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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think children shouldn't have toy guns?

182 replies

trianglesaregood · 08/05/2013 13:55

At the park this morning and noticed some pre-school age boys playing, quite aggressively, with toy guns. One looked like some sort of machine gun complete with toy ammo! I was a bit shocked as I didn't think anyone gave their kids these kind of toys anymore; none of my friends do and I wouldn't think it appropriate for my children. Am I living in a bubble? Wondered what others thought?

OP posts:
Morloth · 09/05/2013 10:10

We don't have anything that looks like an actual gun, ray guns/water guns etc all good.

There are times where my chikdren are in the presence of actual guns and I want no possibility for confusion.

megandraper · 09/05/2013 10:12

Good post, shebangs.

We aren't particularly encouraging about toy guns, though we don't ban them. We do put the kibosh on play that's too aggressive (scaring or potentially hurting people).

50shadesofvomit · 09/05/2013 10:21

Yabu if you mean Nerf guns and the sort of thing you get in toy shops. The bullets are v soft.

If you mean BB gun sort of thing yanbu.

Does your distaste stretch to swords and light sabres? In my experience its best to let them play guns and teach them how to play guns "nicely" than make it a forbidden activity that they become obsessed with.

PatPig · 09/05/2013 10:29

I buy my DS as many guns as possible.

BandersnatchCummerbund · 09/05/2013 10:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MERLYPUSS · 09/05/2013 13:20

My 2 have NErf guns, water pistols and a crappy thing that my sister bought then that makes laser sounds. If they are not playing with them they are making them form whatever is handy. I don't think it will turn them into bank robbers but I cant be sure.

DamnBamboo · 09/05/2013 13:31

A toy gun is just that, a toy.
Why is this a problem?
They will make guns out of other things anyway so I really don't see the problem.

We have a few on this house (3 boys) and it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

MrsMelons · 09/05/2013 14:04

I admitedly haven't read every post but further upthread the question was asked why some people have such a problem with it and from what I can see no one has actually come up with a real reason other than they 'don't like it'.

They are toys no different that any other, I had a disagreement about it with SIL and she said she didn't like my boys playing with guns, she has 1 DD, I said that its no different than her DD playing with 'girls' toys such as her baby doll, she said that it wasn't violent so I said 'well it was when she held it upside down then threw it across the room - doesn't been she will do that to her baby when she's older! She couldn't actually give a reason why it bothers her and its easy for her to say not having had boys at all.

It is absolutely not ok for children to play with any sort of real gun IMO unless they do rifle shooting at a club or something like that - I don't think the OP was meaning real weapons?!

Fecklessdizzy · 09/05/2013 16:00

Mine don't have toy guns, or swords, bows, shields, spears, cutlasses, ruinously expensive little do-it-yourself wooden ballistas or home-made nerf tanks fashioned out of cunningly gaffer-taped cardboard boxes. Just to be on the safe side they don't read or watch anything with physical conflict or lots of shouting either.

In fact, I must be honest, I've pretty much had then locked in a cuboard for the last 14 years.

Fecklessdizzy · 09/05/2013 16:02

In my dreams.

Fecklessdizzy · 09/05/2013 16:03

them Aaargh.

PearlyWhites · 09/05/2013 16:48

Yabu it doesn't mean they will grow up to be a terrorist.

VerySmallSqueak · 09/05/2013 20:04

MrsMelons i think some posters have come up with what are real reasons, for them.

I think it's more a case that either you haven't seen them or you don't agree that they are real reasons( - and you're quite entitled to your POV).

apostropheuse · 09/05/2013 21:51

When my son was born I vowed he would never own a toy gun. Oh no.
I changed my mind when he started creating lethal guns from broken branches, clothes pegs, lego etc.

My daughter said exactly the same when she had her son. She also relented for the same reasons I did.

I am proud to say that my grandson's thumb and forefinger make a first class gun and the sound effects he produces are very impressive. I have tried to replicate it to no avail. Smile

Hulababy · 09/05/2013 21:56

I don't like real-looking or replica guns. But DD has had a Nerf gun and she has had water guns too.

