Reply to allow toy gun play or no?

Forum Index » General Parenting Discussion

Reply to "allow toy gun play or no? "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Hmm. It's surprising to me that he's still asking/trying this frequently after a YEAR. That's a really long time for a little kid. Have you been consistent with your "no" or have you allowed it a few times? Are there other situations where he is playing these types of games? (friends houses, relatives houses, extracurricular activities?) Where do you think this desire is coming from? I'm just wondering if there's a specific "itch" he's trying to scratch that you could find a better way to help him scratch. For example - I would for sure buy "water blasters" that look nothing like guns and let him go to town with those all summer if it's the "chase and catch" aspect he likes. Or is it that he likes "competitive" games and it's the "I got you!" aspect that's appealing that maybe could be redirected to a sport or something? Or maybe it's the power side of it and you could sign him up for karate or something? I honestly have no idea, I'm just spitballing here.

A year is a long time for a kid to still be asking to do something when the answer is never yes and you don't even have those types of toys around.[/quote]

This is very interesting to me that you have this response, because this is exactly how I feel. I'm like, why hasn't he given up yet? He's had no exposure to his Nerf-gun loving cousins the past year, which was his only other exposure. There is a boy at school who clearly likes to play gun games with sticks because that's who he gets in trouble with. Other than that, our household has been a consistent NO on this topic for over a year. That's why I'm so exasperated on how to proceed because it's like it's never going to go away until he's allowed to scratch this itch somehow. He's very physically active and in multiple sports. He loves weapons of all kinds but he doesn't watch any tv or play games that have weapons. I don't know why he's so attracted to guns. 
-OP[/quote]

Hmm. Is this other kid someone he looks up to? Thinks he's super cool/wants to be him? I'm really grasping at straws here, but it's gotta be SOMETHING.

I think if I were you, I'd keep trying to puzzle it out, but meanwhile, continue to say no to guns. Both cause I agree with you generally, that they're not toys, and also because I'm loathe to start allowing something just because my kid is STILL asking about it. You've picked this battle, so I think at this point you have to win it otherwise your kid is running the show. Although damn, if I were you, at this point I'd be wishing I could go back in time and just let him play with toy guns. [/quote]

Also - what about something like this:

https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-2598160/nerf-n-strike-stratobow-bow.jsp?skuid=65565729&CID=shopping15&utm_campaign=TOYS&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=google&utm_product=65565729&utm_campaignid=9733267150&gclid=CjwKCAjw7J6EBhBDEiwA5UUM2rqtNbYmDxT7ZR4KgGJRS9yHup6Hr5JDxKhrbD0cDGLevRvtLUwMNhoCKkoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'd allow that. [/quote]

We've gotten him several bow and arrow toys and he LOVES them but still wants to do gun play.
-OP[/quote]
What's the difference? [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics