Little boys will turn anything into a gun: a vegetable stick, a piece of cutlery or a branch of a tree. Although some girls might get into this as well, they are more likely to turn things into "babies." For the past 30 years, parents have been trying to get their kids away from gender specific activities - with poor results. If your son plays with guns, he is no more likely to become a murderer than his father or grandfather who played "cowboys & Indians" or "soldiers" when growing up. This is true even if you buy him his own gun. Although there is some research that kids may become violent from watching violent newscasts, I have never seen any research linking childhood gun play to any kind of real life aggression. My advice to you is let your son play the way he wants to and teach him about non-aggression in the context of his real life interactions with his peers and other people. In other words, if he is rough to people, then teach him about the importance of treating others kindly, gently and with respect. But in his fantasy life, let him play out his aggressive tendencies safely with imaginative play.   Sarah Chana

My brothers and I all played with guns when we were little and we turned out to be peace-loving citizens who buy our own sons toy guns. I think guns is just a game that little boys like and there's no harm in it.

I also think it's a problem when my son turns everything into a gun.  Even though me and my brothers played with guns and swords and stuff and we all turned out okay, I don't like seeing my sun play violent games and I try to discourage it.