How and when to teach kids about firearms?

[Mbian1122]

I am a recent class A ltc license holder. I carry everywhere I legally can. I have a 6 year old son who as soon soon as I started the process started to teach him the Don't touch get a adult rules, figuring even if I was denied it would be good in case he was at a friends house and and ran into that situation. I have also also asked him a couple times while cleaning my handgun if he would like to touch it, unloaded and under my supervision of course, to start to teach him safe handling. He has always declined.

So I am wondering when you started your kids? Did you force it or wait until they asked you?

He has the normal kid nerf guns which I try to use and teach him some of the same rules you would follow if it was a real gun. Obviously being a little kid I catch him pointing it at his little sister a couple times and obviously correct him.

 

[Johnny English]

I've a 3 year old daughter who knows not to touch any gun or ammunition, and she loves going to the gun store.

I want her to have a healthy respect for firearms and understand the dangers and consequences of handling them improperly, and when she is big enough, learn to shoot.

 

[Terminator03]

I am a recent class A ltc license holder. I carry everywhere I legally can. I have a 6 year old son who as soon soon as I started the process started to teach him the Don't touch get a adult rules, figuring even if I was denied it would be good in case he was at a friends house and and ran into that situation. I have also also asked him a couple times while cleaning my handgun if he would like to touch it, unloaded and under my supervision of course, to start to teach him safe handling. He has always declined.

So I am wondering when you started your kids? Did you force it or wait until they asked you?

He has the normal kid nerf guns which I try to use and teach him some of the same rules you would follow if it was a real gun. Obviously being a little kid I catch him pointing it at his little sister a couple times and obviously correct him.

Well, the short answer (inmo) is to start as soon as they have an understanding of the fact that guns exist, which in your case has already happened by virtue of the toy/Nerf guns. My wife is personally against/hates guns, and while she is ok with me engaging in the hobby and owning/carrying, she was very adamant about not exposing our daughter to them. This caused a huge ethical dilemma for me because knowing the nature of curiosity in children, I knew there was no way to logically shield her from ever knowing that I have them, or possibly finding them at some point. So, I took it upon myself to educate her in safe handling, demonstration of how they operate, etc., because I felt that ignorance is much more deadly than pretending that guns don't exist as my wife would have preferred. My other main reason was because I carry concealed 99% of the time, and my daughter, especially when she was younger and shorter had a habit of giving me several bear hugs around the waist/midsection per day and I was fearful that she would either expose the weapon, or question me about it at a very inopportune time in public. Now she is 12 and actually fixes my shirt, jacket, etc. if she notices it riding up when we are out in public. To this day my wife is unaware that she knows that I carry, and while this conflicts me, I HAD to do what was best for both my daughter as well as myself being a law abiding gun owner. You can not hide things from kids forever so it is far better that they learn in a safe setting as opposed to learning on their own the hard way!

With regard to the Nerf/airsoft guns with children I have very mixed feelings about them. This is because on one hand I feel that kids SHOULD be allowed to play with toy guns as we did when we were children (cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, playing soldier, etc.), but it is very hard/impossible to maintain the rules of gun safety during play since these guns are designed to be able TO SHOOT AT EACHOTHER! Anyone else have this conflict?

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Sometimes location can be a factor. I have two grandkids in Alaska on 80 acres and two in NH on 13 acres. My sons are very active shooters and the ranges are the back decks. The kids were shooting .22 rifles at 3 or 4. Not so easy when you have to arrange range trips. Jack.

 

[Mbian1122]

Well, the short answer (inmo) is to start as soon as they have an understanding of the fact that guns exist, which in your case has already happened by virtue of the toy/Nerf guns. My wife is personally against/hates guns, and while she is ok with me engaging in the hobby and owning/carrying, she was very adamant about not exposing our daughter to them. This caused a huge ethical dilemma for me because knowing the nature of curiosity in children, I knew there was no way to logically shield her from ever knowing that I have them, or possibly finding them at some point. So, I took it upon myself to educate her in safe handling, demonstration of how they operate, etc., because I felt that ignorance is much more deadly than pretending that guns don't exist as my wife would have preferred. My other main reason was because I carry concealed 99% of the time, and my daughter, especially when she was younger and shorter had a habit of giving me several bear hugs around the waist/midsection per day and I was fearful that she would either expose the weapon, or question me about it at a very inopportune time in public. Now she is 12 and actually fixes my shirt, jacket, etc. if she notices it riding up when we are out in public. To this day my wife is unaware that she knows that I carry, and while this conflicts me, I HAD to do what was best for both my daughter as well as myself being a law abiding gun owner. You can not hide things from kids forever so it is far better that they learn in a safe setting as opposed to learning on their own the hard way!

With regard to the Nerf/airsoft guns with children I have very mixed feelings about them. This is because on one hand I feel that kids SHOULD be allowed to play with toy guns as we did when we were children (cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, playing soldier, etc.), but it is very hard/impossible to maintain the rules of gun safety during play since these guns are designed to be able TO SHOOT AT EACHOTHER! Anyone else have this conflict?

