I'm divorced with a six year old little boy. Last Christmas he got a
toy gun that he loves to play with at my house. My x found out (she
will not let him play with toy guns) and she freaked out.... I don't
think a toy gun for a six year old is the end of the world. Maybe I'm
wrong.

I personally agree with your ex, playing with toy guns can lead to
playing with real guns, and it promotes violence between children.

I am sorry I have to agree with your ex. I will NOT allow my children to
play with toy guns. Even water guns. Rozey is right to guns lead to real
guns which lead to violence

Humm so guess playing with dolls will make them gay humm
shssssssshhhhhhhhhh


Sorry my son played Cowboys and Indians did not make him grow up to be
an outlaw. It is all in the way you raise your kids. And explain make
believe and real things in life. They see these things on TV my kids
watched them all and are very well adjusted in life. It is all in the
time we spend with out kids and truely answering there questions about
life and making the understand there is a correct way and a wrong way to
handle things in life even guns. My son had his first deer rifle at the
age of 14 But.........a friend of mine took him hunting that was very
strick with the way guns were to be handled he taught him as he had
taught his own sons the safty of using a gun. Kids should be allowed to
be kids but with some guiding about the things you should and should not
do. Just my thoughts for alot of parents will not let there kids play
with guns due to they think it will promote kids to use guns later.
Everyone has differnt thoughts . Your going against your ex tho and best
to go with her wishes unless you like to argue alot. Which is not worth
it in the long run.!!!

The reason I say no to playing with toy guns doesn't just have to do
with future gun use, I believe in the right hands guns are ok, but it
mostly has to do with the fact that it makes kids behave violently, why
would you want your kid "shooting" one of their friends and thinking
it's fun?

Geesh! "We don't let our kids play with toy guns," Where do you people
think the idea to be a soldier comes from? If all kids play with are
dolls, then we will soon have a nation of no soldiers, only
designers.Who will defend this once great nation if we are to fall under
attack?Train your children! Teach them to use these tools responsibly!
We have a duty and owe it to our youth to teach them.If we lay down our
arms,we will simply be overrun.Might as well stick a sign out in the
yard saying "Al-Quieda here I am I won't fight you, come and kill me
take everything I own,please."

THATS NOT A PROBLEM,ITS HOW YOU RAISE YOUR KIDS,I PLAYED WITH TOY GUNS
ALL THE TIME WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,AND ON TO THIS DAY I HAVE NOT SHOOT
ANYONE AS YET LOL.

I was taught to handle real guns as a child,I have 2 myself and as yet
have not shot anyone. If I ever had to though you could rest assured my
family will be well protected.I have even been teaching my daughter the
proper use and handling of a firearm.It's nothing to be ashamed of and
don't fool yourselves we are at war.

Not playing with toy guns has nothing to do with our soldiers. Once a
child reaches an age where they can learn how to handle a gun safely and
responsibly that's great, I'm all for that! But too many parents don't
pay attention to how their 6 year old are playing with their friends,
then they get ahold of the real gun and we have disasters. There is a
time and a place for guns, playtime isn't one of them.

My theory behind letting them play with guns or dolls or even
firetrucks. Is that we must teach them as they play with each item the
good and the bad things each can help or prevent. When it comes down to
it the kids that end up with the guns and shoot there playmates happens
due to parents not teaching there kids correct way of handling the guns
and the parents that do not know the correct way them selves sorry you
don' leave a gun loaded in the house for a kid to happen upon. You teach
them to respect what they have and what happens between make believe and
real life. Heck I played Cowboys and Indians when I was growing up and
yes I was taught the differnce from real life and fiction. But,,,,like I
said we all have differnt ways to raise our children when it comes to an
issue two parents that are divorced then sorry but the one the child
lives with is were the ball falls.

Devin and Dane, I'm glad to hear that you haven't shot anyone
I'm not saying every kid that does play with toy guns will grow up
someday to shoot someone, I'm saying it DOES increase the odds though.
And there are plenty of other toys to play with besides dolls!

There could be several reasons why your ex does not want your child to
play with guns. We do not have all the information to decide if she is
right or wrong. For example, if she is living in a dangerous community
with lots of gun violence then I could see her opposition to her six
year old playing with a gun. She could also be a victim of gun violence
or is very close to someone who has been a victim. Untill we understand
why she is oppose to the idea we cannot say she is right or wrong. I
would suggest talking to her get her concerns and try to discuss your
point of view and go from there.
Good luck

Well you feel how you do. I've put in my moneys worth on the problem at
hand,I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree.I am pro toy
gun.

