Re: When to introduce guns to children?

"NEIL JAMES ASHBY" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> children i think must be told the safety and responsibility about guns
from
> an early age but under constant supervision. when is a matter of how
mature
> you think the child is at the time as a parent. Neil
>
> "Ignoramus11065" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > How would you determine when it is appropriate to introduce children
> > to guns?
> >
> > Obviously, the determinant of that should be maturity and
> > developmental level of the child and not some arbitrary age. But what
> > would constitute a child who is mature enough to be introduced to
> > guns?
> >
> > What is a good way to introduce children to guns while at the same
> > time maintaining safety of that learning environment, and avoiding
> > injury or death.
> >
> > I know some 12 year olds who hunt and seem to be relatively
> > responsible around guns, for example.
> >
> > Would such introduction begin with BB guns at some earlier age? With
> > BBs, the "stakes" are a little lower in that an accidental shot,
> > however regrettable, does not end in death as often as an accidental
> > gunshot.
> >
> > Do you take them to shooting places with letting them shoot, for some
> > time? (sounds like a bad idea). Do you hold safety classes with them
> > prior to letting them shoot, for quite a while, making sure that
> > safety habits are well drilled in? Any thoughts on this will be
> > appreciated.

All three of mine started shooting at age five - a boy and two girls, six
and
three years apart.  My thought was, the earlier they knew exactly what
weapons are and knew their purpose, the less likely they'd ever consider
them toys.

The first few times, they'd sit in my lap and we'd shoot a pine 2X12 with
a .22lr revolver from about 15 yards.  Next, they'd fetch the 2X12, "oooh"
and "aaah" over the nice, neat holes - then I'd have them hit something
with it as hard as they could (Well, the girls anyway, the boy got bonked
on the noggin with it - just like I did.. ) The lesson was "Which is harder,
the board or your body?" and "If a bullet hit you, what would happen?"

By age six, I could cover the kitchen table with a variety of weapons, ask
them "Without touching, which ones are loaded?" and *always* get the
response (with little eye-rolling) "All of them are, Dad."  No fear - just
respect; every fall they saw what happened to living things that had the
bad luck to intercept a bullet in flight.

>From then on, the lessons continued on a regular basis, wether they
wanted to go shooting or not.  200-300 rounds of aimed fire per session
with Dad looking over their shoulder (and the clean-up of range and
weapons that followed) took the "mystique" out firearms quickly.

By age 10, they went hunting with Dad, at age 12, they carried their own
weapons.

My oldest girl is the best shot of the three (so far), and if my eyes keep
going downhill, she'll be better than me some day.


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