Parents - Lock up your guns when there are kids around

[luger fan]

When little ones visit, under 14-15, I lock EVERYTHING up that can cut or go bang.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I don't know to what extent video games/movies havr one anyone's behavior.
But, I do believe the younger the child is the more impact it may have. I base that simply off observing how little kids try to act out the actions portrayed in video games/movies.

Let's face it, we are all influenced in some way by everything around us. The more imersed we are with something the more impact it has on us. Doesn't matter if we are talking about people we hang out with, hobbies, work, teachers, movies/video games. It all has some impact on who we are and what we view as acceptable. As our interests change and we become imersed in something else our behaviors change.
As video games/movies go, I think there is some element of desensitizing. To what degree, I don't know.
I believe that the graphics have gotten too realistic. I think that the first time a person sees a real gun shot wound or dead body it triggers a reaction that gets a little weaker the more an individual is subjected to seeing it.

When I was little, I was a big fan of Popeye. I was constantly leaving the dinner table after taking a bite of my "spinach" (which was usually just iceberg lettuce - I didn't like spinach) and going and grabbing a big teddy bear that I had and beating the tar out of him. I pretended he was Brutus (aka Bluto). Is that so much different than kids modeling what they see on tv/in video games today? Now granted, I did not go on to beat up other kids, but I definitely mimicked what I was seeing in the cartoon.

I would call what I was doing "pretending". There was no blurring of the lines between pretending and reality for me, but if a person had a mental illness and was predisposed to blurring those lines? Who knows?

 

[Expat]

When I was little, I was a big fan of Popeye. I was constantly leaving the dinner table after taking a bite of my "spinach" (which was usually just iceberg lettuce - I didn't like spinach)

I ate and liked my spinach because of Popeye.

 

[JettaKnight]

Mmmm.... Popeye's fried chicken...

 

[thunderchicken]

When I was little, I was a big fan of Popeye. I was constantly leaving the dinner table after taking a bite of my "spinach" (which was usually just iceberg lettuce - I didn't like spinach) and going and grabbing a big teddy bear that I had and beating the tar out of him. I pretended he was Brutus (aka Bluto). Is that so much different than kids modeling what they see on tv/in video games today? Now granted, I did not go on to beat up other kids, but I definitely mimicked what I was seeing in the cartoon.

I would call what I was doing "pretending". There was no blurring of the lines between pretending and reality for me, but if a person had a mental illness and was predisposed to blurring those lines? Who knows?

I agree there is a difference between pretending and not being able to differentiate reality and pretend.
I wonder how/IF meds maybe making some impact on kids judgement as well. I'm thinking of how common ADHD, depression,anxiety meds are being prescribed to our youth (I venture to bet some conditions are over diagnosed) and how that may also contribute to blurring the lines.
I just think there are a number of variables and pieces to the puzzle. Some pieces are bigger than others bur I think at least for some the small piecea still have influence

 

[Thor]

I liked Combat!, Rat Patrol and Sgt Nick Fury comics. I broke a Mattel full sized rifle butt stroking an Elm tree...I didn't butt stroke the neighbor kid or my sisters. (not that I wasn't tempted on occasion...with the rifle...well except for Elaine, yeah, that neighbor...not with the rifle)

 

[Ark]

Five bucks says Mom's purse. Locked, or on your person in houses with children, period.

And also don't raise your kid to be a murderous punk by age nine.

 

[STFU]

And also don't raise your kid to be a murderous punk by age nine.

^^^That too!^^^

 

[MrsGungho]

I don't know to what extent video games/movies havr one anyone's behavior.
But, I do believe the younger the child is the more impact it may have. I base that simply off observing how little kids try to act out the actions portrayed in video games/movies.

