A question for those who think playing with toy guns is okay?

[politicalcorrectnessisgreat]

Would you also approve of your child playing pretend drug taking? Or pretend rape?

I am not okay with my two DSs playing with guns. I asked my friend if she would be okay with her little boy pretending to inject heroine or snort cocaine and she said that of course she wouldn't.

I just don't get why people think it's okay to allow their child to pretend to kill someone but are utterly disgusted at this.

Anyone care to explain?

We are currently trying to sell our house and that has made me laugh out loud and nearly wake the baby @Enthusiamisdisturbed :)

I like it as a philosophical debate. But in reality what we play with will be impacted by ancestorss.

Many young children 75 years ago had Dads in the War. They were pretending to get the baddies. When they had children, they passed down similar games.

Likewise with cowboys and Indians which now is less often played but in the 90s we still did. No racism was intended just one side trying to beat the other.

Some parents don't like their kid dressing up as a pirate, due to what pirates do. Also some parents (I am in this camp myself) don't like dressing their kids up in costumes of characters in films/tv they aren't old enough to see, for example Chucky or Jigsaw.

Most of these playing out things with guns is trying to get the baddie. They aren't thinking about wanting to harm an innocent person, it's elaborate make believe.

I sort of get what the OP is saying.

It would have been interesting if MN was around about 40 years ago, and someone had posted that their MIL let little Johnny play cowboys and Indians and she didn't like it, most people would have been piling in telling her to get a grip and rolling their eyes, pretty much like everyone has reacted to the OP.

But roll on 40 years and if someone posted the same thing about MIL letting the DC play cowboy and Indians, most people would be telling her to tell MIL that sort of game is not acceptable any more.

Most children who play with guns nowadays don't seems to have such defined roles such as cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers. So I don't know whether the distinction between good v evil is as marked as it used to be.

If children do take on the roles of good v evil would people feel uncomfortable if they took on the role of a suicide bomber. I know I would feel awful if I saw DS play that role, but is it any different than being a baddie with a gun?

So I don't know whether the distinction between good v evil is as marked as it used to be.

Since when was cowboys and Indians "good Vs evil"

Ridiculous. Dh has several guns. He loves a bit of skeet. I can't wait until ds is old enough to shoot.

I'm obviously in the minority and am with you op. I don't however have a problem as my child gets older if they want to take up shooting properly as a sport. I think times have changed from when we (and our parents) were little and illegal guns and trigger happy gun crimes are more , which us why I'd prefer to keep mine away from them!

I call them water Aimers and so does she. We have played with them only a few times. Bloody hell over the top about arnt you

Ds and his friend pretend to be estate agents shock and make films about selling our home
This concerns me more than any gun games! who wants their child to become an estate agent
Oh that is scary 😂

Water aimers 😂 I assume Nerf guns are ok if you call them foam pellet aimers as well?

Op, I see your logic and I sort of agree. However, i know of one mum who banned all toy guns from the house, discreetly removed them from birthday presents, swapped Xmas presents out for other parcels etc.
And found her 4yo son playing superheroes using a daffodil as a stun gun.

But I love that you would try.

My husband was in the army. Completely happy for my children to pretend play daddy's job. You know. Saving your arse in times of war and conflict. You're welcome

I can see where you’re coming from OP. Fact is guns were invented to grievously injure and/or kill people or animals. They are an inherently violent object. The fact that over time they’ve come to be used in sport is by the by- when kids pretend to shoot guns (and I’m not including water pistols in this really as the point of them is just to get people wet) I’d bet that more than 9 times out of ten they’re not imagining winning an Olympic target shooting medal. They’re imagining killing or hurting someone or something. Which isn’t a pleasant thought.

That being said, not sure how I feel about you equating that with rape and drug use. Sometimes guns are a necessary evil- armed forces, police etc.

I loved playing with toy guns when I was little. In fact I didn't cuddle a teddy at night. I took a toy gun to bed.

I love playing nerf with the kids. My hobby is knife and age throwing.

I have never even been tempted to use a real gun or throw a knife or axe at someone, rather than a target.

I had a toy ironing board and iron as a kids. Apparently I loved it. Fucking hate ironing now, avoid it where possible.

I don't believe playing with a toy gun is more likely to turn someone into a murderer.

Oh and my mum worked with kids and said exactly the same as pps.

Even if kids don't have toy guns, loads of them will turn something else into a toy gun. Sticks, flowers, Lego etc.

