Am I wrong for taking my son's toy nerf gun away or am I going overboard?

[bibmichael1]

My son has a toy nerf gun that shoots little foam disks. I am a very strict when gun safety (any gun) I told my son not to ever point and shoot his toy nerf gun any one. Any way he shot it in the house playing after I told him never to do that in the house. the little nerf disk hit me in the eye I took it away and told him he can’t get it back till he proves he can respect any gun now I am being told by his mother I am going over board and that it just a toy. I know it just a toy but it shoot but I don’t care if it a nerf gun or my 9mm, .45, 12ga, 30-06 or my AK’s

[proudtexasgirl]

My little brother loves Nerf guns. He literally has nearly every one that exists.

My dad and parents have always told him that you never point a gun at something you don't intend to shoot. That being said, we have gotten into Nerf gun wars before. I think it's an appropriate response to take away the Nerf gun if he shot you in the eye, but you have to evaluate the whole situation. How old is he first of all? Can he even really grasp the concept of being responsible with a gun? It's important for him to understand that he cannot hurt people, but was it intentional or accidental? Either way, I would probably take the gun away, but the length of punishment would depend on intent. Depending on how old he is, you can't take it away for too long or he will forget, and your point is lost. When you do give the toy back to him, have a conversation with him about why it was taken away. Depth and length of the conversation should really depend on how old he is and how much he can really understand.

I do agree that it's important to teach your kid, but you also have to remember he is just a kid.

[Anonymous]

come stand up and be a man. put your foot down, and don't feel guilty about it. tough love, its for the best, because you know more than him and your older than him. I just hate seeing kids boss their parents around.

[Anonymous]

You buy your kid a nerf gun, and tell him not to shoot at ppl, come on man the whole point of a nerf gun is to shoot ppl, didn't you ever play cowboys and Indians, or cops and robbers when you were a kid? I am pro gun, I have many guns, and if I had a kid who had a nerf gun, and he shot me in the eye with it yes, I would be pissed if I told him not to shoot it in the house, and he did.

If he was playing around in the yard, and shot his friend, no I wouldn't be pissed, what are you supposed to shoot then, imaginary characters, trees, what? When I was a kid my parents said toy guns are to play with but never ever point a real gun at someone, but then again those times were different.

[Settingemstraight]

You made a rule, A very simple rule. and he broke it. Simple as that.

Personally I think that's a brilliant way to teach gun safety. I'll have to make a note of that for when I have kids...

So no I don't think you're over reacting. Guns are good. They are fun and usefull and cool. But you must have the proper respect for them. The moment you don't respect a gun is the moment things get dangerous.

Funny. Guns sound a lot like horses.

[ihatework]

you did the right thing, children need to be disciplined so they can learn about respect. how would the mother have handled the situation if she was hit in the eye?

[Hydra6544]

Make sure he knows the difference between a real gun and a Nerf gun just tell him not to aim for the face

[TwoToTooTutu2]

Try teaching him real gun safety.