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Would you let your child have a toy gun?
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amother


 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 9:56 am
would you allow it?

at what age?
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happyone




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 9:58 am
No. I don't allow toy guns, knives, or any other ammu type items.
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dewyt




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 10:02 am
me neither, my father never let, and I agree. dont like the look of kids playing with these things. there are plenty of other "boyish" toys out there!
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shopaholic




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 10:51 am
Never. DS wanted to be a cowboy & for me to get him a gun. I said no. My parents never allowed toy guns, swords knives etc in the house. Of course DS makes them out of clicks, legos & his fingers.
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withhumor




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 11:07 am
I don’t allow anything of that sort. It’s not an official rule, more of like an unspoken agreement. My kids also don’t make these objects from toys, they ‘understand’ it is not acceptable.
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su7kids




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 11:10 am
momof3 wrote:
Never. DS wanted to be a cowboy & for me to get him a gun. I said no. My parents never allowed toy guns, swords knives etc in the house. Of course DS makes them out of clicks, legos & his fingers.


I was going to say the same thing. And I don't mind if they make them out of something they have, because then its not real looking.

I'm perified (was, my kids are older now) of my kids going to smoeone's house and seeing a gun which they thought was a toy. It was probably irrational, because most of my friends don't have them,b ut I wasn't going to take a chance.

Even if they would bring orange water pistols home [cheapy ones, like as party favors], I would stomp on it and break it, because, putting itin the garbage was never enough.
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Mitzvahmom




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 11:17 am
yeah... I get so angry when people give my kids water guns...

I make them disappear
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ShiraMiri




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 11:22 am
I always said no no. But with a houseful of boychiks, it was inevitable that they receive water guns and such as gifts. Even before then, they were making weapons out of clay, legos, anything they could fashion into a weapon.

So, now we have water guns, swords, light sabers (Star Wars), shields, you name it.

It the law of nature.
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greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 11:28 am
ShiraMiri wrote:
I always said no no. But with a houseful of boychiks, it was inevitable that they receive water guns and such as gifts. Even before then, they were making weapons out of clay, legos, anything they could fashion into a weapon.

So, now we have water guns, swords, light sabers (Star Wars), shields, you name it.

It the law of nature.

My situation was similar - I didn't like the idea - even once threw a present away when my ds was 3 - but they make em anyway and use sticks or whatever so I just realized it was inevitable - last year I bought a cowboy stuff for my dd which included gun with caps - I actually once let them shoot a real gun in the country
I always thought water pistols were fine cause they have such a variety that they didn't even look like guns to me ...
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Sregion28




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 12:20 pm
I absolutely do not allow any gun toys in our house. Why should I have a toy that encourages violence? If I lived in israel where my child saw Israeli soldiers on a daily basis, it might be a different story, but here in America, any exposure a child has to a gun is probably very negative and violent. Im also careful about not letting my kids see pictures of guns, videos, anything like that. I dont even say the word in front of them.
However, of course my older son (4) came home from school a few weeks ago saying "Im going to shoot you" and making guns out of legos.
I made him stop and told him he can't do that in our house, but im wondering if im being too strict.
I just dont like the idea of any game or toy that encourages violence or hurting others, no matter what it is. he doesnt really understand what a gun is, but still......
once we were at someones house who had squirt guns in their bathtub for the kids to play with - I just called them "squirties" and the kids had a great time, they had no idea what it was, but just wait until my son actually sees a picture of a gun or a toy gun, then he'll know what it is and "squirties" won't work anymore.....
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mumoo




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 1:01 pm
Never did when boys were little (ds never asked for one Smile )

Now they are in high school and they bought themselved cap guns for krias megilla. they get boxed up all year and come out on purim.

I never understood the rationalization that they would make guns out of other things anyway. So I still don't have to buy them

We used squirt bottles instead of water pistols, they hold more water anyway.
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JMto2




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 1:11 pm
My husbands parents never let him have one and my father never let us have one I do not think I would allow my children to have one.
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shanie5




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 02 2007, 4:09 pm
no guns in my house. no guns made out of legos or anything else is allowed. if I find anyone pretending to 'shoot' w/ anything, it gets taken away.
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smiley:)




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 03 2007, 1:48 pm
I would never either. the other day I was out and one kid (dressed up for purim( had a toy one and put it right into my 1 1/2 yr old's face. I just took it and turned it away. He did it again. I said please dont do that. He did it again and I told him "I told you not to do that" in a strict voice. Then he stopped. My next step was to ask him where his mother is (like she could care) and if that didnt work just to take it away.
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Imaonwheels




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 12:05 am
Can I understand the no gun rational (a thread where I can finally be sure I won't get shot at)? Can I understand on what is the assumption that playing with them will encourage violence?

I have a real gun. Most of my boys have cleaned it. I don't buy gun toys except if they want to be police or a soldier for Purim. They have bought w/their own money. I don't make it a no no. I am not into distortion. Jews are not naturally violent people. It is not something we glorify. There is no inherently Jewish martial art. They don't have tv or "action" movies to turn it into something manly.

The world is real. Mommy has a gun. My brothers have guns. Guns take some lives and guns save some lives. A gun, like every other thing HaShem gave us the chachma to create, can be good or evil. Where would all of civilization be if the police and army didn't have guns? Maybe children should not be allowed to play doctor as they will be reminded that people die in hospitals. The assumption that an adult is carrying a gun saves lives by us. It makes an arab think before trying to kidnap someone if he knows he may get shot.

