General Chat

Need to know opinion of lots of people as very imotive topic.

lol .. well here is my comment Mags .. errrrrrrm .. why ask??? Do your children have access to guns?

i know i would not let my children play with guns

Don't like to see kids with toy guns...they don't understand why but the parents should then it's up to them...but I wouldn't let any of my kids 'play' with them personaly.

Hi Andy, No they do not, you are quite safe. Magazine has run an article saying it is ok. As pro childcarer I need to know whether I am going over the top when I say no to games of bang bang you are dead. Hubby says it never did him any harm, but times have changed in ther last 900 years and just wondered what the word on the street was. Mags

Thanks girls, now I know I am not loopy.

ok well .. your husband is right isnt he... it never did him any harm .. and it certainly did me no harm .. cept i went onto join the army, .. was that cos i used to play with plastic guns and go .. bang bang??? no i dont think so. YOU. . can never and will never be able to stop the odd mad man who goes on a shooting spree.. and i have never ever heard of one claiming it was because he used to play with toy guns when he was 3 or 4. I would be more worried if they were playing with matches or stealing knives out of the kitchen drawer!! Andy

Mags, I had a gun many moons ago and I don't think it made me such a bad person. Even if a boy doesn't have a gun he will still play cowboys or soldiers, and emulate a gun with his fingers. Children realise that they are playing a game, I never thought that it was real. Derek.

i think its fine. i played with guns when i was a kid and then i joined the army where i had a real one for 15 years. it never made me want to break the law and become a menace to society! i think some people are simply disturbed no matter how they were brought up, its that simple.

Good points Andy, this is why I put it on here. Linda I think we have a mall/female split here. Goes back to the hunter gatherer v the home maker.

I played with cap guns when I was small...but then that was in the age of cowboys and indians films - so it was all part of a different role play. I had fun - along with practically every other child in my area but it was a toy and nothing else. I didn't grow up to be a gun toting thug! There is so much going on these days with regard to gun crime that the emphasis has shifted. Toy guns are more like replicas these days and that in itself can cause huge problems when they are used as an alternative to real guns by adults. Personally I feel that a cowboy outfit needs a six gun...a soldiers outfit, a machine gun or a rifle. A child's imagination in role play is a wonderful thing and shouldn't be stunted by not having the right 'props'. We all have a responsibility to inform our children of the dangers of guns and to make them aware of gun crime as they get older but the little ones...who have no concept of danger or mortality when they play? - why ban them? How many people who want toy guns banned also restrict television and computer games? There are far greater areas of concern there. Magsxx

it goes deeper, its like this thing of not having winners at sports days in case it upsets the losers, pathetic. how are we expected to produce quality winners if we are treating our children with big fluffy love? films and tv are more violent than ever, and yet we try to take the pacifist route with our children. we have double standards all over the place.

I dont see anything wrong with little boys being allowed to play with toy guns we always did. The main thing they should be told is it only playing and the real thing is a crime. Dave

Paul - You are not wrong!

Paul, couldn't agree more. We all endured sports days so why not our children? Competition is good. Children should not be wrapped in cotton wool, they need to know what the real world is about. I am most strict about table manners, but I am worried that this might be teaching the children.. Please may I leave the table, because I wish to shoot that guy over there!

A member of Parliament who speaks sense! Does the Right Whatever, have a way we can teach right from wrong without seeming like a right spoil sport?

Isn,t there something about forbidden fruits? happy days

I work with young children and we are told that its fine and they'll grow out of it. Not sure I agree though-there are lots of toys that dont make killing a game.

Laura, have you read the article in (don't know whether I'm allowed to do this , but here goes!!!!) Professional Child Care May 2005. This is where this all started.

The most important years for me are between the ages 5-8 Children develop a greater social awareness at this age. They understand the basic rights of others when taught fairness, values and the need to follow certain rules of behavior. Give them lots of praise when it's due. Children of this age respond well to simple reasoning and explanations. Concepts such as truthfulness and generosity can be introduced. Continue to set an example of acceptable behavior. The child at this stage wants to please you and wants to be liked by others. Davex