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?

[abigamarone]

I started off banning, then allowed a space/ray gun or two, then it graduated to toy rifles, handguns etc and before I knew it I was crawling round corners myself pretending to be Lara Croft.

[HeySoulSister]

Your DH has a light saber?? Why?

Seems like you've caused problems for yourself for shoving him in front of the tv unsupervised!

[elQuintoConyo]

I made a gun by taking off one end of my Weeble's swing (so, a triangular bit + long top support-bit).

I have never gone on to shoot anybody irl.

There are no guns in Adventure Time either

Dh had toy guns growing up with three brothers. I think eldest brother rigged a pellet gun to shoot tampons at their younger sisters when they (the girls) were young and easily embarassed. Ahh, youth!

[Viviennemary]

I simply can't see what the fuss is about. What's wrong with toy guns. Even I had one. And I certainly haven't shot anybody yet.

[DamnBamboo]

OP, nerf guns are v v cool.

One of the most memorable Christmas days we've had - involved a nerf 'fun' fight where we each had a diddy nerf gun, and ran around the house shooting at each other to score points. We played in team (3 teams of 2) and it lasted a whole seven minutes (am old and unfit). But what a blast!

[revealall]

Guns in my house were part of living in the countryside. How we got most of our meat and how we got trophy's for clay shooting.
Nothing about criminal use or killing people.
If you ban them doesn't that imply that they are only used for wrong?

[yesiamwhoyouthinkiam]

' op didn't realise you only wanted people to post who agreed
I don't
as no harm was done to my dc by playing with pretend guns

bless'

Look, the first few responses were fair enough, I understood (and made it clear I did) that people would have strong opinions on why guns are ok toys to have. Unfortunately a few posts were deliberately aggressive and argumentative. Fair enough, what did I expect. I just don't want to argue with people who are so keen to spend their bank holiday Sunday being snidey and miserable at me. If people really want to do that, knock yourselves out, but I don't want to get sucked into all the 'oh bless', 'must be a pfb' and 'middle class pc' insults that get bandied about like it's some kind of playground. Been there, done that, got bored ofit in 2005 and don't want tomuse internet forums in the same way i did ten years agomwhen inwas all 'I'm winning the nternet'. The glue comment was, as i Said, an attempt at crappy mumsnet humour but just made me look outdated and old but clearly some of you already think I am from my first post. Great, wicked, marvellous. Move on.or don't .

[Sp1rals]

OP if you were to post that your son was playing with a real gun somebody on here would find a way to make you sound unreasonable.
I understand why you would feel u comfortable watching a small child imitating the act of killing, it's just not very nice. I have watched small children imitate stabbing each other and that drew gasps of horror but for some reason guns are seen as acceptable child play. I think the problem was introducing them as toys in the first place but we can't really go back from that now. As for people saying they will use other things as guns, yes they will, after watching it on tv or seeing others do it. No child INSTINCTIVELY knows what a gun is ffs.
Its a very big battle to ban them completely, I would let him play away but in the context of a few chats about hurting people, real guns being not fun at all etc

[yesiamwhoyouthinkiam]

My dad had a gun, when we lived in the countryside, for shooting hares. We didn't have toy guns. I am not suggesting that having a toy gun = raising killers so apologies to any parents out there who have taken it that way and feel like I have somehow dissed their parenting skills.

my husband has a light saber thing because he's a massive geek. I suspect he was a teenager when he got it.

Yes, I have clearly fucked up my son by sitting him in front of endless super ted , not something I thought I would do given the many years I did not have a tv myself but then again I have also fed him a truck load of chocolate buttons and let him eat endless tubes of Pringles. Shit, sometimes he goes to bed without cleaning his teeth and because he is still breast feeding at three and a half he's probably going to to be hanging off my breast when I drop him off at university. Fucksticks.

[DamnBamboo]

OP - endless tubes of pringles, truck loads of buttons yet still breast feeding at three and half is far more an interesting scenario than is a flipping nerf gun

[Stripeyfeet]

I started off disliking toy guns. They have now taken over. It's pretend play. I'm pretty sure you're more likely to be killed by a car in this country - and what do you do with a toy car? I drive it along, do a little jump and crash it.

[DamnBamboo]

p.s. I was also an extended BFer by the way

[Ericaequites]

Ping pong ball guns are the best! Having guns will not scar children for life.

