Why should there be toy guns?

Ratna Khemani

Can anyone tell me why children should be playing with guns? Toy guns or real ones, guns are guns,  spelling violence, revenge & killing, so why should we be teaching them this , most of all, at an age of innocence & simple joys. If this subject was only thought of & seriously dwelt on, it would be the beginning of the end of killings & shootings.  After all terrorists are not born terrorists, are they? Killers are not born killers. We make them, society makes them, by the environment we provide, surrounding them with violence, cruelty, shouting, beating, fighting. Wrong guidance & mis -guidance or no guidance at the right time of their lives.

Last week I was visiting a friend who has children, aged 10 years & 12 years, innocent enough & natural enough one would think. We were having a conversation on the new TV channels that have invaded our lives & how much they were being dominated by the Iraq war news. Suddenly out came Ayush, the 10 year old with a toy Sten gun, “ Hands up everybody, the war is over, this is a raid, out with your money & jewels’ while the indulgent mother laughed in amusement, I got the fright of my life & nearly jumped out of my skin.

 The moment I had calmed down a little, out came another “bandit’ Anish, with another bigger gun & a bigger voice crying for my money & jewels. There was loud laughter & guffawing & a feeling of having achieved a victory after they had scared me a 2^nd time,  “Ratna Aunty wasn’t it fun, didn’t you think we were real ?” No, I replied, Anish & Ayush, I did not enjoy the game & got scared. Playing with guns is no fun. Do you really like to scare people & enjoy frightening them? This set the 2 thinking & after a while they replied, “No aunty, not like that, we don’t like to frighten people or hit them”.

 “So why are you playing with them ?”, I asked, because all my friends are playing with them.  Now healthy games & tricks are all very well & I’m all for it. I love children & seeing them have wholesome fun is wonderful. But rude & rough antics & scaring people, specially, is not fun. specially at the expense of someone else & a visitor who is a mother’s friend is NOT. I repeat, it is no fun, to frighten someone & then laugh & feel triumphant.

There are 2 points to this incident that are thought provoking. Children should not be given guns to play with & children should be taught good manners, after all habits are formed young. There are thousands of beautiful & imaginative play things available in the market, creative, educative, amusing, that help a child create & learn, develop & evolve & some that are just healthy, wholesome & sensible fun, why should children not be encouraged to play with   such toys & parents patronize such toys?

This penchant for terrror & teasing continues & results in violent, sadistic, hobbies later on in life, giving delight at someone’s fright & smiles in someone’s sorrow is sadism. Surround your children with love, give them a stable atmosphere, settle your differences within the bedroom, let him not be introduced to violence & hatred. Take trouble over building this atmosphere & you can be sure you are raising an adjusted adult, who will do his bit towards peace & improving society. Don’t send a violent maladjusted child into adulthood. A child only needs love , trust understanding & encouragement, not expensive toys & gimmicks & training in terror & tragedies. Let them not have thrills in chills & spills only.

 A spate of violent & horror movies, made & in the making, reflects on the tendency of this becoming a popular form of enjoyment. Would you like that? give it a thought & communicate with me at ratna_khemani@vsnl.com

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Ms. Ratna Khemani
Director
Academy of Natural Health & Beauty
Centre for Personality Development
510 Sind Society
Pune 411 007
Email: ratna_khemani@vsnl.com

Telefax:91-20-5886836
Website:http://www.geocities.com/rkhemani2001/