Moral Quandry

I've read the raging debates on this topic before, and I must admit this is one topic I don't have a strong opinion about for either side tongue

My boys have spotted the 'Nerf' Blasters in the Toy Catalogue and want them.

My husband said 'They would love them' ... I would never have even thought twice at 'toy guns' prior to joining this forum to tell you the truth as I always thought they were just part of 'boys' ! But some of the points I've read brought up about letting boys play with guns over the years still has me in the big fat 'undecided' basket!

Until now I decided I won't encourage guns BUT boys being boys they have in the last 6mths or so been improvising (using their hands and the 'pwew pwew' sounds) themselves anyway ... they are at school now so you can't hide them from it forever!

Just thinking out loud! Without turning it into a huge debate AGAIN has anyone with boys thought what they would do when put in the situation of your boys asking for toy guns??

I've read the raging debates on this topic before, and I must admit this is one topic I don't have a strong opinion about for either side tongue

My boys have spotted the 'Nerf' Blasters in the Toy Catalogue and want them.

My husband said 'They would love them' ... I would never have even thought twice at 'toy guns' prior to joining this forum to tell you the truth as I always thought they were just part of 'boys' ! But some of the points I've read brought up about letting boys play with guns over the years still has me in the big fat 'undecided' basket!

Until now I decided I won't encourage guns BUT boys being boys they have in the last 6mths or so been improvising (using their hands and the 'pwew pwew' sounds) themselves anyway ... they are at school now so you can't hide them from it forever!

Just thinking out loud! Without turning it into a huge debate AGAIN has anyone with boys thought what they would do when put in the situation of your boys asking for toy guns??

I got DS a toy gun, foam swords and he runs around with DP's old spud gun thing lol... i dotn see a problem with kids playing with toy weapons...its only a game

We buy Jed guns and he doesn't even ask for them. Like for Birthdays and Xmas, we will buy him a toy gun if we find one he might like.

We have many real guns in the house due to hubby being an avid deer hunter, and I would rather our kids be exposed to it, as they will always be around it anyway, than to be ignorant about it. They are always taught gun safety, even with the toy ones.

As I always say, Guns dont kill people, people kill people.

Sorry I hope that doesn't sound like I wanted to get into a debate. Just let me know if it comes across that way and I will edit!

DS has a water gun, but I am not sure if I like it, as he points it at me, his dad, the cat etc saying btchoo btchoo. It unnerves me a little even though its just play, but he also does it with bent sticks, so there is really no way to stop him!!??

No no JBear! I see exactly what you mean with what you said!

Sammy you are right! Boys improvise no matter what you do I have learnt :S

I'm in the same position! Ds is asking for a Nerf nearly everyday but it goes against my no gun rule. I think I've lightened up a lot as he gets older because I don't think it's all that bad anymore, as long as he won't shoot it at someone (does that defeat the purpose though? lol), then it will be taken off him. He'll have to wait till Christmas to get one though!

my son hasnt asked for a gun yet and he doesnt see anyone using them so he doesnt pretend play guns either.

the issue i have with them is that maybe u see them as just a toy and just a game, but i know the area we live in has a lot of refugees moving here, and i had a boy at my child care whos cousin was taken to be in the child armys of zimbabwe so he was exposed to seeing guns, real guns really being used, he would get very distressed if any of the other kids pretended to use guns. so i wont be encouraging my kids to use guns, but i do understand that u cant keep them away from them forever. my ds does play with pirate swords tho just not guns.

We buy Jed guns and he doesn't even ask for them. Like for Birthdays and Xmas, we will buy him a toy gun if we find one he might like.

We have many real guns in the house due to hubby being an avid deer hunter, and I would rather our kids be exposed to it, as they will always be around it anyway, than to be ignorant about it. They are always taught gun safety, even with the toy ones.

As I always say, Guns dont kill people, people kill people.

Sorry I hope that doesn't sound like I wanted to get into a debate. Just let me know if it comes across that way and I will edit!

This is the reason we now allow toy guns, I used to say no bur the kids do the pew pew noises and use sticks anyway!!!
There are rules though, even toy guns don't get pointed at people (as in for killing, water pistols are OK)

No no JBear! I see exactly what you mean with what you said!

Sammy you are right! Boys improvise no matter what you do I have learnt :S

We won't be in this house as long as I can possibly resist and pleas - not that there has been yet.

I grew up on a farm and surrounded by guns but I still will not let Judd play with toy guns or pretend to play shooting games.

The way I explain it to Judd is that guns hurt people and shooting people kills people so it is not something we want to play with nor think is fun.

DH actually did fruit duty at preschool the other day and said some boys were playing shooting/gun games and they were told to stop and that it isn't acceptable playing at preschool.

I do think Judd will eventually want things like water pistols and I think I'll most likely get around my belief and give them to him by calling them water squirters not water guns.

Anyway it is something that both DH & I agree on - no toy guns in this house.

Thanks possums, for your reply!

I'm glad you understand what I mean with the question! Yes I don't know if my pair would stick to a 'no aiming' at people rule either - particularly when I have two boys who would each have one roll eyes

I do not allow my kids to play with toy guns. Water pistols and nerf guns fall into a different catergory for me tho. I don't mind them improvising with other things because they're using thier imaginations and thats good, but I'm not going to give them something that looks exactly like a gun.

I do not allow my kids to play with toy guns. Water pistols and nerf guns fall into a different catergory for me tho. I don't mind them improvising with other things because they're using thier imaginations and thats good, but I'm not going to give them something that looks exactly like a gun.

My boys dont have gtoy guns, but I did just see in the toy sales that big w have twin packs of the ones that shoot arrows out, similar to the nerf ones, and I know that they would love them, so Im in the same position of not knowing whether to get one or not.