Children Bred To Fight Wars?! *Urged Investigation*, page 2

I remember playing with these Nerf Guns when I was a kid. Laser Tag and video games too.

Nerf guns used to be a lot more... creative looking. Those posted in this thread are much more realistic, which concerns me. I never thought about any military connections when I was playing with the guns, instead the connection I made was with science fiction stories, comics or super heroes.

On the video game front, the incredible rise of military shooters is worrisome because a lot of young kids play them. I occasionally play shooters myself these days but find them distasteful and prefer more creative game genres. I suppose I am old enough to make a distinction between recreation/fantasy and reality, which the younger kids cannot do.

So if you take these two things together and you'll have kids making unconscious connections between the fun they are having and the military. Especially if they get access to video games at US Army stands.

I do not agree with demonizing 'video games' or 'nerf guns'. They are toys and it's the same as its always been. Boys have always played as soldiers in history. Tin Soldier Figures, using Sticks as guns... these things are NOT new! Getting rid of them doesn't solve anything and kids will just find other outlets.

The media just tries to find scapegoats in a futile attempt to present easy medicine for today's problems. My advice is to find activities to balance out the past-time of the kids. Something like a martial art teaches a lot of self-discipline, respect towards others as well as the wisdom to stay your hand. It's just an example.

You just have to keep in mind that kids learn from everything they do. As such I believe they should experience as much as possible and then be taught to see the value in what they are doing as they get older. Sort of like a directed exposure to see what the kids enjoy while still trying to impart good values. Parenting is such a difficult topic though, it's different for every one of us. There is no 'one' answer.

Hope that made sense.