No guns ever for the kids, what?

[DefiantDad]

In recent years, I have come across so many parents (many my friends) who say their kids would NEVER play with guns (in the sense of even toy guns) even to the extent that when I suggested there was a particularly fun ride in DisneyWorld (I am one of those annoying "young at heart" farts) where you shoot laser pistols at bouncing cartoon characters (something called Buzz Lightyear's Blasters or something like that), I got the very serious response that their kids would NEVER play something like that.

All this seemed so surreal to me. When the heck did this kind of thing start? And yet we have an explosion of video games with all manner of firearms. Seems like two divergently extreme universes are concurrent with a third reality that I am in. Totally weird.

 

[Ranger30-06]

I played with cap guns with my brothers for God knows how long, and I don't have a hair of desire in the world to hurt anyone. It just goes with the belief that objects cause intentions, when its really just the person.

 

[Hacker15E]

I think it's an extreme interpretation of the idea that "guns are not toys" and the "law of primacy" that says people learn best what they learn the first time. The idea is, if you teach kids that guns are not toys from the very beginning, that's how they'll forever treat them.

Personally, I don't agree with that philosophy at all -- I grew up with all manner of toy guns and violated the 4 rules all the time with them as a kid, and I somehow managed to grow up and understand the difference between play habits and real life rules. In fact, none of the kids from my neighborhood with whom I grew up playing all manner of war games turned into a mass murderer or even a firearms owner with unsafe habits.

 

[riki]

Just leave fools alone. For example my wife only asks me not to give 12 cal shotgun to our son until he will be 8. I think the best way to teach a child respect the guns and act responsible is to give him airsoft then bb.

However, here in Russia we have much less weapon traditions than you

 

[drcook]

I may be suffering from "conspiracy theory" syndrome, and need to put my tinfoil hat on, but so much of that attitude falls right in with the "We the Sheeple" brainwashing of the population. The law abiding folks of our country are being groomed to stand in line, not think for themselves, firearms are bad, ad nauseum. Right along with Bloomberg's "Let me do your thinking for you, don't drink that big glass of pop".

 

[AirForceShooter]

I grew up in NYC in the 40' and 50'S.
my very liberal parents wouldn't let me near anything resembling a gun.
Not even a cap gun.

Just look what happened to me.

AFS

 

[Davek1977]

I'm glad to say that here in rural south dakota where I've been born, raised amd still reside at, gun ownership...and teaching kids about guns...is still very much a tradition. My 10 and 13 yr old nephews are both avid hunters who are welcome with me at the range anytime. Both have already harvested deer, shot multiple centerfire rifles, and have even put a few mags thru my 9mm. Both are safe and responsible....and like me, both played with (toy) guns throughout childhood. (in fact, their fav. "toy" gun was the old wooden stock off my sks that just didn't ever feel "right" to me)

 

[Gtimothy]

deleted

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

This thread is the education the antigunners need to have, but probably will never get. So much truth, and so little awareness by the self-titled "enlightened".

 

[hso]

At least 30 years ago.

 

[Captaingyro]

My cousin and his wife were like that...irrational anti-gun zealots. They absolutely refused to buy their son any kind of toy gun or gun-related toy, and taught him that guns were evil, and not appropriate for civilized human beings.

They were appalled when they kept finding the home-made toy guns that the kid made to play with.

 

[William Boyd]

I'm wondering if the parents who say no toy guns for my kids are the same ones who allow their kids to play endless hours of blood and gore, shoot em up video games.

 

[kenken]

We have shooting sports here for the kids which include rifle and shotgun competitions. Some of these 10-12 yr old boys and girls can kick some tail on the skeet range. Really good shots and extremely knowledgeable of gun safety. Thats how we roll in East Texas.

kenken

 

[Pilot]

The Nanny state is strong in some. Wait until they suffer their first home invasion, and the only thing they have to defend their family is hoping the perps will just take their stuff, and not kill them all.

 

[chicago guy]

I teach in Chicago -- one of the most anti-gun cities in the nation. We don't allow ANY kind of toy or representation. Guess what? The kids "finger shoot" each other. I have been instructed to tell them that this isn't allowed. Look at our crime stats, and show me how will this has worked!

 

[carsten1911]

mission impossible....

