Guns...Shooting....

[MissAnn]

Give me your take on this. Just plain fun and fantasy? Something you say "no" to? I'll give my thoughts....but I am open to hearing yours. I just think it's too much.....the television shows they watch are full of violence....even if it is superheroes with a good message of saving people....or the earth. Not sure the kids actually "get" that out of it. What I see here is a whole lot of hitting, kicking, and shooting. The shooting is what bothers me the most. They pretend to kill each other. I know they don't understand that "killing" is a permanent thing. I allow the superhero stuff outside......I tell them that's outside play. Running and rough play is not allowed indoors. The thing is....everything indoors becomes a weapon. I have great educational materials but a few of the boys only play with them as weapons. I know they watch a lot of superhero stuff at home.

I'm rambling and I think I hear a parent outside.....so? What are your thoughts?

[WImom]

I don't allow it at all. I have it in my contract that I don't all gun/fighting play and if they allow it at home they need to explain to their children that it is not allowed at my childcare.

[daysofelijah]

I try to tone it down if it gets to be a problem, but the boys are always building guns out of legos or train tracks or whatever. So the rule for the most part is no shooting at people, no using violent words like "kill", "dead", etc.

I know for sure 2 out of my 3 families are gun owning families, the third likely is too. So no one has a problem with some imaginary gun play. If I had a parent that did I'd probably try to make it a no at daycare.

[MG&Lsmom]

Not allowed here either. We are a non violence household, family and daycare rules. Not allowed period. Listed in my contract as a cause for termination if it repeatedly happens. Boys will be boys, but they don't have to do it here.

I've been lucky that the simple, "We don't allow guns or shooting at our house, even pretend" response works for us. I got an eyeroll from a 9yo once and a quick convo with mom ended it right there.

My DD is obsessed with Star Wars thanks to DH so I know what you mean about the violence in the shows.

[nannyde]

I don't allow any of it at all. No play fighting or super hero play at all. I don't allow them to turn things into imaginary weapons or "point" anything at each other.

I don't allow "wands" either.

This used to be an issue back in the mid nineties with my kids but it is not now. I found that it quickly developed into fighting play regardless of the "saving" or "good" character. The kids are naturally drawn to hyper, frentic, high pitched, high conflict play that mimics cartoons.

I allow them to play with figurines but not to do any kind of "conflict" play. I have a buzz lightyear doll or two, and rescue heros. They can't play conflict play with it.

Thank goodness the cartoons available now are plentiful and non violent. That wasn't the case so much in the nineties. Now with expanded cable and channels devoted to little kids the TV they watch is not anywhere near as violent.

My kids watch TV at home but they do not bring character play into my home. I don't have too many TV character toys.

[Cat Herder]

I am a card toting member of the NRA:: and I do not allow gun "play".

Guns are not play. Guns are scary just like poison, snakes, and spiders....

Once they are much older they can be taught appropriate gun safety, at home, by their parents. If they so choose.

Here pointing a "hand" gun (pun intended) receives the same correction as "shooting a bird"....both are a No-No... No shooting, period. ::

[MyAngels]

I am a card toting member of the NRA:: and I do not allow gun "play".

Guns are not play. Guns are scary just like poison, snakes, and spiders....

Once they are much older they can be taught appropriate gun safety, at home, by their parents. If they so choose.

Here pointing a "hand" gun (pun intended) receives the same correction as "shooting a bird"....both are a No-No... No shooting, period. ::

This is the way I feel, too. There's just no place for this in my daycare setting.

[MissAnn]

Guns are not play. Guns are scary just like poison, snakes, and spiders....

Don't know if this helps me since I have a tarantula as a class pet! Just kidding.

I feel that kids are surrounded by violence. I'm not talking about the "bad" neighborhoods and drug dealers or even child abuse. I'm talking about in almost every home.....the violence they are allowed to watch on television affects their play. They play what they know and see. I want to offer an alternative......learn how to play appropriately.....without constant crashing...shooting....kicking.

Loving the comments.....bring them on....I'd love to hear someone of the opposite opinion. Or....are there any?

[Cat Herder]

Don't know if this helps me since I have a tarantula as a class pet! Just kidding.

It is a good point, though.....because I LOVE LOVE LOVE snakes and spiders.

We just have so many venomous species, here, that trying to teach pre-schoolers the truth about how wonderful/necessary/fascinating they really are could easily turn deadly since they can't distinguish animal behaviors and species.

I do feel pangs of guilt each time I have to tell them "Don't touch!! Danger!"

OK, back off the soap box and back to you regularly scheduled topic....

[Sunny Day]

I don't allow any gun play at all either. There are lots of other things they can play. I stop it immediately when I see it (I have one little boy who is FOREVER turning something into a gun and shooting the little kids--it infuriates me!)

[Stacy214]

I am a card toting member of the NRA:: and I do not allow gun "play".

Guns are not play. Guns are scary just like poison, snakes, and spiders....

Once they are much older they can be taught appropriate gun safety, at home, by their parents. If they so choose.

Here pointing a "hand" gun (pun intended) receives the same correction as "shooting a bird"....both are a No-No... No shooting, period. ::

I agree! I live in the rural areas of NC so TONS of shooting goes on out here and pretty sure everyone of my dck's have guns in their homes however i just have infants and toddlers so the gun thing hasn't been an issue "yet" .

[DCMomOf3]

I don't allow it ever. I had a gun play issue with my SAs but I was the meanie and put my foot down. Play is much more relaxed and enjoyable now, for me and the kids. They don't miss it now, it was just constant vigilance on my part at first. And I think the kids in "bad" neighborhoods probably understand the results of guns better than the ones from "good" neighborhoods.

[Zoe]

I don't like actual guns. I think they are deadly in the wrong hands. I made my husband get rid of his rifle before we got married. That being said, as a kid, my brother and I had a BB gun that we'd use for target practice (cans, action figures) up at our cabin in the woods. We also had "laser" guns that were wonderful playing in the woods. But we were taught how to properly use these "guns" and we were well over 10 years old.

I don't think those kind of toys, or even the "hand" guns like we're talking about are appropriate for children in the daycare setting. They're too young to realize the danger of what they're doing. When they're older and have learned responsibility with guns, then it's ok. NOT under 10! And NEVER unsupervised or with friends who don't know gun safety.

[MissAnn]

I have a family who proudly tells me they do not have television. Her boys play spiderman and batman and shooting all day. No, they do not have television, but they do watch videos! I'd rather kids watch regular television but more educational and less violence.

[countrymom]

well, we were a "gun free" zone till new dcb started. This kid turns everything into a gun, so now i just take the toys away, I agree with that there is too much violence nowadays. I have another dcb who loves to play with army men--mom thinks its great that he has imagination, but they are all shooting and killing each other. Also, if you have a non violent home, children will grow up to be non violent children.