She said it was “horrible” to see.
A frustrated mum has told how she was horrified by some of the gifts her son received at his birthday – and how she felt they should never be given as a gift.
The woman explained on Mumsnet that her 7-year-old son had recently had a birthday party, but she had found some of the gifts he received upsetting.
She said that he had been given three toy guns as birthday presents, which she felt was “inappropriate” – and she was uncomfortable having the gifts in the house.
She added:
“Now I know it’s up to people what they give and that as the recipient’s parent I don’t get a say, and I should be grateful that these DC came to his party and brought him a gift (and I am), but I would never give a gun as a gift.”
The mum said that it was “horrible” to see her son running around with the plastic toys and shooting at them.
Her post continued:
“And of course he loves them and he was given them and if I took them away then I’d be the bad guy.”
The mum later clarified that it was “two nerf guns and a pump-action ‘soaker’ water pistol”, but she still wasn’t keen on her child playing with them.
Explaining how she feels “weapons should not be glamourised as a toy”, she wrote:
“Do we have swords? Yes – but I didn’t buy those either and no I don’t like them, because they whack each other with them and it hurts.
“I know kids have been playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians for ever, but I’m just not a fan of other people buying my kids guns.
“Buying them for your own kids is one thing, but giving them as gifts? That’s what I have a problem with.”
Some parents were totally on the original poster’s side, surprised that another parent would have made that kind of purchase.
One parent wrote:
“No, [you are not being unreasonable] I don’t allow guns and would be annoyed at receiving some as a gift, tbh I would of given them to charity and let my son choose something else instead, he knows we don’t have guns.”
Someone else added:
“I actually agree with that. I don’t think anything that could be seen as “controversial” should be gifted.”
Others disagreed with the woman, saying that many wouldn’t see an issue with those kinds of toys.
A different parent explained:
“My two would have been well chuffed with Nerf guns and a soaker water pistol as gifts and I wouldn’t have had an issue at all with them.
“I vaguely remember buying the same back for other children but they all loved Nerf Wars as much as mine.”
Another reasoned:
“I don’t like replica guns as toys but I do see water guns and Nerf guns in a different Iggy I think – mainly as they aren’t replicas in that they don’t look like real guns I guess.
“I have given Nerf guns and water guns as gifts but it’s been when requested ior I know the parent is happy with them.”
