Jason and I shopped for my step-son last weekend. He had asked for a new Nerf rifle to replace his old one. He does have several Nerf guns at our house. He also has a couple play guns. When we started shopping around, both Jason and I just didn't feel right buying Jordan a gun, toy or otherwise, for Christmas. So, he's not getting one. It's the only thing he asked for, but he isn't getting it. We got him some other cool toys instead. When he asks why, we will talk to him about why we probably won't be getting him another toy gun again.
I haven't seen the kids since Friday, so I have no idea what their thoughts are or what their mother has or hasn't told them. Who knows, he might not even want a gun anymore.
I think all boys have a certain tendency to be obsessed with guns. Obviously, just walk up and down the toy aisle for boys in a Walmart and it's literally covered in all types of weapons. I think certain boys gravitate more towards guns and weapons than others. I think some boys gravitate more towards war than others. Some boys become more obsessed with destructive video games than others. Do I think it's normal and in boys' nature to have these feelings about weapons and killing? Unfortunately, I do. However, you just never know, NEVER, what a ten year old boy, whom you think is fine in the head, is really thinking when he is playing those video games or role playing with those guns. Jordan has always loved playing with guns. I think all of us parents assume that it's innocent, just boys being boys. But you really just never know.
We are removing any video games from our home that feature shooting of a realistic nature. I mean, humans killing humans. He can have Harry Potter, Super Mario, any of those. But no Call of Duty, no Special Black Ops (or whatever.) There are no reason for those video games at all, in my opinion, but especially for people who are impressionable and young and who already tend to gravitate towards weapons and violence.
What do you think, do toy guns have a new meaning to you now?
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Also someone was shot in a church today, so the whole Huckabee thing saying schools are shot up because some deity is not officially worshipped in church argument just went out the window (not that it had any merits at all to begin with for anyone with any critical thinking skills).