I agree with the need to not ignore they exist cause I believe that is hat cause most of of the accidents that happen. It would be like pretending that there aren't cars in the streets and you don't have to look both ways. My main issue now is when I offer to let him touch or handle he refuses.

Not sure how my wife feels about it. She was the one who gave me the class for a Christmas gift last year but she also thinks I am nuts carrying all the time not just at work.

 

[Spanz]

I started shooting a 22 rifle when I was five. Had my own rifle when I was 10. The ammo was locked up until I was around 16 though

 

[warpig]

I started shooting a 22 rifle when I was five. Had my own rifle when I was 10. The ammo was locked up until I was around 16 though

I like that approach.

My son was 7 when he shot the first time. Rifle only. He loved it. Total supervision - still is, as he's only 9. Other kids may not have a high % mental lapse at this age, but my guy still might. it all depends on the kid with when to start and how much freedom to allow.

As far as the nerf guns go, I let them play out side and shoot each other. I instilled in my daughter and son from the beginning that actual firearms are deadly, not to be joked around with, and they will be banned from them if they are not taken seriously. I knew they were ready when neither of them objected to the rules!

Have fun!

 

[chaser001]

My wife and I have both told our son that if he wants to see our guns all he has to do is ask. If he sees one while out and about he knows not to touch it and to find a responsible adult. As for shooting; he doesn't have enough of an attention span yet. He does have a bow and forgets sometimes to keep it pointed down range. Until he can get that down pat he will not fire any guns. He also only shoots the bow with me or my wife standing right behind him to fix any saftey issues.

On the other hand one of my nephews has been shooting since he was five (almost 6) but he's not as scatter brained as my son and his dad followed the same rule prove you're responsible and you can shoot.

 

[johnnymac101]

I'm getting to the game a bit latter than most... My twin girls are 9 years old and I just picked up a gift certificate at Mass Firearms School to be used for private range time with a safety instructor. The class is geared for 9-13 year olds.
I've kept my hobby quiet around them (they know the basic "don't touch, get an adult") but they've seen enough NRA, Guns & Ammo and Concealed Carry magazines around the house to start asking questions. I'm looking forward to taking them out to the range soon.

 

[MisterHappy]

My kids knew about guns from age 0 (one has been to more annual back yard shoots than he's had birthdays! ). Both took their first shots at ~5, under very controlled conditions. Both shot in the Club's Junior Rifle program, at ~7.

My younger took to shotgun, and at 8 was shooting Trap rounds "solo" (no coaching), and had his first 25 straight at age 9. The older I safe, but not quite as into it; he's started Gallery Pistol with me, as a kid & dad thing.

The younger got his instructor cert at 13.

Moral of the story? Each kid is different....go with your gut, tempered by your head. Oh....and when they start to outshoot you, remind them you have the car keys.

 

[Spanz]

yes, to teach your kid, they have to listen to instructions. Probably the biggest things you will have trouble with are trigger discipline and inadvertently sweeping others with a rifle. (but, last hunter safety class is saw, the adults had the same problem! lol) I remember to this day one long "time out" I took when I was young and pointed a gun in the wrong direcition.

A nice bolt action .22 is a good choice. A semiauto is a good deal more dangerous at that age, since it reloads immediately.

 

[Mbian1122]

My kids knew about guns from age 0 (one has been to more annual back yard shoots than he's had birthdays! ). Both took their first shots at ~5, under very controlled conditions. Both shot in the Club's Junior Rifle program, at ~7.

My younger took to shotgun, and at 8 was shooting Trap rounds "solo" (no coaching), and had his first 25 straight at age 9. The older I safe, but not quite as into it; he's started Gallery Pistol with me, as a kid & dad thing.

The younger got his instructor cert at 13.

Moral of the story? Each kid is different....go with your gut, tempered by your head. Oh....and when they start to outshoot you, remind them you have the car keys.

This kinda was what I was thinking. It more of a individuals maturity level and want. I will wait for him to ask me. I not really sure I want to get him into shooting or buy him a gun but just want him to be comfortable and safe around them.

The one thing I surprised he has been good at is that it's a family secret. My first fear was he was going to run to school and tell everyone daddy has a gun.

 

[MisterHappy]

When my older boy was about 4, one Monday he made a pasta sculpture, titled, "A big gun place with many different guns."

When I came to pick him up that day, the school director asked me about it.

"Well, that's where we were this past weekend."

 

[speedy]

As early as you feel comfortable with. My kids are both under 11 and they know how to aim and fire my/their 10/22 and mini Henry. They are no longer ticked by the presence of a firearm (unless is a new one) but are very much aware of the rules to follow when around them. Everyonce in a while I test them and quiz them. Have not been able to stomp them yet. When I was a young kid my dad made the guns in the house so taboo, that I would get the keys to his cabinet to check them out when he was not around. I do not want that to happen to my kids. I think he taught me how to handle a firearm until I was 11 ish or later.