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Parenting & Farm Kids:  Mamas of boys, can we talk weapons for a sec.  |
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shmeg
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Megan
Granville
Ohio
USA
222 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 08 2007 : 6:51:54 PM
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| I mentioned in an earlier post that my 4 year has a wooden toy gun but is not allowed to point it another person ever. My husband was a sniper for the Army and is very knowledgeable and interested in guns. But he doesn't involve our son in that other than to teach him that they are serious things, not toys. he absolutely respects an agrees in the rules and limits of the gun play. However, I am a nanny for a 20 month old boy whose father was a Marine recon. He brought his son over today and he started to pretend shoot my 2 and 4 year olds. His dad just laughed and said that he loved that he plats with guns and how great guns are. This was followed by a comment about how we have a population problem. Yikes! Daddy might not like it but his little boy will have to obey by my rules when he is in my house. His dad also lets him watch anything. He told me there were no limits to what he was allowed to watch because he wanted him to grow up with "all forms of art". |
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primjillie
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Jill
Antelope
CA
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 07:56:31 AM
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| I am another mom totally against guns. Much to my husband and his family's dismay (they are all military, except my dh), no guns were ever allowed in our home and never will be. I've lived without a gun for 51 years and never needed one. It is hard to restrict what kids can play or not, but I think if you talk to them and guide them in the right direction, you will be happier. If you don't want them to play "kill" and other games, that is your right. I was one of the few moms in our neighborhood who would check with my child's playdates and friends to make sure there were no guns in the house. My kids didn't quite understand this until there was a shooting in our neighborhood, while one young teen shot another as the parent slept on the couch in the same room. They were just playing around, but it left a lasting impression on my children as they saw a friend of theirs die needlessly. Just do what you feel is right for your family and you will be okay! |
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birdie
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
Amy
Hilliard
OH
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2007 : 09:31:13 AM
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There was an article in Mothering Magazine a few months ago about this same topic (link below). If you have a weapon-free home and your child bites his PB&J into a gun and starting "shooting", what is a mom to do? I thought the article shares an interesting perspective.
http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/discipline/bang-bang.html
At 17 months, my son isn't in the weapon stage yet, but I'm sure we'll be facing it eventually! Enjoyed reading everyone's views! 
Amy |
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ArmyWifey
True Blue Farmgirl
712 Posts
Holly
Abilene
KS
712 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2007 : 2:01:17 PM
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Very well written article --- thank you! Although I agree with the writer who states that much of the issues come because of the feminization of men in our soceity. Except where we live.............HOOAAH!! ;)
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
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bboopster
True Blue Farmgirl
1140 Posts
Betty Jo
West Bend
Wisconsin
USA
1140 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2007 : 1:30:16 PM
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Children will be children. They need guidance, rules and limits. They need to learn respect and pride. They need to know that weapons are not toys and that they can hurt or kill others if mishandled. I did not allow toy guns or weapons in my house when my children were growing up. Because guns and weapons are not toys. I was raised in a hunting/fishing home and my children were also. My girls and boys made guns out of everything at one point in their lives. I did not allow video games in my house at all and watched what they watched on TV. I'm sure we were the only house on the block and in town that did not have video games or cable TV or at least that is what my children told me quite often. But my children did learn to respect weapons and that they were not toys. From little on they were included in shooting ranges, bow shoots, knife throwing contests, hunting trips, paintball courses ect.. They did learn early on that weapons are not toys and are not used on or pointed at people. My youngest had a horriable experence his first time deer hunting when he brought down his first deer. He cried and cried when he saw it dead and knowing he was the cause. (we both shot with our camera now when it comes to hunting.) All three of my boys are now Army and very good shots (as are my girls) but I know from our talks that they still do not like the fact that someday they may have to use their weapon to save their life or someone elses. We live in a society that does not demand respect any more. Children are left to fend for themselves. They watch very graphic movies or TV shows that I think has caused them to become desensitised to the worth of a human life and that is were the guns and weapons cause the problems. Children are children and making weapons out of anything will happen no matter how hard you try to stop them, but with guidance,rules and limits I do believe that children will play safely and grow to become responsiable adults. A weapon alone can not cause harm, it is the person behind that weapon that causes the harm. There will always be guns and weapons we just need to teach our children respect for their fellow human beings and weapons. 
