https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:25:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2749163 Mon, 19 Jun 2017 11:21:32 +0000 HeartAbandoned 2749163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all so much for your replies. I appreciate hearing of your experiences and what has worked and hasn't worked. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746888 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:31:35 +0000 looch 2746888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>While I don't agree that it's in our DNA, I do agree that kids may at some point make a weapon out of something as simple as a can....my son called something a grenade the other day, he's 6.</p> <p>I try not to act too shocked when it happens but just talk about it in a matter of fact way. The item in question was an air canister for a whipped cream bottle and I just said that's interesting and moved on. He never mentioned it again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746887 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:30:36 +0000 josina 2746887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2-1/2 year old now uses my photo/plate-stands as pretend 'guns'. We ignore it if he's pointing them at us and tell him we don't play guns and we don't point them at people. He's really decreased how often he does it because we ignore the behavior. DH uses guns for hunting so we reinforce that they are only for shooting animals (like his stuffed deer/bears). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746875 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:05:29 +0000 littlebug 2746875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>D (4yo) talks about guns and blasters and lasers, etc. He knows that real guns hurt people and they are not for play. He knows he is not supposed to shoot at people, and if we catch him doing it, we remind him no shooting at people and tell him if he does it again he goes to time out. Usually that's enough to stop it. I don't feel like letting him pretend play guns is doing any harm. I specifically remember pretending with guns as a kid, and I'm now very much in support of stricter gun laws. I think that teaching children safety in relation to guns is important, and ignoring their existence doesn't really help. </p> <p>Sometimes I wish that not EVERYTHING he picks up has to be turned into a gun or blaster of some sort (literally - he picked up a pencil the other day and turned it into a bubble gum blaster). But he knows what the rules and limits are, so for now that's good enough for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746869 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:00:21 +0000 BadgerMom 2746869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2littlepumpkins: This, thank you! This is what I was trying to get at but you explained it much better. :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746866 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:54:28 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2746866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My ECE professors actually mostly said gun play was normal, so I don't really make a point out of preventing it here. We don't really limit their dramatic play at all, actually. HOWEVER, our kids don't watch anything with guns and therefore it hasn't even really come up outside of the real life guns we have in our home. I wouldn't be shocked if it does through other kids though.</p> <p>That said, we do try to help them process their dramatic play, or at least for us to understand. We ask them why they're doing what they're doing/saying what they're saying, we talk about those feelings and activities. I wouldn't want to make a huge deal out of it because I think it could be a negative attention seeking thing, especially if they see another kid getting negative attention for it. My dd's 3 yo teacher mentioned that this is very typical for around age 3.</p> <p>We (well, dh) own guns, and that's not going to change anytime soon. My daughter has always been taught they are a grown up tool, and that real guns can kill. That they can send someone to the hospital, and that that person may never come back. I know that's very blunt but it's worked around here. I don't touch guns either because she knows they serve a very specific purpose and mommy has nothing to do with that. She knows she can't touch them until she is a grown up and can learn for herself (and obviously, but I'll put this out there because this is the internet, she won't have free access, ever.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746862 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:50:34 +0000 azjax 2746862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS hasn't done this yet and we don't have any toy guns at home, but FIL did buy him a Red Ryder beebee gun for him on his first Christmas (DS was like 3m!), so I feel like this exact problem may come our way through family as well.</p> <p>OP, perhaps discouraging the behavior with more consistent consequences will help? How does your DS respond to discipline? I think these may be important considerations so the discipline doesn't inadvertently make the behavior appealing to your son as a PP mentioned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746818 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:17:13 +0000 mrskansas 2746818@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter is 2 and she hasn't done this yet. I'm following along because I'm curious how others are handling this situation.</p> <p>My husband owns probably 15 guns and recreational shooting is a big part of our lifestyle so she's bound to become interested eventually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746804 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000 FaithFertility 2746804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: Same DD 2yrs old once made the gun symbol with her hands and made the noise I quickly told her that is not kind and we dont do that with our hands!<br /> I know she saw a boy at school do it a few times<br /> She has never again done it<br /> I also told her if she sees it to tell the boy I use gentle hands!</p> <p>DH is also LEO and she never sees his gun he unloads it in the car in his case then comes inside<br /> I am very anti guns as well </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746798 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:55:39 +0000 ShootingStar 2746798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BadgerMom: That's bull. I have a 3.5 year old boy who does not talk about guns at all. He mentioned "shooting" once and we asked him if he knew what it meant and he had no idea. We told him it's a way to hurt people, like hitting. And we don't go around pretending to hurt people. He hasn't brought it up again, that was a few months ago. </p> <p>If he ignored what I told him, there would some sort of consequences. A time out or losing some sort of privileges. I am extremely anti-gun and do not think guns are toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746789 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:46:26 +0000 BadgerMom 2746789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're in the same boat. My mom is a retired kindergarten teacher any is convinced it's in our DNA... She's told me time and time again, "It doesn't matter what you do, kids (especially little boys) will make guns with their fingers..." I know this isn't really helpful, but you're not alone. I worry because I think we're (probably rightfully) more sensitive about it these days and I don't want LO to get in trouble at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746787 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:40:02 +0000 JCCovi 2746787@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3 year old daughter does too :( We're mostly ignoring it or telling her "guns aren't nice, never shoot them at people." We're mostly hoping it will go away on its own. My daughter is definitely one who is more interested in anything that is forbidden though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-toddler-loves-to-talk-about-guns#post-2746774 Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:30:00 +0000 HeartAbandoned 2746774@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2yo has discovered dart guns and squirt guns (thanks to extended family), and now wants to make everything into a gun of some sort. He will often say "shoot people" or "shoot mom" while holding a (non-gun) toy. We don't have any toy guns at our house, and I try to discourage this play/talk when he starts, but nothing seems to deter him. Is there any way to curb this talk/behavior? </p>