Many of us remember playing "shoot'em up" as a child. As the amount of violence in this country rises, parental attitudes towards children playing with guns have changed. Studies have found an association between playing with toy guns and aggressive behavior.
Doctors at the Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, surveyed 922 parents, asking them about their attitude about their children playing with guns. Two-thirds felt it was never "OK for a child to play with toy guns." A similar number said they never let their children play with toy guns.
Parents who believed it was ok for children to play with toy guns were more likely to be white males and their children were more likely to be boys than girls.
Some children's health advocates believe doctors should counsel families on limiting their children's exposure to toy guns. Understanding how parents feel about playing with guns is the first step. To be effective, counseling the parent least likely to bring a child to the doctor - the father - may be necessary.
Pediatrics, 01/03
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