Let's face it, we are all influenced in some way by everything around us. The more imersed we are with something the more impact it has on us. Doesn't matter if we are talking about people we hang out with, hobbies, work, teachers, movies/video games. It all has some impact on who we are and what we view as acceptable. As our interests change and we become imersed in something else our behaviors change.
As video games/movies go, I think there is some element of desensitizing. To what degree, I don't know.
I believe that the graphics have gotten too realistic. I think that the first time a person sees a real gun shot wound or dead body it triggers a reaction that gets a little weaker the more an individual is subjected to seeing it.

I'm going to chime in here with facts about my son. He is 15 now. He has always been taught the danger of firearms. We didn't lock things up, but they were always out of reach. One time I came home from a very long day. I took my gun off and set it on the dinning room table. He saw it there, came and got me and told me to go put it away. He knew where it belonged and he knew NOT to touch it. He'd already been to the range and knew what a firearm could do. I think he was 4 or 5 at the time.
Video games... this boy is a video game junkie, just like his dad. They play Tanks, Call of Duty... whatever one is current now. Destiny, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Halo, Battlefield, etc. He knows these are games. He doesn't act out anything he plays. He actually will research history on some of the games, as in the tanks in the games, and can tell me anything I need/or don't need to know about them.
This isn't a "video games are bad" thing, this is parents need to parent their children. I can't be his best friend and his parent. I have to monitor, observe, punish, praise, whatever the situation calls for. If more parents would get this, the world might be different. And don't say anything about having both parents in the home. This boy has his dad on weekends and his mom during the week, yes we are still married, yes we live in the same house. But work doesn't allow us to be here all the time.

 

[thunderchicken]

I'm going to chime in here with facts about my son. He is 15 now. He has always been taught the danger of firearms. We didn't lock things up, but they were always out of reach. One time I came home from a very long day. I took my gun off and set it on the dinning room table. He saw it there, came and got me and told me to go put it away. He knew where it belonged and he knew NOT to touch it. He'd already been to the range and knew what a firearm could do. I think he was 4 or 5 at the time.
Video games... this boy is a video game junkie, just like his dad. They play Tanks, Call of Duty... whatever one is current now. Destiny, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Halo, Battlefield, etc. He knows these are games. He doesn't act out anything he plays. He actually will research history on some of the games, as in the tanks in the games, and can tell me anything I need/or don't need to know about them.
This isn't a "video games are bad" thing, this is parents need to parent their children. I can't be his best friend and his parent. I have to monitor, observe, punish, praise, whatever the situation calls for. If more parents would get this, the world might be different. And don't say anything about having both parents in the home. This boy has his dad on weekends and his mom during the week, yes we are still married, yes we live in the same house. But work doesn't allow us to be here all the time.

Hey, I get it. I never said video games are bad. I just said that they do have some kind of influence on kids. Perhaps some kids are negatively impacted when they don't have strong upbringing with positive parenting. Idk, I too knew at a very early age where dad kept his guns and never once messed with them. So please don't misinterpret what I was saying. Again I'm not saying video games are bad or to blame. I just personally think that some are too graphic for small kids. And that there is some level of influence. You kinda proved my point as your son has done some research on some of the games and the equipment depicted.

Now, I will say all kids are different. I have seen many kids acting out what they play in video games to some extent. I also think that some kids shouldn't play certain games due to mental development concerns. And as an example of that are kids who meet the criteria of being within the autistic spectrum who may struggle with right/wrong. But again that goes back to parenting.

 

[Dead Duck]

When little ones visit here, I start pulling guns out so they can clean them.
It's good practice for them to clean and handle guns. Disassemble and reassembling is like a puzzle for them. The reward is that we get to go shoot. My kids have all known where my guns are all their lives. Loaded and accessible to whoever gets to them first depending on the problem at hand. My kids aren't psycho so I'm good.


I think you will find many things will trigger a kid that is on the edge or in the first stages of having mental issues. Violent video games IS one of the triggers. Being bullied is another as is joining a neighborhood gang that bullies others. Hunting is a great family pastime but if the kid enjoys killing critters too much, like torturing your pets and the neighbors pets, there is a problem.

