about kids and violence?
Not real violence necessarily but toy guns, and weapons. Action figures that are all about fighting and aggression. Halloween comes and kids are not allowed to dress up as any violent character. Many parents will not allow their children to have toy guns. Are we afraid they will not be able to distinguish between pretend and reality? Do we over-react in cases like this? Is there really anything to be concerned about? Is it just a part of their inner wiring or is it influenced by tv, movies and video games?
Thoughts?
Thursday, February 23, 2006
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5 comments:
That's a tough one..... I don't really agree with toy guns.... I don't see a purpose. Guns only serve one purpose and that is to injure or kill someone... regardless of the intent (police officer or criminal) they are intended to kill or injure. It doesn't have anything to do with pretend or reality why would we want to really or pretend to hurt someone?!?! As for action figures I guess it depends... if they are allowed to watch the show that the action figure is from then why wouldn't they be allowed to play with the action figure? If the action figure is inapropriate then the show would be too.
Well, all the grandson's in my husband's family play with toy guns and I don't like it. They hunt down their prey (neighborhood friends) and start shooting at them. This to me seems a little disturbing. For them, it is all because they see it in their video games, I'm sure. I will not be allowing my kids to partake in such habits. I just heard on the news yesterday that a highschool kid here in Oregon shot another student 4 times and then turned the gun on himself. Luckily they are both ok, but really - what "triggered" this in the first place? What caused those boys at Columbine (where my husband's uncle works) to do what they did? It all hits too close to home for me to take a back seat.
I was planning on not getting my son a toy gun. Then his grandfather (a cop) gets him one for Cmas. So as long as my son understands the difference between a fake and a real gun (by having a long talk with his grandpa-my dad), I guess I'm okay with him playing with it occasionally.
kids have always played with guns, whether you get them on or not. they will pick up a stick and use it as a gun, play cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, it's been going on for years. i don't know or understand what has happened to have the violence increase so much in the last little bit, i think the problem is more based on kids not having anyone supervise them, kids growing up alone.
Thats a hard one Les - we kept toy guns out of the house for 7 years, then all of a sudden it seemed like we had them everywhere - we never had the toy guns, but the water guns, the action figures etc. To be honest, Coreigh at one point chewed his sandwich into the shape of a gun, or there was the lego guns he made - they figure out a way to do it no matter what. We struggle with the video game issue. Our hard part is that Coreigh is now old enough (16 next week!) so he plays a lot of the M rated games, but the 12 year old I don't think should. However, despite all efforts, the second one always gets exposed to more than the first. I honestly think this is an issue every family must deal on their own. With Allister being a cop my kids are very aware of guns, of what they do - the dangers, the viciousness etc but Allister does not bring his home unless it is absolutely necessary and then it is in the proper lock box etc.....though the kids know where it is but do not know where the keys etc are.
Its a struggle thats for sure.
With violence though - my kids were never allowed to watch the news. That to me was worse than anything.
Take care - you are a great Mom!!!
Heather
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