[iamelectrogirl]

Um...am I the only person that finds the idea of a young child playing with replica guns very strange? It seems like a strange message to send to a child - 'Here's a fun, entertaining thing'. Guns are a fact of life but I think toy versions normalise them somewhat.
That said, my parents didn't ever buy my brother anything gun related and he still spent most of his childhood building elaborate guns out of lego so it isn't as easy as not buying them I suppose.
I won't be buying my son (or any future children) anything gun related, apart from brightly coloured water guns, since I hope that through education (and seeing the damage guns can do on the news etc) he'll respect why I don't find them appropriate

[DamnBamboo]

Why is a water gun better than a replica gun? It is no less dangerous, it is no more dangerous. that's because neither are actually weapons.

Given that with a water gun, you actually have ammunition that you presumably shoot and aim - I am interested in your views here.

[PhilandLil]

OP to answer your original question - it is entirely possible to ban toy guns from your home if you so choose.

We have no toy guns, including water pistols and nerd guns in the house.

I live in a town, which you've all heard of (please don't guess) for the very worst of reasons. I cannot think of anything more inappropriate than allowing my children to run around with toy hand guns given the recent history where we live.

Other parents make their own decisions but it is a line we personally will not cross and my children are aware of it (though not why yet). I did have a friend (who doesn't live here) buy a gun for my DS as a Christmas present. She was politely asked to return it to the shop.

It's not PFB, it's not 'hindering their imaginations' in any way. But one day soon I'm going to have to explain to my DC the full horror of what guns did one day nearly 20 years ago in our little town.

[MidniteScribbler]

I use a light sabre my classroom which the kids use as a pointer for the board. Does that mean they will all grow up to be Jedi knights?

[iamelectrogirl]

I don't have a problem with water guns because I'm not trying to take away ALL fun things from my son and hopefully he'll understand there's a difference between a brightly coloured plastic novelty water toy and a replica, designed to be very realistic toy gun. It's not a black and white area though, I'll probably just be playing it by ear and just deciding about things when/if they become an issue. Maybe he'll have no desire for anything gun related at all

[ravenAK]

I'm with Dilligufdarling & FatherSpodoKomodo.

My 10yo ds is quite keen on guns - he & I have done a few historical activities weekends together. These have involved 'history of firearms' lectures & the opportunity to fire various flintlocks etc, cannon & a modern shotgun. I think it can be quite valuable for older children to learn 'this is a dangerous bit of kit, don't prat about with it, these are the safety rules' in suitably supervised conditions.

Ds would very much like to join a shooting club - it's something we've been looking into, albeit half-heartedly on my side, given that there isn't one very near, ds has enough clubs etc already, & neither dh nor I are interested enough to want to take it up ourselves.

I haven't ever bought him toy guns, other than Nerf guns (& actually they were a present for dd1 - don't think ds has ever bothered with them!) & yet as soon as there's a 'proper' gun to be fired, he's right at the front of the queue.

I'm not a big fan of toy guns for tiny tots too young to understand what a gun is & does, which is why I chose not to buy them. I'd prefer them to see guns as Not Toy, grown up things.

It was never an issue: although I know they've all played with them at friends' houses on occasion, none of my dc has ever asked to own one.

So I suppose my conclusion would be: YANBU to decide not to buy toy weapons for your child, but keeping him away from them altogether probably requires a level of micro-supervision which would be both onerous & make them more attractive. Also, IME & IMO, the amount of interaction a 5yo has with a plastic sheriff's pistol or Nerf gun, has little or no bearing on later response to/interest in a real firearm.

[KoalaDownUnder]

YANBU

I don't like toy guns. My nephews don't have them.

Stick to your guns, OP...pun intended.

[Pippioddstocking]

Op I totally understand . I grew up in N Ireland in the 70's and 80's and that kind of upbringing is enough violence for anyone.
My ds has never played with guns or watched violent programmes ( although not sure super ted or scooby door were banned ) I just don't "get" pretending to kill people as a form of play - it's wrong !!They have played with water pistols though as that's about the fun of soaking each other not pretending to kill each other.
Now at age 10 he is learning to shoot clays with his father and will learn a healthy respect for guns and what they can do .
I wonder if it's the concept not the gun itself that your also not happy with ?

[Pippioddstocking]

Ps I have also been ridiculed for my ideals by other parents and friends but I don't care - just grown a thick skin and do what YOU feel is best for YOUR child .

[MissDuke]

Even when I was young, toy guns were 'frowned upon', this isn't a new thing! We never played with them, and my own children rarely do too - just the odd nerf gun when at friend's houses. I wouldn't buy them a gun that looks real, nor would I buy another child one - my friends seem to feel the same. Perhaps it is related to where we live? They have been banned here in schools etc for a long time. I do recall my son making toast guns though :-D

I just really dislike seeing small children 'shoot' each other, I cannot help feeling that way!!!