Kids with Guns

When I was a young Mom I didn't let my sons play with toy guns.

I'll let you have a minute to take that tidbit of info in and let it slosh around in your head. You can decide where you stand on the issue.

Ok. Well, obviously, I no longer tell my children that they can't play with toy guns because as you can see from the picture to the left....the other left....I let them run around the back yard, re-enacting scenes from the popular television show COPS! Get the theme song out of your head and pay attention. 

Now, you wouldn't believe the amount of people who thought I was making a bad choice by letting my kids play with guns in the yard. I posted pics to facebook! And as you know, that invites a slew of opinions on your parenting choices. To avoid total mayhem, I deleted the comments.

I thought the pictures were funny. I mean, have you ever googled "cats with guns!" Hello FUNNY! Kids with FAKE guns in a controlled environment are equally as funny in my opinion. But, how do you approach the situation where someone tells you how they think you could improve as a parent? It's an awkward situation for me. I've come up with a cookie cutter phrase to use the next time I am faced with this issue. Here it goes.

I respect your opinions. I don't always or ever agree with your opinions but I realize you are entitled to them. I have a parenting style all my own as I am sure you do too. My kids are stable individuals who have never held anyone hostage! Let's agree to disagree but keep it to ourselves in order to avoid world war 3.