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  • Sons: Ages 12, 9 & 6
  • Work part-time outside home
Toys guns
albadopaza - September 03, 2008
I'm wondering what you all think of toy guns and the military type toys. My son really wants a GI Joe doll. I have always had a strict policy against this type of toy. However, since he's getting older and being exposed to friends that have these toys and play games like army, war etc. at their houses, it's getting harder and harder to uphold. I'm wondering if I'm being unreasonable. I don't want these type of toys to become "forbidden fruit" either. How do you feel about these toys? Is war games just part of being a boy? or if we allow of boys to be entertained by violent games are we in some way promoting it?
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  • Sons: Ages 19, 16 & 5
  • Daughter: Age 2
  • Stay at home
ferrari-johnson - September 04, 2008
Oh I so agree with you. My youngest is 4, but all his older cousins (they are 5,7,9 etc..) all have them and so do his friends in the neighborhood. I can't stand them. We let him get one under the condition that if he pointed it at anyone (mommy,daddy,etc) that it would be taken away. He learned the hard way once and has been very good about it since. Daddy really had to talk me into it.
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  • Sons: Ages 5 & 20 months
  • Daughter: Age 9 months
  • Stay at home
mimh19 - October 09, 2008
I dont allow my son to have realistic looking gun toys.... actually the closest thing to a gun toy he has is a super soaker. Nor do I let him play any video games that involve humans fighting or watch shows that have violence (human vs human). I have found he hasnt mentioned wanting a toy gun or play any games that involve them... but he has been begging for a sword so he can be the "blue turtle" from the ninja turtles. I may be a bit extreme but being from canada I am used to toy guns not being sold in stores.
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  • Sons: Ages 7 & 4
  • Gainesville, GA
  • Work full-time outside home
GAmomof2boys - November 10, 2008
I know I might get comments on this, but being the wife of a police officer, we have toy guns. I don't like the ones that look real, but we have nerf dart guns that the boys love. My oldest also shoots a BB gun in the back yard. At 5 he can quote you the top five lessons in gun safety (thanks to his dad). Even with the nerf guns, there is no shooting at people or pets even if pretending. My husband is very stringent on what is allowed even as play and is always teaching them about being safe and responsible. We don't allow video games.
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  • Sons: Ages 19, 16 & 5
  • Daughter: Age 2
  • Stay at home
ferrari-johnson - November 10, 2008
Replying to ...
  I know I might get comments on this, but being the wife of a police officer, we have toy guns. I don't like the ones that look real, but we have nerf dart guns that the boys love. My oldest also shoots a BB gun in the back yard. At 5 he can quote you the top five lessons in gun safety (thanks to his dad). Even with the nerf guns, there is no shooting at people or pets even if pretending. My husband is very stringent on what is allowed even as play and is always teaching them about being safe and responsible. We don't allow video games.  
By GAmomof2boys
There is a huge difference between teaching appropriate safety lessons and just letting them run rampant. Kudos to you both for teaching and having them respect what really happens.
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  • Son: Age 7
  • Daughters: Ages 17, 14 & 11
  • Everman, TX
  • Work full-time outside home
ErinL32 - November 16, 2008
I too, had a problem letting my son (age 6) play with toy guns. However, with the help of his dad, I gave in. But under certain conditions. Mainly he IS NOT to point the gun at anybody. Yes, it has been taken away for doing so and he learned his lesson.
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  • Sons: Ages 12 & 6
  • New Jersey
  • Work part-time outside home
getcyped - November 25, 2008
I never let my older son play with guns when he was young ....then came along my 5 year old. From a tender young age, he has loved them. Eveything about them actually! At first I wouldn't give in, but after a while I caved. He is only allowed to have Nerf guns and water guns. He is happy with them. He pretends he is James Bond 007....
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  • Sons: Ages 15 & 4
  • Texas
  • Stay at home
mommytoBlake - February 09, 2009
I have never bought my boys a toy gun or let them play with one but somehow a lego set or just a tree branch gets turned into a gun. I guess no matter how much you try to steer them away from them, boys will be boys.
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  • Son: Age 8
  • Work at home
1givler - February 10, 2009
The new Nerf tag gun set is pretty cool and demonstrates some safety as it comes with vests with scores on them to hit (encouraging NOT to aim in the face or other areas) and they have safety glasses to wear too. My son and his friends LOVE them.
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