Kids and Guns

[Relique du Madde]

What, owning firearms is the same as the fundamental rights of the citizen? The same as owning, dunno, a book?

Oh, well, actually, after reading the rest I'll stop here in order to not get banned.

In the US constitution we have the "right" to bear arms,. which is rather vague. But, never the less, I want BEAR ARMS!

 

[Darkwolf71]

Going to avoid the political side of this, although there are several comments that I would love to reply to...

But if I was a gun owner, I had a different relationship to guns. They would be part of our life, and the kid would recognize them and get curious about them. ("Why does Dad never let me use one of them?" "Hey, friends, Dad is out, but I know where he hides the keys to his weapons locker! Wanna try?")
I wouldn't want it to accidentally figure out how to get hold of it and use it carelessly (or just ignorantly.)
If you teach your child, and make visiting the shooting a special parent/child event, it has a different type of respect to it.

Pretty much dead on right. Take the taboo out of the subject. Allow, heck even make your kids accompany you to the shooting range. Teach them how to handle guns, how to shoot guns, how to clean guns, how to properly and safely store guns.

Then when their friends come over and are all, "Whoa, your dad has guns. Lets sneak a look at them." Your kid is more likely to reply with, "Nah. I can shoot guns whenever I want, let's go ride bikes."


As for age, probably going to differ with each individual child, but 7 - 9 is generally a safe bet.

 

[Atanatotatos]

Then when their friends come over and are all, "Whoa, your dad has guns. Lets sneak a look at them." Your kid is more likely to reply with, "Nah. I can shoot guns whenever I want, let's go ride bikes."

No. Because kids want to be cool. Even with thing they know they shouldn't do.

 

[Relique du Madde]

No. Because kids want to be cool. Even with thing they know they shouldn't do.

Then keep your guns in a lock box that uses a combination and don't teach the kids the combo. Problem Solved.

 

[Atanatotatos]

Then keep your guns in a lock box that uses a combination and don't teach the kids the combo. Problem Solved.

...not having guns in the first place seems like a better solution to me.

 

[Darkwolf71]

No. Because kids want to be cool. Even with thing they know they shouldn't do.

Yes, but a large part of the coolness factor is that guns are verboten. Take that away and your kid is not as fasinated by them, so less likely to go against the rules. Plus, they would know by experience exactly what kind of damage guns can do.

Obviously that doesn't mean you give them unsupervised access to weapons, but they ar emuch less likely to be tempted to 'act cool' with them.

Hell, it worked for me, I grew up around guns. They weren't even locked up, just kept in a gun rack in my parents bedroom (their door was locked, but we all knew how to bypass that. ). You know how many times I got into them to 'play'? None. I knew better because I had been taught better and knew very well what the consequences could be.

 

[Slider Wade]

...not having guns in the first place seems like a better solution to me.

That doesn't stop them from acquiring firearms illegally.

 

[CleverNickName]

That doesn't stop them from acquiring firearms illegally.

Nothing will, I'm afraid.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Nothing will, I'm afraid.

Shootin' 'em will.

 

[Lhorgrim]

My son is 5 years old, and I have been teaching him about firearms and firearm safety since he was four.

I have to have guns in my house due to my profession, and while I keep them relatively secure, I can't make them 100% secure.

Most of the Negligent Discharge calls I have been to occurred because the shooter did not know that there was a round in the chamber of the gun. It takes so little time to learn how to make a gun safe, and it's tragic that these incidents are so avoidable.

I want my son to stay away from any firearm unless supervised by me, but failing that, I want him to know the safety rules.

I want him to always assume a gun is loaded. As far as I'm concerned, it IS loaded until you have cleared it yourself and checked it visually and by touch.

I have not taken him to the range, because he is not mature enough to be safe in that environment. I teach him about firearms while I'm cleaning mine. I teach him about the different parts of the gun, and I focus on safety, safety. safety. he knows that if he wants to see one of my firearms he can ask me and I'll break it down for him to see. When he's older I'll take him to the range and try to reinforce the lessons I've been teaching him.

I want him to respect firearms, but not be terrified of them.