Responsible Parenting: "Playing Guns?"

[MojoTexas]

When I was a young boy, my friends and I frequently played games like "Army" and "Cowboys and Indians" and "Cops & Robbers." This would involve toy guns, yelling "Bang!", and if you were shot you had to lie down and count to ten before getting back up. Good times!

With today's political climate, and with kids getting expelled for just pointing a finger and saying "Bang" at school, what do you tell your boys about "playing guns?"

I think the idea that "playing guns" leads to sociopathic behavior is nonsense. I "played guns" as a kid, as did all my friends and cousins, and we all grew up into normal well-adjusted citizens. As we got older we made the transition to BB guns, then real firearms.

My son is still too young to "play guns," but I'm curious how other people have handled this sort of nonsense. Just tell your son that he can only play guns at home? Home-school?

[E150GT]

I think thats fine. i did it and im sure the majority of boys will.

[gregthehand]

I did it all the time and it was my favorite thing to play. We had some pretty major "battles". Most of the time if the cops drove by they would just smile and wave. I think most would still today. At least in most towns. I don't really have a problem with toy guns but making sure they don't look like real ones can be important. Nerf guns are a good alternative too.

Who always had that one kid in their group that refused to lay down!? "Nope you missed" or "I'm wearing a bullet proof vest" or "I shot you first!".

It's funny I haven't changed much since then. When I went to the store I wanted every toy gun I saw and when we went to play I had a big duffel bag of plastic and tin with me. Now I go to the gun/toy store and still want everything I can see and when I go to the range I bring a bunch of big range bags filled with steel and other metals. And if I am shooting my Glocks one is even filled with plastic .

[shootthesheet]

I told my boy to play if he wanted and I would take care of it.

I would support any kid and parent that asked for it in a situation like this. Letters or calls or whatever I can do. I hope others would do the same.

[rob845]

Not just boys, My little girls play like that.. They include not just guns but swords and witchcraft to boot... I have always told my girls that if they get in trouble at school for something that they do or play at home, that they will NOT be in trouble at home, and that we will talk to her teacher about it.

The same thing goes for defending themselves. If someone pulls hair, kicks them etc. but they start it fist they are to do the same back and more if necessary to defend themselves. If a situation happens "Mom and Dad will take care of the teacher"

[gwashorn]

I grew up doing it since I don't remember when. As I got older, we made rubber band rifles and pistols and later firecracker pipe pistols. OK, maybe not all that safe but we always played safe when we pointed the big ones. We played by "THE RULES" and learned from it. that is what I think is important. You learn from playing things and they can be good lessons. did not make me into a bank robber or worse.

Gary

[StewNTexas]

Someone on this forum has a 'signature' regarding this, but I can't find it quickly.

I know if you give a very young girl a small dish towel, she will fold it into a doll shape and hold it lovingly.

If you give a young boy a rubber duck, he will hold it by the neck, stretch out the feet, point it at something and yell 'Bang'.

Going back thousands of years, I feel that when a young boy found a small stick, he somehow turned it in his mind into a large club.

That's why we are stil here, ruling the earth.

Ya' can't make a change to natural instinct in a relatively short time.

[karder]

I think the idea that "playing guns" leads to sociopathic behavior is nonsense. I "played guns" as a kid, as did all my friends and cousins, and we all grew up into normal well-adjusted citizens. As we got older we made the transition to BB guns, then real firearms.

Our society has been dragged down by psychiatrists and lawyers. I played with cap guns when I was 5 and never shot anyone. I played superman but never jumped off the barn thinking I could fly. I played cops and robbers but did not become either when I grew up. I suppose if we are going to take all personal responsibility away from the individual, we must also take away his free thought. Personally, I would rather accept responsibility for my actions and not be treated as if I am a moron.

[chabouk]

I keep my kids out of public schools, for starters.

I don't buy them toy guns, and don't cotton to them playing bang-bang games, either. My kids all own real guns, and know how to use them, and how not to use them.

[TLE2]

My grandson and I play "guns" (soft dart guns, nothing like the real thing). But when he asks to see my real weapons, or we shoot the BB gun, he knows that there is a difference both in the weapon and my attitude.

When I was a kid, we played with revolvers that shot plastic bullets that were spring loaded into the case. Very realistic and they hurt if they hit you.

[sawdust]

I think the idea that "playing guns" leads to sociopathic behavior is nonsense. I "played guns" as a kid, as did all my friends and cousins, and we all grew up into normal well-adjusted citizens.

Does your psychiatrist agree?

I played superman but never jumped off the barn thinking I could fly.

Well, I played Superman, jumping off of the garage roof with a towel tied around my neck. My first lessons in gravity and the falseness of TV. I tried it again with the towel acting as a parachute. I learned another lesson: sprained ankles hurt.

I also sat on an upside-down lawn chair, using the extended legs as joysticks. Unfortunately, that didn't make me a fighter pilot later in life.

[srothstein]

Not only does my son play guns, but he buys his own. He gets money from his grandfather when he gets good grades. I usually make him bank it, and then let him use some when he is good. The last time, he wanted more than i would allow, but he was allowed to buy two nerf rifles with spare darts and magazines. he takes them out (with his older sister sometimes) and he and his friends will play war with them. So far, no parents have complained and he has a .22 that he knows is real and obeys the safety rules with. I have to admit that I had some concern when he was first playing with toy rifles shooting at each other and I knew he had the real one also, but he has done it well.

Then this weekend, I got to see him really play gun. His cub scout pack spent the weekend aboard the USS Lexington in Corpus. Of course, for him and his buddy, the guns were the biggest attraction. They loved the 3"/38 caliber and were upset that the 5"/50 caliber turrets were roped off. When they were in the simulators for the airplanes, his favorite position was the gunner aboard the TBM model. Not interested in the pilot's position, he wanted the machine guns.

[cougartex]

I grew up doing it since I don't remember when. As I got older, we made rubber band rifles and pistols and later firecracker pipe pistols. OK, maybe not all that safe but we always played safe when we pointed the big ones. We played by "THE RULES" and learned from it. that is what I think is important. You learn from playing things and they can be good lessons. did not make me into a bank robber or worse.

Gary

[JJVP]

I "played guns" as a kid, as did all my friends and cousins, and we all grew up into normal well-adjusted citizens. As we got older we made the transition to BB guns, then real firearms.

There you have it, you transitioned to real firearms. To the liberal Brady bunchers you are a SOCIOPATH.

[MojoTexas]

Thanks for the feedback. Although I agree 100% that "Dad will take care of it" with the teacher, I dread having to deal with that. Now that I think about it, when I was a kid, "playing guns" was something you did at home. On the playground at recess the entertainment usually consisted of football, kickball, soccer, or annoying the little girls.

My son isn't quite two years old yet, but this is a topic I've been wondering about since the political climate has changed so much.