BEND, Ore. — When we hike together, my oldest son, who is 5, scans the ground for the perfect “gun.” His ideal stick has an ergonomic crook in it and is a comfortable size to hold. When he finds one like that, he lifts it for a test fire — pew, pew. A mile in, he's usually got one in each hand but is still on the lookout for an upgrade: anything smoother or more gunlike. My youngest, who is 2, isn't far behind. He's been saying the word “gun” for more than a year.
Should I forbid this kind of play? Ignore it? Set ground rules such as “Ask for permission before you shoot someone”? Psychologists say there is no evidence that imaginary gun play is abnormal or harmful. Still, it bothers me, as a gun owner and a hunter, to watch my children violate basic rules of gun safety, even if armed only with sticks. I want my kids to grow up to be what I am: a responsible gun owner.
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