...people who think they can keep their kids "gun free" obviously don´t know a thing about kids.
The have LEGO? They will built "guns" with it.
They find a stick? They point it at things and people and shout "bangbang".
They use rulers, bottles and pencils as swords, rifles, pistols and fight, hunt or compete with them.

Kids can turn anything into everything they desire to play with. They are kids.
Go figure when the antis will try to outlaw anything that could be used as guns while playing...no kidding, these people ARE thinking (uhm, sort of...) that rear-end-forward way. :banghead:

EDIT: To Chigaco Guy...I fell your pain! this PC-nonsense surely was not the reason for you to choose your profession of teaching the young ones!

Carsten

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Most Anti gun parents are beyond help until something bad happens.

At least where I teach we have not gone no gun play yet.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I'm wondering if the parents who say no toy guns for my kids are the same ones who allow their kids to play endless hours of blood and gore, shoot em up video games.

I know some parents who won't let their kids have toy guns or play video games with guns and or killing.

I've been shooting real guns since I was 5 years old. I knew where my dad's loaded home defense gun was most of my childhood. I played with toy gun my entire childhood (although usually by myself and not with friends). My dad taught me about guns and how to respect them as soon as I was able to talk in a sentence. My parents realized that I was a logical kid and once I knew to respect guns I would not be "curious" and do something stupid and harmful.

Education and being able to asses a child's ability to be trusted with guns is the key. There are some kids who can be taught about guns and still do something stupid out of curiosity or pure recklessness.

Toy guns, violent video games and violent movies do not turn people into killers....but you can be darn sure killers often gravitate toward those things. Banning any of the above items would be just as foolish and short sighted as banning guns.

 

[303tom]

I am a firm believer in, (guns are not toys) But, there are Toy Guns !

 

[JohnM]

All we're doing here is preaching to the choir.
This "guns are bad" propaganda has been going on for years and began being introduced into the school systems decades ago.
We're now seeing the effects as those kids are now raising their own families.
It's a dangerous trend and I really see no easy way to reverse it.

 

[Kingcreek]

I thank god that I had the opportunity to wear out 2 bb guns before getting my first "real" gun at the age of 10.

 

[Godsgunman]

I see this as a very personal issue. Obviously I'm a gun owner and avid shooter and I was raised with toy guns playing cowboys and indians with my brother. I had a bb gun by the time I was 8 and was hunting with my grandfather by the time I was 10. I have a 2 yr old daughter so I understand some of this thinking of not letting my daughter play around guns. At her age I personally think its a good idea for there not to be any confusion between a real gun and a toy gun. As she gets older I have no problem with her getting a toy gun and eventually getting to use my old bb gun and work her way up. She 'll see me on occasion cleaning my carry gun and I just inform her that she should never touch and she could get hurt. At the age of 2 thats all she needs to know for now and she's never really questioned any further. In my mind its all about slowly educating them in the proper fashion teaching them safety as they grow and are able to understand more.

 

[skoro]

Most kids are naturally curious and the video games many spend hours with involve lots of virtual weapons. It's my opinion that if a parent declares firearms to be "forbidden fruit", that will only serve to heighten the child's desire to handle one, given the opportunity. And w/o proper instruction and familiarization, disaster often ensues.

Just my humble opinion, but it seems to me that teaching your children the proper handling of firearms is the safest way of minimizing potential problems.

 

[shuvelrider]

Its still America, where even liberals/sheeple have the freedom to be anti gun if they want to. These are the same people that will take a deceased relatives gun to the nearest LGS for quick cash, rather then have that evil thing around the house.
That's OK with me, its their privilege to do so. That just puts more fine old classics back in circulation for me to buy, to bring home to my house

As for the kids in these kind of households, they didn't choose an anti gun household to grow up in. But they sure can choose to own guns when they get older!!

 

[TenDriver]

My wife won't even say the word "gun" in front of our son (3, 4 in Sept). She spells it. I usually correct her spelling of the word with the correct nomenclature, "rifle", "shotgun", or "pistol".

She is staunchly against our son playing with toy guns, yet will supply a water gun and call it such. The result has been him associating anything called a gun as a device which shoots water.

I have yet to approach the topic with him as I don't feel he's quite old enough to appreciate the difference. In the meantime everything I own is locked in the safe and remains there until such time it is leaving the house with me. Obviously I'll have to deal with this at some point, but there are other obstacles to overcome first.