If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I'm sure I'm the only one that'll feel like this but...

I know it's common and most kids play with toy guns or pretend other objects are guns but it makes me so sad that a 3 year old would know what a gun is and that its used to shoot people. A 3 year old should be innocent from this type of violence, even pretend. This is a reason why I would not want my 2 year old DD to have a water gun. I'd like to keep her as innocent and away from such violence for as long as possible, especially in today's world.

But I'm sure she sees all this at daycare already. Just makes me sad.

If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

hailey has a water gun. She has made a gun out of Legos. I don't have a problem with guns.

If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I'm anti gun but don't have problems with DS playing pretend guns. We tell him to never point at someone, but we also never get him anything like Nerf bc all he does is point at someone and we end up taking stuff away. He just has to make due with making his own from poles and sticks. He has a water gun but he really just likes to squirt the trees and bushes.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

Posted by Hofstra26

So I am not a fan of guns, I don't keep one in my home BUT my kids have little toy water guns. DH and I use to NOT want them to have guns of any kind but we found that with my DS in particular (age 3) no matter he plays with he finds some way of making it into a gun or weapon. I think it's a boy thing. So because of that we eased up. I wouldn't give them a toy gun that looks exactly like the real thing however, I think colorful, little water guns are ok.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

Def a boy thing to make guns out of twigs... My DS would make swords too!
But even as a girly girl, as a kid, I had a real looking gun... Loved it! We ran around the streets playing cops & robbers. My friends had them & they shot little pop caps (am I dating myself?).
I'm less pro super hero (they are always fighting and punching each other which is a lot easier for a 5 year old to do) than pro gun.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I am very against any guns, including hand guns. Anything that resembles a real one would be an absolute no, because I want them to know the difference. But one of those huge orange water soakers I am ok with. We don't own any, but I don't object to those. I think there is a difference between those soakers versus any water guns that resemble the real thing. But regardless I think talking to your kids in an age appropriate way is also important.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

My son and my BF's son are older, 8 and 9. We are very anti gun (ha typed anti fun at first) and I just do not allow realistic looking guns.

Nerf guns, water guns, etc, are fine. I do not allow anything that resembles pistols, shot guns, or any weapons.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I'm very anti-gun. I do allow my son to have water and nerf guns though. I don't want to make them a bigger deal by banning them.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

That would be fighting a losing battle in my house. As PP have said, my DS turns everything into either a gun or a sword thing from Star Wars. He has nerf and water guns. I would not allow anything that looked like a real gun

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

Thank you for all the thoughtful responses! I decided to let him have them, wth strict rules (for him AND my DH) about language and usage. We call them water toys or squirters, just because DS is so young and I don't want to introduce the concept of guns yet. He is only allowed to squirt them at the plants/ground/sky - not at people. He's played with them twice so far and it's going okay. I had to explain the rules to my BIL and SIL who played with him today but they were super understanding and great about it.

Re: If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I am very antigun. My girls have never played with a water gun, and I wouldn't buy one but I would let my kids have one if someone gifted it to them and did not resemble a real gun at all.

If you are not pro gun (this is not a political post/debate - it's about toys)

I sorry to answer in this post because I am pro-gun, but
Our children are not allowed to ha be toy guns of any kind water guns and nerfs included.
DH and I are firearms safety advocates, and we believe toy guns will only teach them to point them at humans. It is our belief that firearms should be respected and taken seriously.
My sister bought them water "guns" shaped like dolphin and a shark. We let them play with those in the tub and called them fishy squirters, but they knew that they could only squirt the tiles or the tub.

Just sharing another point of view, no flames please?

Message edited 6/19/2016 11:55:38 PM.