Dane No hard feelings! To each their own!

Hay I have to agree with your wife beside mothers ar over
protective of thiere kids and a toy gun today is an invitation for the
real gun tomorrow . men feel differently because toy guns,cars,trucks
are suppose to be what boys play with because for gils its dolls
,jumprope,and baking ovens so thats where the disagreement comes in but
a toy gun should never have been made a toy this world is just screwed
up and not caring when it comes to making money .so she is not trying to
get at you she is just reacting like most moms or x wives we love our
kids and that doesn`t make you a bad dad your just learning the womans
way of thinking when it comes to kids

I see your point on kids being shot but 98% of the time that kids under
the age of 12. That shoot a playmate it is due to the parent not taking
the safty measures they should have in order to prevent the accident
themselves. The kids are curious and go digging for them. Where was the
parent? Why did they leave a loaded gun on the top shelf of the closet?
Or unloaded with the bullets next to it. Seems on most of those cases it
is the Adult that caused the accident to happen. Because they themselves
were not taught the proper way to handle one either. My self do I have
guns nooo. My son if his are brought into the house he knows the rules
in a case and must be locked up. It is sad to see things happen to the
kids with guns but if you notice most of the time it is due to the
parents fault how they actually stored the firearm.

well I am totally agains guns ,, but water guns are oh ,, and well my
teenage daughter had a toy gun and the toddler stole it from her ,, but
I dont think it will lead to mass murder or bankrobbery ,,allthough he
has committed theft by stealing a weapon from his sister ,,omg !!
well I try not to allow guns but ya they are around , if it is a toy
,,,well its a toy for christs sakes and your ex should not freak out if
you have toys for your kid!!

Its tooo bad for the kid that mom is a spaz !! Dad your ok !!roll your
eyes and ask her if there are government regulations on toy purchases ,

I completely disagree with your wife. A boy (and girls, even!) play with
toy guns. "Everyone" played with toy guns and soldiers and all that
stuff in the '60s and most of us did not grow up to "play" with real
guns.

Having said that, it does seem that somewhere along the line the
demarcation between fantasy and reality has gotten lost on a lot of
today's youth.

I say let the boy play with guns, but clearly teach him the difference
between fantasy and reality, that "cops and robbers" as a game, is fun,
but that "cops and robbers" in real life, is serious, serious business.

In "my day" it was clear who was the hero and who was the villain.
Today, unfortunately, those roles have gotten skewed in a lot of kids'
minds. It's the parents' responsibility to teach kids the difference
between good and evil, and right from wrong.

I have children and if they wanted a toy gun I would not have an issue
with it at all. How can you play cowboys and indians without it. That is
part of the american heritage it may not be one to be proud of but it
still is a part of our history.

If you think that playing with toy guns promotes violence or playing
with real guns then you better remove the televisions as well as any
form of news media from your home as well considering I cannot think of
a time when I have ever seen a news broadcast that did not include
death, disease, distruction, violence or a number of other negative
things. Can you honestly think of a tv news program or a movie that had
no sorrow or violence in it?

Personally, I think that a child should be taught to respect life in
general at the earliest possible age as well as to respect real guns
because a small child can kill a grown person with a real gun just like
a grown person can kill a child with a real gun.

Let me point this out to those that disagree with my thoughts on this.
If a robber or rapist came into your home and restrained the adults in
the house. If a child has access to a real gun and the child does not
know how or when to use it it is worthless but if they do they could
take control of the situation and free the adults to take over from
there.

Every parrent thinks differently on this topic. I have had access and
respected real guns since I was 12 years old. Guns do not kill people.
People kill people. In most cases of death with guns involved there is a
criminal intent. Alot of it has to do with a persons character which is
a product of how they were raised. The only reason you even hear the
stories of children killing accidently with guns is because of the news
seeing death as a news story.

I would worry alot more about a child that did not know and respect the
power a real gun has then person that was sheltered from guns all their
life and was holding one now at any age.

That is my 2 cents and I am sure there are alot of people on here that
will disagree however I am allowed my opinion on it.

I think most video games teach miss use of weapons more than toy
guns.Had toy guns when I was a kid.Was always told,"never point it at
ppl.That thought set in quickly.Parents play with the kids and teach
them.Way safer than letting them learn what they learn from the shoot
ppl video games.