Teaching young kids.... what have you done?

[ErSwnn]

My own 5 kids and any kids I taught (friends, relatives kids) start with a bb gun. ALL the rules apply. But first they have to be able to recite the Four Rules to me. Single shots till the rules are known and applied.

Of course when they were really small my gun(s) were well out of reach when not on me. Once they aged a bit and had gotton past the element of curiosity (removed by shooting) AND understood not to be touching other people's property, particularly dangerous property I was comfortable returning my HD gun(s) to their proper place on a full time basis. Previously if I had reason to not have a close eye on my bedroom the gun(s) went into the safe. BTW, a melon shot at SD distances with 3.5 magnum load gives kids a strong knowledge of what bodily damage would be. It serves the whole curiosity thing.

As they became older and other kids began to find their way into my home the guns had to be returned to the safe. I know what my kids know, I have no idea what other kids might know, or how they view other people's property, particularly dangerous property. But my sidearm was common knowledge, I wasn't at all concerned with how other parents viewed my own method of protecting my family. I was never challenged or even questioned on it so I have no idea if it bothered anyone. Nor do I care.

The idea of when/how is subjective to the individual child, parent and skills of both. Some it's before 5, others it's 12. That is the business of those parents to those children. What does count is actually teaching them and this begins as soon as we bring them home. Whether guns or electrical outlets, we begin right away. First it's letting them learn your voice, then the inflections in that voice. Examples of morality, attentiveness and disciplinary lessons soon follow. Do those right and your kids tend to be well adjusted and therefore compliant to instruction. The happiest kids are the ones that know Mom/Dad are on the job.

OP, it seems to me your doing fine and well on the right track. It's good to see you understand how you would deal with a firearm in your own youth. Here's a hint for the future.....whenever your wondering what they are wondering think back to you at their age. They are thinking the same things. This becomes particularly important during the teen years. Good luck.

[sincitynut]

I started both my son and grandson the same way. When my son was about 7 years old, I would take him down to the cleaning bench in the basement and set up a stool next to mine and I would give him a toothbrush and some small part and have him "clean it" while I was doing the real cleaning. I always told him if he ever wanted to see any of the guns in the gun safe, all he had to do was ask. When I went to the range, I took him along, and I bought him his own hearing protectors and shooting glasses. I let him staple up targets, cover bullet holes with tape etc. All the while, I was explaining safe gun handling and telling him how each gun worked. I then let him load magazines for the .22. He finally asked if he could shoot also and I let him, but I put my hands around his to help control the gun, but I let him pull the trigger. As he got older, we progressed further to .22 rifles, then to larger handguns. I NEVER ONCE had a problem with my son and guns. Now with my 10 year old grandson, I started him the same way and now his favorite gun to shoot is my SBR AR15. He really loves to shoot the Ruger MKII .22 pistol that I had, so I gave it to my son for him so they can go shooting whenever they want,but he always asks to shoot the AR and he makes sure I take it when we go to the range. He always checks to make sure the range box has everything we need and he brings his muffs and glasses with him.

I took the mystery away and I think that was a big help. My son and grandson both treat guns with the proper respect. My grandson will point out bad gun handling in movies and say "They shouldn't do that or he has his finger on the trigger or he pointed his gun at that guy, he needs to pay attention".

[BroBrandonB]

OP, it seems to me your doing fine and well on the right track. It's good to see you understand how you would deal with a firearm in your own youth. Here's a hint for the future.....whenever your wondering what they are wondering think back to you at their age. They are thinking the same things. This becomes particularly important during the teen years. Good luck.

Thanks. I feel strongly about leading by example with my kids - that way when they do something wrong I can say, "that is not something our family does". I don't tolerate cussing (okay..... not a huge problem with preschoolers ) but I don't do it, either. I feel like much of that carries over to responsible handling of tools, powered equipment, and of course firearms.

It's worth adding that when I think of what my kids would see when I'm working or doing something I make sure that *I* am doing it safely, also. No clearing the snowblower when it's running. Wear eye and ears even when I need to make one stupid cut with the saw. Don't get sloppy when handling a firearm I already know is unloaded. So I guess my kids make me a better person.

[B.A.]

