Here in fabulous new town, there are about eight or so kids within a few houses with whom The Max has begun friendships. Our old home was above restaurants on a major street with no kids around at all. Even if there were, I certainly wouldn’t have allowed Max to walk around looking for playmates. This has worked out amazingly for the both of us. He gets to run around and be a kid, I get to do the dishes without someone demanding I play Mouse Trap.
Luckily, the hip yard on the block to play at is ours. So, I can hear him outside the window even when I cannot see his lips moving. It’s ideal, and, my house is much cleaner than the last. When it’s raining or when the outdoors have become lame, Max might have a friend come up here to play.
Today, Frank came up. (of course his name is not Frank). Frank was toting two guns. The guns had those lovly orange tips which indicate they are fake or toy. Frank then told me they were BB guns but not to worry because he took the BBs out. Frank lives two houses down with his grandparents, sometimes. Other times he lives with one or more of his parents. He’s a funny kid who has more than once just walked right into our home blasted right past me and into Max’s room to ask if he wanted to go play.
Now back to those guns. I understand they are only BB guns, but I still felt strange about having some kid bring them into my house. I want to know who hands a seven year old a BB gun and says, “Have Fun!” then allowing them to bring them around the neighborhood. I’m not really anti-gun, but this still feels wrong. Maybe they did not knowingly allow him to bring them to my house, but in the case of guns, if you are insane enough to allow a child to gain access to weapons, you are basically allowing it. Especially in the case of little boys that don’t understand consequences; They are going to take them if they are there.
Now, I know for certain that Max will never be allowed to play at this kids house. There’s BB guns flaoting around the place. Am I too strict about this? Should a kid be allowed to carry around a BB gun? Are there laws about this? I barely know a thing about those types of guns. Someone clue me in.
The Pilver 
hey K,
i recently read this post from someone i follow on twitter, where another mom talks about the question of kids and guns/violence: http://www.girlsgonechild.net/2009/06/annie-drop-your-gun.html. she doesn’t have the answers you’re looking for, but i thought you’d appreciate another mom’s take on a closely related topic.
i don’t think you’re being too strict. it’s up to you to protect The Max how you see fit. no clue on the laws though.
Not a lot of laws for BB guns; but I do know how dangerous even this so-called ‘kids gun’ can be! When was a teen and dating; my boyfriends younger brother aged 12, was shot in the eye with a BB that went through the iris into the eyeball. After a week in the hospital, the doctors decide it “probably” hadn’t harmed his eyesight permanently – but they could not remove the BB without causing more damage to the eye. Then when my own son was around the same age – about 5 boys were playing around; presumably shooting birds and one boy with the BB gun, thought it would be fun to shoot at the other boys. One BB went into the calf of one boy, when he fell down screaming and bleeding — the next BB went into the patio door at the back of the house of the neighbor whose house they were behind – shattering the glass door. Needless to say — all of those five boys had to help their friend home, do chores to earn the money to pay for the shattered door AND LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON on the dangers of even ‘play’ guns. None of those five chose to be gun owners as adults – they knew the dangers – if on a very small scale. Speak with the grandparents about your concerns of “SAFE GUN USE” around the neighborhood and learn more about the ordinances in your new town! Maybe there are some “rules” they you might need to be aware of in your new neighbohood. Talula
a bb gun is not strong enougth to go throw someones claf or brake a glass window they simply arnt strong enought even at piont blank range however they can damage your eyes at piont blank but it would have to be up to ten meters i was hit in the eye at about twenty meters and it only hurt like hell Im sure you are on about air pistols or a air rifle wich take gas conisters to fire these arnt air soft and are therefore ilegal without a licences
BB guns are air soft which is why childeren are aloud them if they could pierce flesh then there would be a law to have a licence for them
Hey Krissy. If they had orange tips, then they weren’t actually BB guns, he was just telling you a story. But, I wouldn’t let a 7 run around with a BB gun unsupervised, especially in a neighborhood with other children around. BB guns can definately be dangerous or even fatal, and should be treated just like any other gun. In Washington and many other states, you have to be 8 years old to hunt, and that means high powered rifles, so allowing a 7 year old to shoot or own a BB gun is not out of the question, but it should be stored like any other gun, inaccessible to children, when not in use and should only be used with adult supervision after the child learns about and practices gun safety. Thats the responsible answer. I can tell you lots of irresponsible stories with BB guns from my childhood, however.
No, They were actual BB guns. I inspected them carefully.
Also, I need to hear some of these stories someday 🙂
I take that back, they may have been BB guns with an orange tip.
All airsoft toys will have the orange tip becouse they are modeled of modern militery wepons so they have to have the orange tip by law so they cant be used to resemble a reall gun in a robbery for example
Most young boys would want to shoot birds and crap with a BB gun, so that’s like cruelty to animals. And if they get a kill, you gotta make sure to dispose of the body correctly. I know from experience. 🙂
Also, BB’s ricochet off of basically everything, sooooo….
Do I have to say it? Ok…
You’ll shoot your eye out!
yay!
I think you’re doing just fine. Keeping the Max safe is your job and if that means he can’t go to a place you’re not comfortable lettign him go- good on you.
Too often I see parents lettign their little squibs run willy-nilly all over creation, so I thank you for being a resoponsible mother and makign decisons before thigns happen, instead of dealing with the aftermath of potentially terrible situations.
hAHA diiS iiS aN AWS0ME WEBSiiTE:)
hAha iVE sh0t my m0M, CAn a BB gUN kiiL s0MEoNE, oR JSt iNjURE ThEM?
I have boy scouts so i get to go shooting! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
I farted