Posted on regular board too...I am LIVID!!

I think you are right! GUNS & KNIVES are not toys. They were not allowed in my school and kids could get suspended for bringing them to school with them. I'm just sorry that your family wasted their money when they knew how you felt.

Marcia you hit the nail on the head! They are not toys, they are serious business!

Well I applaude you T! I deal with kids that can have "guns" and home and I go crazy when I catch them building them with my legos!!!! Teaching the little ones how to do it. I can't even go potty without issues...LOL... told Mike I'm gonna have to strap a diaper on myself to get through the day . Just start taken the guns and dispose of them without J knowing and it will pass. Playing with guns leads to fighting, pushing, excluding... it just gets ugly... even with 4 and 5 yo's.

I agree Deb. There has been a lot of research that suggests that the initiation of violent play with children leads to real violence. I have a very agreeable, funny and sometimes too-sensitive child. Why would I want to turn him into this little violent bully?

I think you have a good reason to be upset. I have not allowed my son to have guns either. He's 12 and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6, his hyperactivity isn't bad, but can sometimes be impulsive...I've thought that with ADHD he certainly didn't need the influence of guns and knives in his life. He keeps asking me why I won't buy him any and I keep telling him I don't think it's necessary for him to have them, then he quits asking. He has a friend who has swords and guns at age 11. I understand he cannot play with them, but what happens at 16 when they are hanging out and decide to take one of the swords off the wall and goof around with it?!! Stick to your principles...Jordan will thank you for it someday.

Well, you're his Mother, and it's up to YOU what is allowed. The fact they KNEW this, seems, underhanded, and sounds like your Mother, just sticking up for your brother. He must have wanted to cause a riff! So sorry, honey! I would have made them disappear last night!

Hopefully you've calmed down a bit. I am on the fence on this one (because I don't have kids, largely). My dad actually worked for a gun accessory company when I was younger so I was taught to respect guns but, still, I had issues with using them. I was raised around guns. My husband, on the other hand, had a mom who, like you, didn't want him around guns. He has an absolute CRAVING for the things now. It is almost scary, actually, how much he's possessed by them. Because he's had suicidal tendencies in the past, though, I won't let him use them (even though I actually inherited one -- the chamber has been removed from the gun so he'd have to learn how to assemble it in the first place). I think that, although your intentions are good, your son will misinterpret your issues. I honestly don't know if this is a guy thing or what. I mean if you were the male figure in his life and had the same point of view would his response as he got older change? Maybe. I don't have answers. I'm sure, based on what you've said about your brother, that he is doing this to push your buttons. Don't let it (or at least don't show it in front of your son). Practice peace and just breathe. FWIW, on my niece's birthday I was actually surprised to see my nephew (4 at the time) pretending to "shoot" things. Although my sister and BIL don't have guns (they live in the country and will probably need to get one for protection) my nephew has also never been given one as a toy. He got a toy he was using as a gun and started to aim at people. Rather than take it away all of the adults simply told him to not aim it at people. We're all still puzzled, though, as to how he decided to use it as a weapon. They don'****ch much TV so the kids wouldn't have been subjected to anything UNLESS it may have been on the news. Shocking.

Taw, my oldest is 30yr, and I never allowed them I my home. But I did notice on my school bus I had this 5yr old, talking about the gun he got for christmas, and a few other items, and than I heard him say that when he plays with them "he kills people" . This is a nice kid in a nice home. I could not believe my ears. So I walked back to him on the bus, as we were waiting for teachers to come out. I told him that we don't use words on the bus like "guns, knife's, and killing people. I also told him that I do not believe in guns, and a lot of mom and dad's don't, and that kind of talk cannot come on the bus. So he understood, and that was the end of it. I'm just so surprised that I had to have this talk, when 30 yrs ago, I knew what to tell my children, and these people don't. When is your move my friend? Bridge

Exactly. 4 and 5 year olds do not understand that guns are serious business. They have seen too many shows/movies and think wow! I've got this cool gun, let me go out and shoot people. If 4 and 5 year olds were able to make responsible decisions for themselves we wouldn't have to do all the parenting things we do--i.e. getting them to school, paying a babysitter, etc. Now that I'm done ranting, our plan is to move June 26. I cannot wait! I've got lots to do before then but I hope it comes fast! Tonya

I'm sorry tonya I don't understand what you are saying when you answered my post. Are you thinking that I should not have let the 5yr old know that we will not talk on the bus that way. If you could explain what' you were trying to say that would be great!! Sorry to be a pain, I just want to make sure I understand. Thanks bridge