Grandma wants to give 3 yr old a water gun

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I cannot believe the anti-gun sentiment, let alone the anti-water gun sentiment in this thread. Heaven forbid your dear children get some water on you or another person. The MIL sounds like a wonderfully fun grandma, most kids should be so lucky!

How about putting this much effort into teaching your children gun safety! There is a thought. You can't keep your precious little poopsies in a bubble forever.

Ummmmm - what are you trying to say? Eventually my 3 year old will be faced with a real gun? And if he is exposed at age 3, thinking that guns are toys would some how be helpful in that scenario??

Nope, the PP is saying the two things are completely different and people have to chill out a little bit. but you knew that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I cannot believe the anti-gun sentiment, let alone the anti-water gun sentiment in this thread. Heaven forbid your dear children get some water on you or another person. The MIL sounds like a wonderfully fun grandma, most kids should be so lucky!

How about putting this much effort into teaching your children gun safety! There is a thought. You can't keep your precious little poopsies in a bubble forever.

Ummmmm - what are you trying to say? Eventually my 3 year old will be faced with a real gun? And if he is exposed at age 3, thinking that guns are toys would some how be helpful in that scenario??

Yep, that's exactly what I was trying to say. Numbskull.

[Anonymous]

That is what we are trying to do. Teach our kids gun safety. And . . .the #1 rule of gun safety is GUNS ARE NOT TOYS. Redneck numbskull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is what we are trying to do. Teach our kids gun safety. And . . .the #1 rule of gun safety is GUNS ARE NOT TOYS. Redneck numbskull.

But some guns ARE toys. So you can keep them out of your house, but like OP's example, they will be exposed to them at some point (both real and toy guns).

[Anonymous]

My kids love visiting my relatives where they have learned to shoot the BB gun and gasp I will let them hunt when they are older. I also let my kids play with cap guns and water guns.

As a child, I did all of this and am not a homicidal maniac. I was taught to respect guns and that fact that they could hurt someone. That included gun safety.

I want my children to learn those same lessons.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- ok folks, didn't mean to open a can of worms. I have a personal bad history with guns and was just hoping to keep guns of any kind away from them. But I'm going to chill, not risk offending Grandma, and let them play with water guns while visiting. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Anonymous]

OP, OF COURSE you knew you were opening a can of worms. Did you forget where you were posting? Please.

[Anonymous]

There have been recent studies that have found that "aggressive" play, such as that with guns is a normal part of development for boys, and trying to supress it can actually be harmful. This isn't necessarily he study I'm honking of, but it is an article re: the subject.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38882665/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/t/bring-it-boys-may-benefit-aggressive-play/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There have been recent studies that have found that "aggressive" play, such as that with guns is a normal part of development for boys, and trying to supress it can actually be harmful. This isn't necessarily he study I'm honking of, but it is an article re: the subject.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38882665/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/t/bring-it-boys-may-benefit-aggressive-play/

Uh, that would be "thinking of".

[Anonymous]

In our house there is no gun play of any sort and no princess talk. Them's the rules.

[Anonymous]

In our house there is no gun play of any sort and no princess talk. Them's the rules.

How sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a different view of this, as a young child repeatedly squirted me and my special needs daughter with her squirt gun at the pool this weekend. It's not a "gun play" issue. Whether you have your child play with guns is a private issue between you and your child. But when you give a child a squirt gun, you involve other people because a squirt gun -- ready for it? -- squirts other people. You need to know the child has the ability and discretion to use or not use the thing in the right situation. I don't think a three year old has that. Sorry.

That's another issue, imo. Last year a boy kept throwing cupfuls of water into smaller kid's faces and laughing. No water gun involved.

Squirt guns don't have to squirt people. They can squirt things. They can squirt water. You can teach them to only squirt people who also have a squirt gun and want to play, and to only squirt legs or arms or some other body part.

Like guns don't have to kill people. Only people who have guns chose to kill people? Kind of like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I cannot believe the anti-gun sentiment, let alone the anti-water gun sentiment in this thread. Heaven forbid your dear children get some water on you or another person. The MIL sounds like a wonderfully fun grandma, most kids should be so lucky!

How about putting this much effort into teaching your children gun safety! There is a thought. You can't keep your precious little poopsies in a bubble forever.

Ummmmm - what are you trying to say? Eventually my 3 year old will be faced with a real gun? And if he is exposed at age 3, thinking that guns are toys would some how be helpful in that scenario??

No, but it may be possible your 5 year old will (remember the 5 year old who went to his friends house, played with his friends gun and killed himself?). I am pro-gun safety and will be teaching my daughter about guns and gun safety.

I also plan to let her use a watergun and let her know the difference between a toy and a real gun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In our house there is no gun play of any sort and no princess talk. Them's the rules.

Storm's parents!!!

I find this funny though....covert princess play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In our house there is no gun play of any sort and no princess talk. Them's the rules.

Oh good god. What a wonderful way to promote sneaky behavior. You are seriously kidding yourself if you think your children will never engage in gun and princess play. Are you planning on sending your children to school?