To not want toy guns

[yesiamwhoyouthinkiam]

I know I will get a lot of 'boys will use sticks as guns, it's just what they do' responses but I wondered if there were any other parents here who have successfully managed to at least keep toy guns out of their houses?

My DS (almost 4) has already started making shooting actions, talking about 'good shot' and mentioned 'killing monsters with guns' which I know he has picked up from nursery and my DHs tendency to let him watch slightly unsuitable cartoons (scooby doo, super ted).

I have tried explaining that guns are just not nice things to have but clearly it's all just a game to DS.

Was quite aghast at his similar aged cousin threatening to shoot my DS this week.

Anyone been able to successfully keep guns away from their kids (boys I suppose) even after they have started school?

mine is all grown up
he had toy guns
he has not shot anyone

You'll be up against it.... Just like you are with your very own 'DH' already!

Is he going to be allowed water pistols?

No. I did try with ds1, but it's as you say, they'll make a gun out of just about anything...even toast.
I never buy guns, and to be fair they never ask for them, but one gets in now and again (and nerf guns are great fun), and I just let it be till it breaks or runs out of batteries or whatever, then sling it.
I don't stress about it anyway.

YANBU. I don't have toy guns in my house. Doesn't stop my boys using fingers/sticks/lego/toast to shoot each other with but I'm still not having toy guns.

Nerf guns and water pistols are exempt - they have to be.

They are guns though.... Gun shaped and everything.

My DS is nearly 4, also frequently talks about guns (makes them out of toast), but has no toy guns and won't be getting them either. I don't see a problem with that.....don't think it would occur to family or close friends to buy them for him, I'd certainly never get a friends kid a toy gun.

You're being naive I think. I started like you but soon realised as I know you're expecting people to say, that boys do make guns out of anything.

As long as they know it's not real then I have learnt to let go.

They are 13 and 10 now and very over the gun thing most of the time, occasional nerf wars though!

You'll find it very hard to enforce no guns and personally I wouldn't bother to try.

My house is full of guns. Dh has just bought ds 5 a bloody loud rifle thingy.

Pick your battles. This isn't a worthwhile one.

I know...but I'm not going to get scratchy about them.

I think its awful to inhibit and restrict access to toy gun,on your misplaced pc-ness
Really,do yiu think helll grow up to be a shooter if he had a toy gun?well do you
Why are you aghast at children active play,imagination,and scenario enactment

Hey pictish looks like toast guns are a thing! I never knew.....

Hmm...loads of toast guns here!
Mine would make them out of duplo as well...which was a bit crap as they kept falling apart.

I don't want to get ds a toy gun, DH does. I'm sure he'll get given one at some stage.

He already shoots people with his finger - but makes a water whooshing noise like he's holding Fireman Sam's hose he has also made a 'gun' out of 4 mega blocks to shoot us with. He's 2.8 and Scooby Dooby Doo is his favourite

x post ha ha!

Do they have guns in Scooby Doo? Or SuperTed?

SM, I have also 'restricted access' to barbies too- DS doesn't have one to his name. They promote scenario enactment etc, are you equally aghast at that ?

I was wondering about the unsuitability of Super Ted. Isn't it just lame?

I don't think my DC will grow up to be shooters if I let them have guns scottishmummy. I just personally hate toy guns, so why should I have them in my house? They have plenty of other toys to play with and it clearly doesn't inhibit their imagination as the lego/stick/toast guns prove...

How can a water pistol not be classed as a gun? It's other name is a water gun and you shoot from it, maybe only water, but some toy guns don't actually shoot anything from them. I don't really get the whole thing about banning guns, children will just use their fingers and pretend anyway. A good, well rounded, stable upbringing will, with any luck stop your child turning into a gun wielding maniac.

I do wonder if part of my view point has been based on my families military connections. When my children were younger we used to walk past soldiers with guns every single day, they just saw them as normal things that were at daddy's work.

I tried, but as soon as DS1 went to Pre-school he got given toy guns as birthday presents from his friends. As they got older he and DS2 made them out of Lego, Duplo and Stickle Bricks.

I worked in a pre-school for a few years and boys do make guns out of all sorts of things.

DS1 has joined the Army. I don't think it is because he had a couple to toy guns.

Im not aghast,its the op phrase actually.fwiw, I said awful to restrict and inhibit innocuous item
Barbie,guns,nurse outfit,sherrif outfit etc i dont believe in restriction or super imposing middle class pc onto kids
How very right on of you to be aghast at a cousin,and restrictive to your child.well donr