Author Topic: Teaching children about firearms.  (Read 6877 times)

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Offline Rustykeys

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Teaching children about firearms.
« on: October 25, 2012, 08:43:49 PM »
This is just to get some or your ideas and personal experience on how you go about teaching children about firearms.

My three children are now grown and have families of their own, but when they were growing up I felt very strongly about teaching them that there were firearms in the home, and they needed to be familiar with them and their operation, and comfortable around them. I strongly disagree with hiding them from kids as I feel that if found by them it just increases their curiosity. I personally wanted them to be fully aware of them and for them to see, personally fire them and experience the destruction that they are capable of. I used gallon jugs filled with water, and cans to demonstrate for them.

Life has moved on for me and I am involved with another woman now that still has younger children living here at home; a 12 year old boy and 14 year old girl. As before, I let my g/f know that if there are going to be firearms in the home the kids are going to know and learn about them. She is ok with all of this. Our problem is her daughter doesn't want to shoot any of the firearms. The .22 is the caliber of choice for us teaching her but she absolutely refuses. She has no problem watching us target shoot and being around them but doesn't want to participate in actually firing. I don't want to push her but I am also with this frame of mind that "It's not really a matter of choice whether you want to or not, but rather you need to" in case of a situation ever happens like we recently read with the 12 year old girl from Oklahoma who successfully defended herself with a firearm while home alone. At this point in time I am not going to push her with hopes that its just some personal apprehension that she is experiencing. I am hoping that she will eventually see the amount of fun we are having and she will eventually ask to shoot. This is my hope. I still firmly believe that she needs to know proper handling, operation, and firing the firearm.

Your thoughts?
“We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”
 
– Benjamin Franklin

A right not exercised is a right lost.

Offline CV67PAT

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2012, 08:55:25 PM »
I couldn't agree more.

I started introducing my son to firearms when he was 4. I began with a starter pistol. It was like a revolver. He was able to begin manipulating it to learn gun safety. And when he'd shoot it he experienced the report. He also learned to clean "his" gun after shooting. I never had a fear of having loaded guns around him. He always knew the difference between his toy guns and his real ones. He also knew that he could ask to examine any gun at anytime. Each and every time he would retrieve a gun from the safe, even at a very young age, it would be presented to me with the action open and in a safe state.

At 10 he got his first sweet 16. At 14 a Colt SS Officer's Model, At 16 a 30.06 Savage. At 18 a Glock 23. At 24 a HK USP .40.
At 30 a Tommy Gun. QAt 31 A Colt LE6921. At 36 a HK USP45.

And now that my Granddaughter is 5, she is going to be starting too. She see's her dad and grampa carrying all the time and it is absolutely natural to her.

And no... I am not accepting applications for anyone to be my son. Buy your own guns.
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Offline Rustykeys

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2012, 09:58:12 PM »
Well we agree to agree its just that I need others thoughts on should I just let it go its course and wait on her to make her own decision on when she gets involved more on learning about shooting and self-defense? Or do we push the issue?
“We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”
 
– Benjamin Franklin

A right not exercised is a right lost.

Offline CV67PAT

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2012, 09:57:54 AM »
If she didn't want to swim, would you push her into the pool?
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Offline Rustykeys

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2012, 10:11:23 AM »
You have a point there! :o
“We must hang together, gentlemen…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”
 
– Benjamin Franklin

A right not exercised is a right lost.

Offline gryphon

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2012, 10:17:51 AM »
If she didn't want to swim, would you push her into the pool?

Some parents insist their children learn how to swim because it is a survival skill.  It's part of being a good and responsible parent.

Not teaching proper firearms handling and use is the equivalent of pushing your kids into a pool.  Teaching them proper firearms handling and usage is like teaching them to swim.

Offline CV67PAT

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2012, 11:12:55 AM »
Some parents insist their children learn how to swim because it is a survival skill.  It's part of being a good and responsible parent.

Not teaching proper firearms handling and use is the equivalent of pushing your kids into a pool.  Teaching them proper firearms handling and usage is like teaching them to swim.
Throw an unwilling kid in the pool and see what happens.
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Offline wardog6t

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Re: Teaching children about firearms.
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2012, 11:27:28 AM »
I've taken both my daughters age's 8 & 6 coyote hunting. My youngest Daughter is all about firearms, hunting and especially fishing. However when I took the oldest yote hunting we called one in and killed it. I'm not sure if she was ready as it seems now that she has seen and heard the effects of a firearm she really isn't comfortable around them. She understands firearms but isn't real keen on handling them. The youngest will shoot the .22 , She has her own Bow and is asking for her own gun so thats a good thing. The oldest is a work in progress. However if she decides its not for her , I know she understands firearms and what there capable of.
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