Do you Allow your Children to play with Plastic Guns, Army Men, etc?
By gypsylady28
@gypsylady28 (945)
United States
May 1, 2007 6:20am CST
My son is army man crazy. My mom thinks we shouldn't let him have so much of the army stuff, but it is kind of hard to do that. My husband, his brothers, his sisters, and most of his neices and nephews are ex-military or currently serving. I won't let him play with any guns that look real, and my husband agrees with that. I think what finally put my mom over the edge was when I decorated his room in camoflauge. My mother and I usually agree on most stuff, but she says I'm encouraging violence with letting him play the army man? Do you let your children play with army men and such? Do you think it encourages violence?
9 people like this
6 responses
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
1 May 07
I don't think that allowing your child to play with army men is encouraging violence. My brother and I both played with army men when we were growing up. Neither one of us is violent in nature. We would often play war or reenact different wars. To me it helped us to learn more about history.
3 people like this
@londongirl (207)
•
2 May 07
My son loved playing with his Action man and wearing his army outfits, he is nearly 18 and I couldn't be more proud of the caring, loving, young man he has become today, your son sounds like a normal little boy to me.
1 person likes this
@gypsylady28 (945)
• United States
2 May 07
I have told my mom that it is normal too. I think part of the problem is that he has such a big imagination, and he will make up a whole story to go with each of his imaginary "army buddies". I think he has a wonderful imagination.
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
2 May 07
When my brother and I were children we had comic books, video games, and Power Rangers and we were okay. We have not killed anyone. In fact, my brother was going to be an DA (he past away last year) and me, I am going to be a middle school and high school instructor.
1 person likes this
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
2 May 07
I dont think it encourages violence in the part of the child as long as he did not shown one... military is a career and have been in the blood i guess since almost all relatives of yours are into it, no wonder that the boy likes it too..
1 person likes this
@hikarushidou (843)
• Philippines
2 May 07
I dont think youre encouraging violence. that's just design. if you ever saw him hurting someone and didnt scold him for it, that's tolerating violence big time, but i dont think youre that kind of parent.
@shalako (19)
• United States
2 May 07
Lol..I hope not... I grew up playing with army men in the back yard..digging fox holes, and pretending to be the good guy and the bad guy and getting shot...And my kids do the same thing...
I served in the Marine Corps for 8 years and I am pretty sure that I'm fairly well balanced....
Seriously I don't see the problem with playing with toy soldiers. As long as they understand that it's play, what's the harm?