They are all releases that are craved and the more they do, the more they will need to do.

 

[CindyE]

I ate and liked my spinach because of Popeye.

Me too. I would wear my dad's sailor hat and pretend to be Popeye.

 

[indiucky]

By nine my kids knew not to touch the guns even if it was laying out in the open.

same

 

[MinuteManMike]

The "video games cause violence!" crowd will lazily latch onto this story.




To be fair, no one wants the "player 2" controller.

GAME OVER, MAN! GAME OVER!

 

[Cerberus]

By nine my kids knew not to touch the guns even if it was laying out in the open.

This! When I was growing up, my father demonized firearms and I developed an extreme curiousity over them. Luckily my uncle took me out and showed me safety and let me fire his guns. I never demonized firearms to my kids but taught them safety and to not touch one without permission, for obvious safety reasons. My 2 kids learned from the get go, that guns were not evil but they did need to be respected. To this day my 19 y/o son still asks permission before he touches one of my guns, and he always ensures they are in safe condition upon laying his hands on them. The daughter in typical teen age girl fashion finds them uninteresting, but she is unrepentantly pro-gun.

 

[G192127]

I keep my guns locked up because I don't want an accident, lawsuit, or an arrest.
My kids (26,32,&35) still know to ask me before taking one out- maybe I have a reason NOT to use one on a particular day.
I DO believe constant or overexposure to violence can desensitize a young mind.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

I keep my guns locked up because I don't want an accident, lawsuit, or an arrest.
My kids (26,32,&35) still know to ask me before taking one out- maybe I have a reason NOT to use one on a particular day.
I DO believe constant or overexposure to violence can desensitize a young mind.

Or an adult mind. I've seen some sick **** on my walks around the internet. I can say I'm absolutely desensitized to certain types of stuff... I don't think any of that came from games, though... I'm very much aware of the difference between real life and video games. I think most people are.

First couple times I saw a real person get shot and killed, the way they fall, the way they bleed... that was shocking. It felt uncomfortable.

I've never felt that way with video games, movies, tv shows... I understand what's real and what's fake.

 

[Trigger Time]

I can't get into video games. I went a couple years ago and bought the newest XBOX out and games. I couldn't finish one game. Too much **** to deal with and figure out. I don't want to explore a damn video game taking up every second of my day. I have kids to feed and take care of. I don't have time to go talk to this troll because the other troll said to and then take some magic potion and wait 24 hours in real life time for it to kick in or Whatever.
Give me my original Nintendo and Mario brothers and I'm good.

Go into a damn gamestop to buy games for my daughter and I'm looking for the gayest girly marshmallow and unicorn game you can imagine and the sales guy is asking me if ive ever heard of some new satanic role play game and telling me in detail how he's the master of his universe and about ready to score his expert nerd badge in video games and virtualy score with hottest babe in the galaxy in a game system!
I'm like, cool your jets Zelda I just want a game for my daughter.

 

[Mattdville16]

Very sad situation no matter how you look about it but here come the cries for gun control and in my opinion this is truly poor parenting and very improper gun safety in a home.

 

[ru44mag]

Or an adult mind. I've seen some sick **** on my walks around the internet. I can say I'm absolutely desensitized to certain types of stuff... I don't think any of that came from games, though... I'm very much aware of the difference between real life and video games. I think most people are.

First couple times I saw a real person get shot and killed, the way they fall, the way they bleed... that was shocking. It felt uncomfortable.

I've never felt that way with video games, movies, tv shows... I understand what's real and what's fake.

Just because you know what is real and what is fake, does not mean everyone does. Especially young children. I worked 20 years in Mental Health. I have seen some things. A huge part of it is failure of the parents to teach important morals. Gun safety is critical!! We all need to face the fact that we are what we think. You think good things all the time, you will do good things. You think bad things all the time, you will do bad things. It is common sense. I don't need proven research to tell me so.