[lisbey]

I really thought I'd be an absolutely no violent play type parent and until DS1 started school I was. They saw no violence on TV, had no toy swords or guns etc, even mildly violent language/threats were banned.

Now, they have a small collection of toy weapons (all given to them by others) but loads of violent play stuff, eg playmobile pirate ship has loads of small guns and knives, toy warships and soldiers, all role play games are based on fighting, eg Star Wars, Cops & Robbers, Armies and I've taken an if you can't beat em join em view. Was there another way though?

[Ronaldinhio]

i never even considered it...how odd!

[purepurple]

It won't do them any harm. It's the way of boys.

[overmydeadbody]

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[overmydeadbody]

if you have boys, it just is not possible.

IIf they don't have toy ones, they will make them out of sticks, lego, stickle brix, fingers, paper, card, pencils, their forks, their socks, your bra, a hairbrush, weetabix etc etc etc

[fruitful]

I don't see the point of buying them toy guns, they have fingers.

Ds2 could point his fingers and make a shooting noise before he could say "mama".

The rules that I try to enforce are:

"no shooting at anyone who isn't playing too"

and

"no shooting at the table".

If you'd told me, pre-children, that one of our house rules would be "no shooting at the table" I'd have been utterly shocked!

[Jux]

Having a dd, I wasn't expecting to have to deal with this one [hollow laugh]; I must have forgotten I had a dh.

He bought her a toy gun with laser lights and loud noises when she was less than 2. I tried. I really did try. No point. She lost interest after about 2 years.

I think anyone with boys might as well give up before they start.

FWIW, dh's friend wasn't allowed toy guns at all, and became obssessed with them. Not to the extent that he has a collection or anything, but he likes them; likes in the way that normal people like cats - he'll stroke one if he gets the chance, rather lovingly, and smile at it and coo softly. It's disturbing.

[DrNortherner]

Oh yes - no shootinmg at teb table - we have that too, along with no pointing the gun in the dogs face.

[FABIsInTraining]

My eldest son is 8.7 and still doesn't have any guns. Obviously he has made the odd one out of duplo but it isn't something it does very often - maybe 2 or 3 times in all his life.

[charliesweb]

Read 'We don't play with guns here' by Panny Holland. It discusses the issues surrounding boys and weapon play and why they need this sort of play.

[charliesweb]

Sorry that should have been Penny Holland

[Ronaldinhio]

there again we shoot so I suppose I would think it odd

[overmydeadbody]

The rule I have is "no shooting mummy"

[TigerBitesAgain]

I gave up pretty early on (a) when I realised that sticks, fingers, etc etc just got used instead. And (b) when I went round to visit a right on, lentil weaving, hairy armpitted neighbour,who has 2 boys, and tripped over a sack full of bows and arrows, light sabres, guns etc, and she said "sigh, that's the weapons store".