I have a soon to be 4 year old and he saw a toy gun at the toy store. He liked it and asked me to buy it for him. At first I was skeptical about the whole gun issue but then I realized as long as he knows the difference between real and make believe, why not? I got it for him and it shoots darts so he and my younger brother pretend and play w/ it. I was surprise one time when we went to a friends house whose husband is a cop. The officer had laid out his belt in the kitchen table and my son saw the gun. He said we can't play w/ that one mami that one is real. To me he undestands the difference. What's your take on this?
2007-11-07 05:05:24 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
The cop friend didn't know we were coming in. We were just picking up some things from his wife and it just so happened he was in the middle of something. He has no children in the house either.
2007-11-07 06:10:29 · update #1
There is nothing wrong with it as long as it cannot be mistaken for a real gun. You do have a good reason to be concerned though. I would suggest teaching him how to tell if its a real gun and to respect and stay away from the real thing. As long as he can distinguish between fun and serious, I think its fine. Modern toy guns usualy are plastic and colorful, so that they can't be mistaken for a real gun. The real thing is usualy heavy, steel or black colored, and have more moving parts. See if you can ask the officer to help explain gun safty to him, I am sure he will be glad to provided he has the time.
So far though sounds like you got a good kid.
2007-11-07 05:15:41 · answer #1 · answered by Todd 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Geez. Good question. I think it's more of a safety issue, really. The make some guns today that really, really look like real ones. Plus, there are some older firearms that almost look like toys. Also keep in mind that he is also old enough to go play at his friends' houses. I would probably say no, but that when he is old enough you (or someone trained to do so) will teach him how to handle a real gun safely. I was taught to use a pistol at age 9 and would NEVER touch a firearm - real or not - without an adult present and watching even at that age, because it was not presented to me as a toy at all. I guess it really depends on the personality of your son - and you know him best. Just tell him that even if he thinks a gun MIGHT be a toy - to never, never touch it unless there is an adult present, and keep sending that message until he is out of his teens!
2007-11-07 05:14:19 · answer #2 · answered by Nickel 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
OH MY GOD YOU'RE RAISING A SERIAL KILLER!!!!!
Sorry, I can't stand these paranoids. Every generation has grown up playing Robin Hood or Cops and Robbers or Cowboys and Indians to say that this will lead to a life of irresponsible behavior is lunacy. It sounds to me like your son already has a grasp on what's real and what's play. Now I don't know what your personal feelings are about having real guns in the house, but assuming you do, I will just repeat what you probably already know, keep the gun locked, with a trigger lock at the very least, locked in a gun safe is the only way to be sure it's out of the reach of a child, keep your ammo locked up in a different location. And when you feel your child is old enough, take him to a pistol range and get him into firearm safety classes. Stay deeply involved in your son's life. Know who his friends are and if possible, who their parents are. It is not just your right, but a necessity that you inspect his room periodically. If parents did this incidents like Columbine and St Augustine may not have happened.
edit: Yes, your cop friend should be admonished. In his line of work particularly. Laying your gun on the kitchen table is totally irresponsible. I would let your friend know how upset I was with her husband's lack of concern. That's how tragic accidents happen. It only takes a second to pull a trigger.
2007-11-07 05:23:27 · answer #3 · answered by Ben Dover 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as the child knows the difference between the two and that he understands that toy guns are used for pretend, not for real violence and make sure understands the outcome of using a real gun. Also tell them never to point a gun at anybody, even if it is fake.
2007-11-07 06:16:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a little boy who is about to turn two and I don't plan on getting any toy guns for him. But I recently took a Dave Ramsey course and he said something along the lines of boys will be boys. He said that you can put a boy in a room with a couple of paper clips and he'll somehow find a way to make a ball and a gun. :)
2007-11-07 06:59:34 · answer #5 · answered by Laura 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Personally, I don't let my children, or the children I babysit play with toy guns. My concern is that we have real guns in my house. They're locked up with trigger locks in a safe, and the older children know we have them, BUT, I don't want to do anything that would ever confuse them. My children have been taught from a very young age that guns kill things. The only reason to shoot something is to kill it. I'd rather my children not play games themed around killing anything. Just because your son knows the difference between a real gun and a fake gun doesn't mean he can comprehend that dead is dead forever.
2007-11-07 06:01:00 · answer #6 · answered by Denise S 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think that if a child wants to play with "guns" he will. If you buy him toy guns, he'll use them. If you don't... he'll bite a gun out of his morning toast (don't laugh! My oldest did this! One of my fondest memories... lol), he'll find a stick that looks like a gun. My youngest will occasionally say his guitar is a gun... and his swords (foam) are guitars. They make believe... Either way, as long as they know real gun safety, and that playing with a gun could kill him or someone else, you're good! Best of luck!
2007-11-07 13:18:38 · answer #7 · answered by Amy G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have a 3 yr & 4 yr old my husband has already started teaching them about guns like never point even a toy gun at someone and so on. my husband hunts alot and plans on the boys hunting with him when they are older. i think as long as you teach them to respect guns its ok. the other day another kid pointed a toy dart gun at my 4 yr old and my son told him not to do that because you should never point a gun at someone. i think as long as he understands its play its ok.
2007-11-07 06:13:52 · answer #8 · answered by b12345 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that toy guns are a very good idea. Even if the child seems to know the difference between real and fake guns, it still leaves the impression that guns are fun and violence is exciting.
2007-11-07 05:14:25 · answer #9 · answered by coyote_windsprint 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think that you are absolutly right. It depends on the kid but even if you didn't buy him the toy gun he could have still made a block a gun or a stick. As long a you give him rules and teach him right from wrong he will be fine. Little boys seem to love guns and swords....at least mine do. Hope this helps!
2007-11-07 05:13:47 · answer #10 · answered by mama3 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