Do you let your dc have toy weapons?

[muldersspeedos]

I've always been against guns in particular and ds would like a nerf gun. I've explained to him that he won't be getting one but I wondered what others think about weapons as toys?

No weapons in my house. There are places in the world where children are pointing real guns at each other, that’s a reality that shouldn’t exist so I don’t want the played out version. I can’t imagine making killing fun or funny.
Yes and I e seen all the faces made when he was a toddler and when i explained that children are killing children. But on the other hand I don’t care about swearing or sweets so I’m not a total killjoy.

I don't mind toy guns etc, our little boy has a nerf gun, super soaker, water pistols, sword from Warwick Castle etc. Bonfire night he did hook a duck and chose a bright blue gun that makes an annoying noise. The thing is none of the guns look like the real thing, they are all brightly coloured, the sword is plastic. I have no issue with toy weapons that don't resemble the real thing. What I do have issues with is older kids and teens playing on realistic shooting/fighting games. I told my husband I didn't want him playing cod etc, it's violent and horrible and made to look realistic.

My son has a need type gun it was a gift from a friend of his dad's & he loves it,he asked for a gun for Christmas but I've said no as he picked a realistic looking one & I'm just not comfortable with it

Slightly unusual situation as DDs were brought up in the military community where guns etc were an everyday sight (had an armed checkpoint outstgeur school for example). So they learnt from a young age that guns were not toys, and they were there for their protection. Nerf guns etc were introduced with safety rules like only pointing in safe directions, target shooting etc.

Playing soldiers was a popular game... as they were copying their parents.

The most common murder weapon in the uk is a kitchen knife, would you allow one of these in your home?
Fire arms are incredibly restricted, you can’t just nip into Tesco and get one.
Having toy guns does not make someone violent, in the same why as a chemistry set will not make a child a scientist.

I was quite relaxed but DH was ex military and wouldn't let DS have a toy gun (water pistols were OK). DS then joined cadets at 13 and played with the real thing

I am a tree hugging, vegetarian from the age 12 anti weapons type. Friend bought my then 5 year boy/girl twins NERF guns for their birthday. Arrghhh They loved them. I did some research and there is no correlation - we need to give children more credit for knowing the difference between toys/make believe and reality. I made two rules, not at the face, nor at the cats.

My son still has quite a collection, although at 14 he has grown out them. Never thought I would say it but I miss the running around the house/garden with their friends. I've lost them to their rooms and computer games, they are so boring. COME BACK NERF BATTLES

Never bothered me - all my friends were boys when I was little and even in the absence of guns we were always playing really violent imaginary games! I think they don't sell realistic guns much anymore so I never worried about it one way or another

Kids grown up now, but never had any type of weapon in the house. I have all girls, if it makes a difference, and none of them showed any interest at all in toy weapons or fighting. So it wasn't a decision I had to make. I'd have probably said no though.

@bebanjo

The most common murder weapon in the uk is a kitchen knife, would you allow one of these in your home? Fire arms are incredibly restricted, you can’t just nip into Tesco and get one. Having toy guns does not make someone violent, in the same why as a chemistry set will not make a child a scientist.

I have kitchen knifes in my house. But my kids don’t play with toy knives and they don’t “play” domestic violence either.

Yes, mine have nerf guns, swords, ninja weapons, I've made origmai throwing stars and spears for them too.
They spend a lot of time playing war, which is inspired by my soldier husband.
One of my sons is adamant he will be joining the infantry.

I don’t mind my kids having them but they don’t ask for them anyway

Yep. Nerf (bow and various styles of gun), water guns, toy archery set, a whole bucket of foam swords. Mini trebuchet set we built together, and DS2 spent ages trying to make a catapult from a perfect stick he found.

Nothing that looks realistic though, as I'm not risking it with the police.

We have rules, they're taught not in the house, not at people etc.

Actually my major issue with nerf guns is the bloody foam bullets - why I can't buy a mega pack of biodegradable ones (I bet those corn packing peanuts could be made in the right shape) instead of trekking round picking them all up....

If you ask my now adult DC, they will tell you one of their happiest memories is being sat in the garden with the Grandad they adored, being taught how to shoot a little air pistol at targets.

Neither really bothered with Nerf as kids (though we did have some epic household Nerf battles when they were teens) but they loved that time with their Grandad and felt they learned a healthy respect for guns from it. Neither shoot now, neither turned to criminality.

I did have a friend who was very anti gun with her DS. Always made me smile as she'd rush over to remove the one he'd make out of Lego for himself.

I mean will you ban gun-based video games too? Ofc that’s at an age where you can’t really ban things.

My son has more guns/swords/shields/costumes than any other kind of toy. Despite me being heavily pregnant and swearing it would never happen
It's difficult to describe the type of play he/we do with them because it is quite silly. Usually a teddy is in mortal peril and needs rescuing from the evil overlord (our fat Labrador) and there's much theatrical nonsense if that makes sense? The toy weapons arent necessarily about violence per se but it is a bummer.
On a side note, I did see a Nerf crossbow in pink 😊

We avoided actively buying them but he was given some by friends who came to birthday parties. They were very clearly toys though. DS had a bit of an obsession with war at one point and had a habit of drawing guns or making guns out of bits of wood/cardboard/foil - in fact anything he could make into a gun. It caused great concern at school! Readers, I can tell you that at the age of 25 he is no longer interested in guns, has never (to my knowledge) fired a real gun and isn't interested in war except from a historical point of view.

Yes my two girls have nerf guns, water pistols, toy swords and shields.
I have a cute picture of one of them with her nerf gun which has been bejazzled with jewels!!
Not worried that they are going to turn into psychopaths or have an unhealthy interest in violence. They liked toys and we talk about playing with them safely, and their games need to be considerate even if they are shooting each other... Quite happy with approach and don't feel that keeping them away from these kind of toys is necessary...

No, I wouldn’t.

I doubt DS would be given one, but if he was I’d have a chat with him later about not thinking toy weapons are appropriate and would ideally give it away.

You might find this article about weapon play in Early Years interesting OP @muldersspeedos

abcdoes.com/abc-does-a-blog/2017/03/11/i-hope-thats-not-a-gun/

Losing battle once they start playing at other kids' houses.
Plus as with everything else that is withheld from them, it perversely becomes even more interesting and appealing...
My parents withheld sweets and chocolate, only outcome was an adult obsessed with sweets and chocolate.

I haven't had to ban anything as my DC haven't asked/requested them.

Fighting/rough play isnt allowed in our house though so I think they don't really see the point. DS did come home from school picking up some more aggressive play including wrestling/rough & tumble, but has quickly learned he won't be allowed to play like that at home.

Energetic play is fine, he plays superheroes etc, but it doesnt involve whacking stuff or hurting others. If they have energy to burn off there's a garden to run around with a climbing frame. They don't need to beat each other up. If they are having an argument they are told to use their voices not their bodies.

DS has had the lot including cap guns which we bought in Black Gang Chine as every DC has one in the cowboy area shooting each other.

They didn't really use them back home.

They've had light sabre's, swords, nerf guns, any thing you can think of really.

It's just fun and role play. They soon grow out of it.

It doesn't bother me at all.

I had a bow and arrow, pistols, swords (all fake obvs!).

I literally wouldn't hurt a fly.