Do you feel the same about toy bows and toy swords or is it just guns you object to?

My mother is 74 she has never killed anyone, but she has shot hundreds of guns and has trophies and medals to prove it.

I don't like guns and I don't really like my children playing with them as we do live in country where there is a big gun problem. As such it is less common to see any toy guns other than Nerf used on inanimate targets. Animal hunting is completely outlawed and frowned upon. But I think your analogy is ridiculous.

By your drugs and rape logic, soldiers and police officers should be legally allowed to rape and take drugs. Doesn't seem so logical now does it? That's why it's a silly analogy to make!

I have no idea how op links the two. I let my dd use real guns as she's in the army cadets. I grew up playing with guns, swords and bows and arrows as did my siblings. As far as I know none of us have gone on to murder anyone as adults.

My kids pretend to be dinosaurs and maul each other to death. They pretend to be Luke Skywalker and triumph with their light sabres. They pretend to be driving lego cars that mow down crowds of lego people. And they pretend to shoot each other with all sorts of guns.

What they are doing is exploring the idea of death through play, as well as the idea of war, heroism, villainy, etc. I think that’s pretty healthy and likely to bring them to a place where they think guns (or other weapons) are not for using without good purpose. It is important for them to come to terms with the idea of death, because that’s a concept that has already affected them.

They’re often pretty horrible when they play in many ways. Even when they’re playing at fairies or unicorns their play is often about power. I’d be worried if I didn’t remember that I was just the same, along with all my friends, and we haven’t turned out to be a bunch of self absorbed, power-hungry psychopaths.

I cannot get worked up about this. Children playing with pretend guns are not going to turn into murderers.

Pretend shooting (and yes, we pretend shoot each other in fairly epic family Nerf gun fights - I won't even pretend that we only let them shoot at stationary targets) teaches far too many skills to forbid my children to do so. Reaction times, aiming, strategic planning ahead - all things that may come in handy one day.

Children have acted out killing people since time began - sword fights, bows and arrows, currently also wand fights.

OP, where do you want to draw the line? Do you forbid your children to play Cluedo as one of them may be a murderer? Chess? You know chess is a war game, right? How about playing games like Pokemon? That's animal fighting, you know? Most superheroes are murderers one way or another - are your children allowed to dress up as them?

It's a ridiculous notion to compare all this with drug taking and rape.

I enjoy target shooting, so does my child. You are being irrational and frankly a little daft.

I used to live near someone who wouldn't let her sons play with toy guns. She thought they were a shining example of how children should be raised.

In reality, they were holy terrors that put fear into every other kid. I've always suspected it was the repression at home that made them act out as soon as they were out of her sight.

So if the child’s parent is in the army/police and they’re imitating their own life through play you would be against this?
As an EYFS Teacher I do not limit gun play however I supervise what is happening, I don’t let them storm around the room comiting mass murder however when they’re playing kings and queens and somebody wants to be a royal guard (fur hat and all) I don’t stop them.
Plus if a small child knew about drugs and was pretending to inject themselves I think we’d be having a chat with parents!

”I can see where you’re coming from OP. Fact is guns were invented to grievously injure and/or kill people or animals. They are an inherently violent object. The fact that over time they’ve come to be used in sport is by the by- when kids pretend to shoot guns (and I’m not including water pistols in this really as the point of them is just to get people wet) I’d bet that more than 9 times out of ten they’re not imagining winning an Olympic target shooting medal. They’re imagining killing or hurting someone or something. Which isn’t a pleasant thought.”

I agree entirely. We don’t have guns in this house for that reason. I don’t go as far as confiscating presents- DC have been bought Nerf guns for example. But they very rarely play with them and I’ve never seen them make a ‘gun’ out of their fingers or Lego or anything else. They do have lightsabers, which I’m ok with because they aren’t a real thing which is used to kill real people every day.

DS brought up to respect any type of armoury and understands the implications. Had a ball with toy guns and bows and arrows when really young, now shoots clays and targets under supervision (he's 13). Never once worried about equating the play with irresponsible use. We have licences and police approved gun rooms.

What a load of cuffufle!! There's always one.

Whilst the comparisons you make are a bit
I actually agree with you about guns. I really dislike my ds playing guns as we've all seen the massive harm they can do in the wrong hands when used by people who treat them like toys.
Am quite shocked at how pro-gun Mumsnet is, but each to their own.