One of the most common ways to help a distressed child is play therapy. A child will often replay violence towards an adult who is abusing them or causing them mental distress. In a normal setting a child's play allows him to explore certain ideas in a safe protected environment. The reason why boys make guns themselves if not given toy guns is that they themselves are coming to grips with ideas on a level that just talking to them won't reach. If the mother is stressed at the mere idea that Moishy would pretend to shoot his brother then you are not encouraging Moishy to express his feelings verbally to you when he is ready. There is no one to talk to.

Unless they are locked in the basement they know there is such a thing. After they go to school it cannot be hidden. Even the friendly neighborhood relations cop has a gun. Children need to know that the policeman is someone he can trust to go to if he is lost or someone is bothering him. Kids who are allowed will tell there friends. Those who watch tv or movies will have plenty to tell. There are several ages were even boys w/good relationships don't talk to their parents and try to be independent. Their play and there talk among there friends are 2 of the best barometers to whether or not I am getting my msgs through to my kids.

Dovid HaMelech, Yehoshua, Yehuda HaMaccabi. Examples for our children who lived by the sword ... in service of HaShem. All things in perspective. Would you allow your child to be Yehuda HaMaccabi for Purim? The message that Jews are forbidden to defend themselves is scarier and unfortunately more common than Jewish violent crime.
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redhot




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 12:12 am
Imaonwheels wrote:
Can I understand the no gun rational (a thread where I can finally be sure I won't get shot at)? Can I understand on what is the assumption that playing with them will encourage violence?

I have a real gun. Most of my boys have cleaned it. I don't buy gun toys except if they want to be police or a soldier for Purim. They have bought w/their own money. I don't make it a no no. I am not into distortion. Jews are not naturally violent people. It is not something we glorify. There is no inherently Jewish martial art. They don't have tv or "action" movies to turn it into something manly.

The world is real. Mommy has a gun. My brothers have guns. Guns take some lives and guns save some lives. A gun, like every other thing HaShem gave us the chachma to create, can be good or evil. Where would all of civilization be if the police and army didn't have guns? Maybe children should not be allowed to play doctor as they will be reminded that people die in hospitals. The assumption that an adult is carrying a gun saves lives by us. It makes an arab think before trying to kidnap someone if he knows he may get shot.

One of the most common ways to help a distressed child is play therapy. A child will often replay violence towards an adult who is abusing them or causing them mental distress. In a normal setting a child's play allows him to explore certain ideas in a safe protected environment. The reason why boys make guns themselves if not given toy guns is that they themselves are coming to grips with ideas on a level that just talking to them won't reach. If the mother is stressed at the mere idea that Moishy would pretend to shoot his brother then you are not encouraging Moishy to express his feelings verbally to you when he is ready. There is no one to talk to.

Unless they are locked in the basement they know there is such a thing. After they go to school it cannot be hidden. Even the friendly neighborhood relations cop has a gun. Children need to know that the policeman is someone he can trust to go to if he is lost or someone is bothering him. Kids who are allowed will tell there friends. Those who watch tv or movies will have plenty to tell. There are several ages were even boys w/good relationships don't talk to their parents and try to be independent. Their play and there talk among there friends are 2 of the best barometers to whether or not I am getting my msgs through to my kids.

Dovid HaMelech, Yehoshua, Yehuda HaMaccabi. Examples for our children who lived by the sword ... in service of HaShem. All things in perspective. Would you allow your child to be Yehuda HaMaccabi for Purim? The message that Jews are forbidden to defend themselves is scarier and unfortunately more common than Jewish violent crime.


I couldnt have put it better myself. I too dont understand this antigun mentality.

I have gone to rifle ranges many times, and I am contemplating getting a license and buying a gun myself. I dont think I would tell my children about it until they were much older, but I dont understand why it is so horrible for a kids to play with a water gun?

(and ps- water bottles do NOT squirt better than super soakers)
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bashinda




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 12:36 am
My boys aren't old enough yet so I don't know about toys but about I would be very NOT excited about having real guns in the house given all the stories I've heard over the years about accidents with them especially when there are kids involved.

I'm getting the impression it's a normal boy thing to want to play with guns though. I don't really count super soakers as guns.
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Imaonwheels




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 12:45 am
The accidents happen w/small children because the gun is hidden from the child until someone is careless "for just a minute". It happens w/older kids who think they know what they are doing. A gun has a safety. There are laws that a gun must be on its owner or locked away. I am less afraid because my children know what a real gun is because everyone has one. They know what an arab is and why the gun is a necessity. They know someone (a neighbor) that shot an arab that walked into his home. The play and the reality run simultaneous by us. Letting the child clean the gun (12 yr old, not younger) under supervision gives them a sort of awe that this thing can kill, dead, final until mMshiach.

I think a lot of the young women around us, and ex Californians like dh would be anti-gun toy if they didn't see otherwise so clearly in real life.
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deedee




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 12:55 am
I also grew up in a real gun family. I still would not let my kids play with toy guns. there is a diffrence b/t knowing about real guns and playing with toy ones. usually kids play with each other and this is who they would be "shooting" at.
I dont like when my kids play doctor either, why should they play a game where they are sick and have to go to the dr. I dont buy them toy scalples and drills to play with!
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shanie5




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 04 2007, 1:15 am
toy and gun in the same sentence is the problem. children should know that guns are not and never will be a toy. that is the reason I am against toy guns and play shooting. if my child wants to learn how to use a gun when s/he is older, that is fine, but as a toy-not in my house.
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