P.S. I'm not a fan of war and want all our troops home NOW but I do honor those who fight for our freedoms to have these conversations.
3 Blue Star Mother and Proud of it!
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
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mtngirl1
True Blue Farmgirl
51 Posts
Kimberly
Roseland
Virginia
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 3:23:45 PM
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| I have 2 boys that also like to play with guns, swords, sling shots-you name it. The only rule we have is you can't point at the head. My husband hunts and so do my boys. When I was 10 my father had me shoot his 12 guage shotgun so I could realize the power it had (he was a cop and we had guns in the house) Needless to say we never messed with his guns once we saw for ourselves what they could do, however my brother and I would chase each other around the house with the kitchen knifes ( I no longer do that) Once they get interested in girls all that gun stuff will go right out the window. |
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OhSoBlessed
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Renee
Pasadena
TX
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2007 : 10:37:48 AM
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My boys, 9 and 5, also have play as well as real guns - BB and a .22 - and they roleplay too when their friends are over. Hubby is a policeman on swat team and a bomb tech as well as a lead firearms instructor so these things are a natural part of life for us. There are 4 gun safety rules that the boys know by heart and must abide by. The oldest has shot a few critters at the farm and cried after he did. His brother hasn't been trained by dad yet so isn't allowed to touch a real gun. The little one cried too. They also were frightened by the loud sound the gun makes when fired. When they play with the toys we use that as an opportunity to reinforce what dad is teaching. We are a hunting family so unless there is a danger to the family, livestock, or crop, you kill an animal only to eat it. I get to hear what they are saying when they play so if I think there is a problem, we can address it. We don't point the gun at anything we aren't willing to destroy, including brothers. But we have the nerf guns that even dad will play with and they know the difference between reality and fantasy. Hubby is -obviously- really big on safety and thinks that the sensuality of guns is reduced with constant training and rules.
Hope you can find peace about it!
Renee
GRATITUDE is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind. - Lionel Hampton |
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juliet79
True Blue Farmgirl
112 Posts
Heather
Worland
Wyoming
USA
112 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2007 : 1:10:24 PM
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| My dad taught me and my three sisters how to shoot guns for target practice. I had a few friends who were never taught how scary a weapon could be, and when one was found at a friends house, two kids died! Long story short, I think children need to be shown what a weapon looks like, what it sounds like, and what happens. That way, if ever confronted, they will know what to do! |
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dewdrop sewing
Farmgirl at Heart
9 Posts
Christine
Mount Vernon
OH
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2007 : 04:32:31 AM
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My son also (age 3) is into guns, swords and anything typically boy - including finding and picking up every snake, salamander, and toad within sight of our home. His father is an avid hunter and our home is filled with every form of hunting paraphenalia imaginable. That being said it was quickly decided that all hunting apparatus would be designated to a room with a locked door in our basement. This satisfied my husband (he is a bit obsessive compulsive about his hunting) and myself (I want them locked up away from curious fingers). But, in all reality hunting is part of our lives and so are the tools that go with it, it keeps meat in our freezer and on our shelves through the winter. That being said, we started at a very young age (1 for Will when he first showed interest) discussing the fundamentals of hunting, guns, etc. We have strict rules about no pointing guns at people, and we have been very honest with him about what can happen to a person if they are hurt by a gun or sword.
However, when it comes to things said by young boys with guns, etc. I'm not sure where that comes from. Our son has said things like bang, and I shot that - but as other commenters have stated he is very restricted in how he is influenced through the media and our actions. I'm not sure where they come up with some of the things they say and imagine - perhaps it is encoded in their male DNA? (ha ha) I think it is important that children know that guns, etc. are tools - they are real and can be very damaging to people and animals alike. In our society with movies, tv, video games,etc. desenistizing our children and ourselves to violence, language, promiscuity, and degrading morals in general it is important to teach your children that their are consequences to each of their actions, some are good and some are bad, and they must think through things before they act. |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: Mamas of boys, can we talk weapons for a sec. |
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Mamas of boys, can we talk weapons for a sec.
