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Give your child a toy gun? - Page 3

As a child in my neighborhood, we had no problem finding all different ways to make toy guns. We could use twigs, hockeys sticks (of course that was a shotgun) and even our fingers (finger pointed outwards with the thumb becoming the hammer). Of course, no one would condone amputating fingers to stop children from pretending to shoot each other. We had some cap guns that made a popping sound when the hammer hit them just right (this was about 50% of the time). None of us grew up to commit crimes or shoot anyone for that matter...

You can make it illegal in your house if you choose, but your children will know that guns exists at some point (it is kind of like learning bad words...even though none may be spoken in your house) and they are going to mimic them with whatever or actually play with them from friends. This is why I strongly agree with what NightHawk said about teaching gun safety.

Rather off topic, but... OH...I did give my God Daughters a really cool 8 shot rubber band shooter that they and their father have a great time playing. They play around more like it is a game of tag. He is big into guns and gun safety education. Of course, this gift cost me about 30 mins on ensuring it is not a real gun at the airport, but it was worth it.

For me, it is the message that bad guys lose. If my child were to start running around the neighborhood with his pants falling off his butt, fake bling and a gun jammed into his shorts playing good guy/bad guy and he appears to be the good guy, then "HOUSTON...we have a problem". Playing just the normal cops and robbers type stuff doesn't bother me as long as no one is bullied and they all have fun.

SuperSoakers are a blast!

Honestly, I see far more violence in a game of dodgeball or a snowball fight, at least the ones I played as a child. I think my head is still ringing from a shot I took in a game of dodgeball at age 7!

gun toy child Give

Just because guns exist does not mean you need to make it a common item for children.

Give your child a toy gun? Reviews Consumer & Travel Family Culture

Many children scald themselves by pulling boiling pots over onto themselves, but yet we let them play with pretend cooking sets. Many children drown each year by falling into swimming pools, but yet we buy them small inflatable ones to play in each summer.

If you catch your child paying cowboys and indians or cops and robber with their hands immitating guns (as I did as a child), what will you do? You certainly cannot remove their hands. You cannot duct tape them shut. I am not condoning giving them a real gun by any means, but young boys are going to play this game...they have been for decades. You can remove your child from all these games, but then arent you hindering their social development?

Guns can be bad, pools can be bad and boiling pots can be bad, but educating your child is good, because there is bad in the world.

Edited: Vincenzo on 2nd Jan, 2008 - 6:17am

Page 3 gun toy child Give

After having two boys (and expecting, not sure if is a boy or girl yet) I have mixed feelings. For one side, I fully understand Vincenzo's reasoning but by other hand what is there to "play for fun" with a toy gun. Nobody uses a gun for "fun" even if is to defend someone's life or defend their own. It's not something "funny" or entertaining unless you use the weapon for a sport.

gun toy child Give

We used to have a lot of fun playing cops and robbers. The theatrical dying scenes were priceless. Too bad my father never captured any of those on camera. We would see who could have the best performance.

Give your child a toy gun?

I admit my boys have many water guns and a few toy ones none look real and many times half the neighborhood is in my yard playing water guns. I have taught the boys about real guns and they have seen army issue rifles hand guns ext. I have the lead from some 307 rifles and they realize just what a real gun can do. I plan this summer on letting my cousin instruct my oldest on shooting as he is a marks man in the Canadian army. After this when he is old enough he will take gun safety courses. It is the lack of respect and knowledge about guns that makes then so dangerous in the hands of the average person.

A sword, gun or bow and arrow all need strict discipline in their usage and if you do not have it then stay away from them and keep the world safer.