Kids and guns

[Flightmare]

I may have to get this for my nephew.

https://www.amazon.com/Children%E2%80%9 ... 12&sr=8-46

Just need to confirm with his dad that it'll be okay and that he won't be shooting his younger siblings in the face with it.

That being said, I can see this being an excellent teaching tool for kids.

[flechero]

My son is now 7 and he's been taught very basic safety since he could understand what a gun was. We did the Eddie the Eagle cartoons regularly for a while. I taught him some basics with a BBgun and eventually a .22. We worked on pistol basics with a toy gun for a while and he hasn't asked to shoot a pistol yet... but like to watch me at the range.

interestingly he's seen the gun on my hip since he was a baby and even when we were rolling on the floor together he bumped his head on it sometimes- but never acknowledged it until the day I told him if he ever wanted to see it, he only need ask. (after reading this article: https://www.corneredcat.com/article/kid ... curiosity/ ) He took me up on it immediately! And did 3-4 times in the next hour and again for about 4 days. Now it's old news and he rarely wants a look... but he's likes to gun shop with me and is wanting to reload but the CCW guns are "old news" He did ask one dayif I lost my gun since why I wasn't wearing it! It was because had a school meeting to go to. SO I explained the rules of the school and guns.... he said that was "not a smart idea by the school - who would protect them if a bad guy came to school?" Yep, at age 7 he get more than a big percentage of the adults in this country!

I think you introduce them early and then base your plan on how enthusiastic they are about it.

An excerpt from the linked article:

........And now this same kid wanted to “just see” what would happen if he asked to see my gun.

So I handed it to him.

Oh, I checked and double checked that it was unloaded first. I made sure he knew that the gun had to stay pointed safely toward the brick fireplace while he handled it. And I stayed right there with him while he satisfied his curiosity for what seemed like the four hundred and twenty-seventh time that week. But yes, I did hand a real firearm to my energetic and inquisitive preschooler.

A few minutes later he said, “Thanks,” and handed the gun back to me — carefully keeping it pointed toward the fireplace, and not toward either one of us.....

[Legionnaire]

Been a while; my youngest is 20. But we introduced our kids to guns early. Ayoob has a short book called "Gun-Proof your Children" that I read years ago. I started my oldest son with a toy shotgun (it shot darts); with that he learned the four rules, and I made him put the darts away separately from the gun. He got the rules down. Then on to his Grandfather's BB gun and a .22. Somewhere in there, we introduced him to Eddie Eagle.

The girls followed more or less the same path. Before they were of an age to shoot extensively, they accompanied me on range trips and helped me clean the guns. When they expressed interest in the guns, we took them out of the safe and examined them together. By the time they were in middle school, guns were not "novel" to them; rather, they understood and had a healthy respect for them.

My rule for the kids was that none of them had to enjoy shooting, but they all had to learn how to shoot safely. Now that they are older, they can make their own choices. But I don't worry about them being safe.

[RPBrown]

My kids started learning about guns and stressed the safety at about 5. They each had their own .22 rifle by the age of 9 with the rule if they ever took them out without my wife or my consent, the rifle would be sold. My son, who is the middle child of 5 was the only one that did. He had to show it to his buddy at about the 3 week mark. I set it up with a buddy of mine to "buy" it. We made the exchange in front of my son. After a year of the two older girls and I going to the range or shooting at the farm I asked my son if he had learned his lesson. Of course he said yes so I "bought" his gun back and gave it to him. Told him if it happened again he would not get another until he was old enough to buy it himself. He asked how old that was and I said 21.
Over the next few years he helped teach the younger girls. Now the same rules have been applied to the grandkids. They are now all over 12 and so far so good

[flechero]

My rule for the kids was that none of them had to enjoy shooting, but they all had to learn how to shoot safely.

I like that rule... because at some point in almost everyone's life, (even if not a gun person) they will be around guns or someone openly handling one. To be able to asses the situation and either act, advise or leave is a skill all should have. There are some things in school you didn't like, but had to learn anyway.

[Legionnaire]

Exactly my thinking.