Do you let your kids play with "toy" guns?

[1546]

My parents didn't let me play with toy guns, or real ones for that matter, actually I grew up in a gun free house. A couple of years ago my dad looked at me and said, "I have no idea where your interest in guns came from."

 

[Pocketman]

I had plenty of toy guns when I was a kid. So did my boys. My Dad taught me to shoot when I was 11 or 12. I in turn taught mine to treat them with respect. Guns are a part of life - end of story.

 

[reno]

My kids all grew up with guns. THey had their own toy guns, My oldest daughter, would get her toy guns out and "work" on them when I would clean mine or work on them. My son, had his own toy guns and his own toy gun, gun rack. My youngest daughter never really had an interest in them. Not anti at all, fully supports the 2nd amendment, but just never had an interest.

 

[Fordtough25]

Yup, I did and so does my kid now. Learned to shoot the old .22 young and I plan on doing the same with my daughter!

 

[stilllearning09]

My kids did, when they were younger.

 

[flick1900]

I just watched the what happens when you don't use hollows video. I have also noticed my little cousin who is 6 always gets toy guns. I think we all probably did when we were kids. But do you buy them for your own kids now?

I do not have children yet myself...But I think that I want them to take it seriously. Even when they tell him not to point at people he still does and rarely is anything ever said. I think that I just want my kids to take it very seriously. That its not a toy maybe kids just need to be kids I don't know.

Spending time with your kids (especially at a young age), teaching them the difference between toys and real weapons is invaluable. Kids will be kids, and they will play. They will look at what you do more so than with what you say.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Nonsense, toys are toys.

I wonder if those that do not allow their kids to have toy guns do not allow them to play with toy cars until they are 16? Do they allow their daughters to see a naked Ken doll? Parents have a right to raise their children as they see fit but I believe this is just more parenting advice that make me .

 

[nicajack]

I grew up with toy guns in our household. That was in the 50's. I remember taking a shotgun on the bus to Southport H.S. in the 60's. Also a .22 rifle. That was normal back then. We never had any school shootings, though. In fact, I have never heard of a school shooting occurring till the 80's. Has to be a link between liberalism and society there. Maybe Dr. Spock....
My kids grew up with both toy ones and real ones in the house. Started them shooting in grade school. Gave each of them a collectible .22 rifle for their first gun. The youngest is 27 and they all 3 still have those guns.

 

[clownsaw]

I can't see why you wouldn't. I'm fairly liberal, and my wife is more liberal than I am, and we've talked about it a few times. The most important thing is making sure my kids learn to respect and understand guns.

I kind of don't get people that think that toy guns will lead to violence. You have to respect your kids at least a little bit. I remember the first time I held a .38 when I was in junior high. Standing at the range, I remember that it wasn't like a toy. Not at all. There was a difference, and I knew it immediately.

 

[joshuametivier]

I have two little girls and neither of them WANT to play with guns.(

 

[Hammerhead]

Absolutely! I had toy guns as a kid, and I also "made" my own. Nerf wasn't as popular or available but cap guns, dart guns, sticks, baseball bats (rifles since we didn't have them) BB guns (eventually), etc.

My parents didn't care that I had or played with toy guns. I just had to be careful with them so they didn't break anything in the house.

My son has Nerf guns. We've been working on the Rules since before we brought firearms into the home. He's also got a BB gun that he'll start shooting soon, now that the weather is cooperating.

And I agree, boys will make anything a gun. I did it, my son does it. I just have to make sure the knows the difference.

 

[jss1956]

I grew up with guns and dad and grandpa taught me to shoot. Got away from guns for years but the interest restarted a few years back. As a result of video games and TV my son started having an interest in guns a couple of years ago so I go him some training and trigger time. Unfortunately, he nearly lost an eye when he was shot from a couple of feet away with an airsoft gun by one of his friends. He had taken off his safety glasses to reload and his friend got careless. The experience taught him quite a bit. Both of us have a much better understanding of "toy" guns.

 

[tomc]

I grew up with toy guns and video games with guns in them like MW2, Rainbow Six, etc. If anyone looked at me or hung around me they'd never think I was some "gun crazy nut." Yeah I like guns as a hobby, I'm not afraid of them, but I have a healthy respect for them. I have my dad to thank for that. When I have kids it'll be the same thing - whether they wind up wanting to shoot or not it's up to them, but I'll at least make sure they have a solid foundation for safe handling of and respect for firearms, and the fundamentals of shooting just in case.

My wife bought an spring-powered airsoft for me a few years back to guard our garden from those pesky birds. One hit on them will sting but not injure them and they learned real fast not to approach us. Now I'm using that to teach her basic gun safety but we'll sign up together with a professional for NRA-sanctioned training once she gets her LTCH and pistol.

 

[THE SENTINEL]

my son was the nerf sniper in my house.Now he out shoots me
withe my barret M82A1

 

[spencer rifle]

My anti-gun wife said our first born would never get a toy gun. He was not allowed to watch anything but public TV. By the time he was 3 he was biting his cheese into the shape of a gun and going "Bang!" Fail. He still didn't get any toy guns, but creatively used sticks to make them. The neighbor kids would say "That's not a gun. That's a stick!" Half an hour later they all had one. Fail. Now the kids all take trips to the range and know how to handle the real thing. Win. I guess the anti-gunner in our house surrenedered to reality.

 

[rugertoter]

Yeah, why not? I had a number of them when I was a kid. Did not hurt me in the least bit. Anyone who thinks that is wrong is just dumb. When I was a kid I had toy (plastic) baseball bats too, until I was old enough to have the real thing. I did not beat anyone to death with the real one just because I had it. Did not even cross my mind. I feel it is about how one raises their children that makes the difference, that is, if the parents want to spend the time to actually do that anymore. JMHO.

 

[Socomike]

I had toy guns as a kid. We ran around aiming them at each other playing army all the time. I didnt grow up with no respect of firearms. My kid will get them and I will instill proper gun handling and safety with him. If he wants to go out and play army with his friends I will have no problem with that either.

 

[MAJB Retired]

My brothers and I always played with toy guns. Made our own 1911 from pieces of 2X4s. All eight of my kids have had toy guns. I used to get strange looks when I bought eight at a time...had to get one for everybody, every time. (5 boys-3 girls).

 

[91FXRS]

I always played with toy guns and the funny thing is I still do. My 6 year old and I get in to some awesome nerf wars around the house. My wife thinks I would still buy them if we had no kids(shes right, have you seen some of the ones available). I dont concentrate on the safety rules with the toy guns but I'm always pounding in his head that there are toy guns and real ones. when i clean my guns I let him handle them and teach him how to do it properly and safely. Always been open with my kids and the guns, I feel they need to know there not bad but you must respect them.

 

[J_Wales]

All of my daughters had toy guns...
and then progressed to air guns...
and the progressed to rim fire rifles...
and then progressed to 410 shotguns...
and then progressed to centerfire rifles...
and then progressed to handguns...

and by the time they were in their early teens they were competent in a wide variety of firearms.

Good parents setting good examples and providing good direction is what is impotant.... not what inanimate objects they are exposed to.

I wish you the best.