But I should point out that I work in an infant school and many many children at some time do make guns out of lego, Connectx (sp?), their fingers, random bits and pieces, even the children you least expect. Boys do it more, but lots of girls do too. I have to say that it surprised me when I first started working in an infant school. I didn't expect so many children to pretend with guns, but many do - way more than half!

MrsMelons · 10/05/2013 09:17

I did say I haven't read all the posts and I completely except it may not be my POV which I have no issue with of course.

There is no evidence to suggest that children who play with guns are more likely to use real guns so IMO that is not a real reason.

IrritatingInfinity · 10/05/2013 09:24

My DS's are now in at Uni, when they were little they were quiet and gentle boy. They never got in to fights with other kids or each other.

I still didnt believe in buying guns so I didn't. However, I did notice the FIRST things that they made out of Lego were guns. It is the way it is.......
They made things into swords or laser guns or whatever as well. Is that any better. My DD's never made guns and I am far removed fom the belief that girls should have girls toys and boys should hae boys toys.

I don't think it matters too much if they play 'guns' buti wouldn't actually buy anything that remotely looked like a real gun.

ilovexmastime · 10/05/2013 14:59

Definitely in a bubble OP! I only know one mum who won't let her kids have toy guns. They're the ones who head straight to our arsenal when they come over and then proceed to shoot us in the head even though we have a no pointing at people's heads/faces rule. They just get way too over excited.

Saski · 10/05/2013 15:13

I swore my boys would never have guns. My eldest would chew his toast into the shape of a gun and run around with it as a toddler. It's an unavoidable airborne disease.

I admire you if you stick to your guns (ha!) but you have to be relentless and I wouldn't judge other parents who won't commit to the same.

Quenelle · 10/05/2013 15:23

DS makes guns from Lego, sticks, anything will do really.

This week he's been shooting us with all four legs at once of his plastic garden chair.

I don't mind them. I remember playing with imaginary guns 40 years ago when I was little. I'm not sure how I'd feel about a toy AK47 or something like that though.

Oblomov · 10/05/2013 15:40

I am the other end of the spectrum from OP. I love toy guns, shooters, water blasters, sweet guns. Everyhting.
Spud guns, nerf guns.
I see no relation to boys who play with guns growing up into....
Many boys make guns out of fingers or anyhting else they can, if they don't have toy guns. I do not understand the opposition.

IrritatingInfinity · 10/05/2013 15:58

Saski. Grin at Toast Guns, My Boys did the same.

WeAllHaveWings · 10/05/2013 16:12

Ds(9) plays out in the street with friends and they are regularly either playing tag with nerf foam bullet guns or soaking each other with huge water pistols. They have great fun.

Local soft play has recently started laser tag argues, where they trn off all the lights in the soft play and they are given laser guns. Ds says its awesome!

None of these guns look real as they are huge and plastic and bright coloured so don't have a problem.

Prefer these to toy swords personally as most toy swords look like swords.

UltimaThule · 10/05/2013 16:14

I HATE toy weaponry. HATE HATE HATE it. People DIE because of real weapons, ffs that's not fun to me - but I remember simply not being able to take that in when I was a kid. I had cap guns, and I'm a pacifist now.
DS is currently playing with a tripod and periodically telling me what sort of weapons he's turning it into. It's desperately boring but I'm not worried I suppose.

hokeycakey · 10/05/2013 16:37

Me & my siblings used to LOVE outdoing each other with our death scenes during games All that stuff is fun when you're a kid.... I really think people over think children's thought processes. I HATE any kind of violence it absolutely turns my stomach but the DCs and I have great games of chasing & shooting & swordplay etc it's fun

I know a few people who have a no guns rule even 1 parent who's 2 boys are not allowed to wear "combat trousers" yes you heard me right....
I think it's a bit ridiculous to get so wound up about it