To ask opinions about toy guns vs water guns

[Septbaby]

I'm fully prepared to be flamed for this as I'm not even sure what my own opinion of this is...

I have always been adamant that my children will not have toy guns etc. - easy I thought! However now we're getting into summer territory and water guns are out in shops I'm now in a bit of a quandary with myself.

My son isn't even 2 yet so is not asking for one nor have I thought to buy any (yet) but I can imagine in years to come I will be asked for one, and in fact I remember have tonnes of fun with supersoakers as a child. So I can't make up my mind if I were to buy them am I just a hypocritical idiot not standing by my own morals, or if I don't ever buy/allow them to be played with depriving my child of something fun that is highly unlikely to drive him to guns!

Bloody hell, who'd be a parent?!

Ps I hope this is understood to be somewhat lighthearted!

I wouldn't big toy guns (and also they can use anything as a gun if they've a mind to it) but love a good water fight. Tiger have mini water pistols for a pound but I just bought a lovely nerf one so I'm better armed.

I have to admit, I actually don't have any issues with toy guns, I don't see the difference between that and swords. I think sometimes we put too much focus on things, like my DD isn't obsessed with guns just because we have toy ones which is what I think some people think happens.

I don't like toy guns. But I don't mind water guns. I think there is a difference because when they're just toy guns they are generally used for imagination games which involve violence and hurting/killing people. However water guns seem to just be involved in squirting people out of silliness without the violent undertones so I don't mind that.

My children love nerf guns and super soakers. I'm happy for them to play with them as it gets them running around outside.

I have 3 boys and many, many guns and waters guns...I don't believe it they have an affect on future behaviour so I haven't tried to control their exposure to them.

My brother had toy guns and army fatigues as a child and is just about the most gentle person I've ever met. My boys are kind to others and play well together.

My opinion is that gun play can actually be beneficial to children. They will turn anything into a gun or sword. If managed properly, it gives children ways of exploring goodies and baddies, emotions like fear and excitement as well as learning boundaries, personal space etc. Ofcourse these things can be learnt in other ways too.

I've always been no guns for the children. But I don't think water pistols and supersoakers count at all

I grew up in Northern Ireland and was not allowed toy guns at all.

My kids have all sorts of toy guns. It hasn't made them violent or think that guns are normal.

We all have wooden swords for martial arts too.

They are both kick boxers and never had a fight with any kids outside the dojo.

I don't understand this issue with toy guns. But each to their own.

My mum worked with kids her entire career and always said that even when kids were stopped playing with toy guns they would still play the same games and use a stick as the gun or their hand.

I have a friend who is very anti-toy-gun but very happy to allow her child all sorts of swords and light-sabers. I think that's a bit hypocritical.

Children can be equally unkind with dolls or super soakers and I'm trying to concentrate on playing fairly and kindly with mine, rather than the toy itself.

Most of the people in this neighborhood don't have a problem with letting their kids have toy guns. Ofc as a lot of them carry real ones every day, they wouldn't really have any legitimacy in telling their kids they weren't allowed to/water ones hehe.

I have no problwm with toy guns for kids. Whether that be water pistols or ordinary toy guns. Not every child who plays with guns grows up to kill people. IMO it is pure madness. I am a child of the 60's 70's and we all played with toy guns. None of us are unstable because of it. Same with my 3 dc, we have always had a houseful of toys guns.

Where has this sudden fear come from?

""I am a child of the 60's 70's and we all played with toy guns.""

I was a child of the 70's and I agree that the issue isn't the toy guns.

It was the 'Cowboys & Indian' 'Soldier & Nazi', 'White man & Native' (or any other Racist coupling), that got the message about role play confused.

Likewise, saving the 'Lady' from capture.

The predicted happenings of Society that were around in the 70/80's, didn't quite happen.

I personally think that it would be ridiculous to deny your child a Water gun, even toddlers play in Council pools with pump type 'weapons'.

It's just a personal preference, I don't like guns and don't want replicas I my house, I fully understand that children will make games of things using sticks/their hands etc. Like I said in my op just feel like I may be a bit of a hypocrite if I allow water pistols in (but then I'm all for the fun water fights too!)