I will tell you this.... Safety safety safety and more safety. Probably from the time I started talking my father brain washed me with gun safety. Every thing from eddy the eagle, to his own knowledge of things not to do. As a result its basically instinctual to me at this point. I rarely think about gun safety because its just automatic.

Also he always told me if I ever wanted to see or handle his firearms to ask and to never touh them on my own ( until I got old enough and he thought I was responsible enough) .

[Mac358]

I will tell you this.... Safety safety safety and more safety. Probably from the time I started talking my father brain washed me with gun safety. Every thing from eddy the eagle, to his own knowledge of things not to do. As a result its basically instinctual to me at this point. I rarely think about gun safety because its just automatic.

Also he always told me if I ever wanted to see or handle his firearms to ask and to never touh them on my own ( until I got old enough and he thought I was responsible enough) .

^
This. My parents were the same way.

[Pector55]

bb / pellet guns in the backyard first

then I started them on a 10/22 and a Sig Mosquito.

After that... www.youtube.com/pector55. has a lot of vids


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[theyoungone]

So growing up I lived in a household with only one firearm, and it was hidden and more or less secret. Eventually when I found out about it, if I had been able to find it - I WOULD have messed with it (I hope that I wouldn't have been dumb enough to ND/AD - but that would have depended on my age).

So now I'm raising kids of my own and my oldest is 3 and I'm realizing we need to start coming up with some hard and fast rules for kids and guns, as I have wayyyyy more than my folks had - so hiding them isn't an option. Even if it is - I prefer to gun-proof my kids than gun-proof my house. So what has worked for you?

So far any time oldest daughter brings up, "what's that?" when she notices I'm carrying I take the time to explain, "this is a gun - just like daddy's other tools you can see them if you ask but they are dangerous and you may not touch without permission." I let her safely touch the gun to take away the curiosity and she promptly gets bored and goes about normal play.

I've been planning on getting a starter .22 for her and am thinking that sometime soon we should do that - or at least a BB gun for the back yard.

So here are some questions I'd like y'all's opinion on:
1. I plan on teaching the basic safety rules to her - should I start now when it might still be confusing for her or wait until she has a little more comprehension?

2. When and how have you started your kids on .22's, BB guns, and the basics?

3. What suggestions do you have to help "gun proof" kids instead of the house?

4. Bonus curveball, for Christmas her grandfather gave her a pop gun from cabellas (cord with a plastic cork on a string) that she has been playing with - should we have any more rules to go with that aside from "don't point it at people"?

5. Any special thoughts on (of course with parental approval) teaching friends and relatives kids that come over? I frequently OC when working around my house, so it has come up and I expect it will more often in the future.

I feel like I'll be a good dad at teaching shooting and gun safety, going to appleseed shoots, etc... once she is a little older - but getting started at a young age has me buffudled. Thanks in advance for the thoughts and opinions.

1) 3 years old is too young, you usually don't remember much of anything until 5.

2) I started my kids on BB guns and airsoft. Its easier (some ranges will not let very little kids shoot) and safer. The good thing about airsoft, is they are getting more realistic and its a gun you let a kid have access to and keep in their room , if the prove they are responsible. My kids have a few .22 rifles and handguns, but they are still under my control and possession.

3) Gun proofing your kids is pure BS, especially if you have boys. Don't get me wrong teaching kids propper respect for firearms, handing, and safety helps a lot but boys will be boys. You also need to worry about their friends that come over your house, other invited adults in your house, and uninvited criminals. A responsible gun owner should always keep their guns secure when not in use. That is the 5th rule of gun safety. While your kids are still young, invest in a gun safe, or a least a lockable gun cabinet. Young Girls may be less likely to play around with guns, but trust me when they are moody pre-teens and teenagers, its just safer to keep them locked up.

4) Teach rule #1, #2 and #4. If the kid is unsafe, and hurts themselves or other, take the pop gun away until they are more mature.
http://www.reloadammo.com/gun-law.htm

5) Never trust any kid (even yours) shooting. Always keep your eye on where they point the muzzle. I like using a shooting bench or table. Teach them to Shoot, reload, and put the gun down always facing downrange. Don't ruin a little kid with a heavy recoiling caliber. "Now that you shot the .22, lets try a 12 gauge next." , is usually a bad thing that will give kids the flinches.

So that is my two cents.

Good Luck

[cmr076]

When I went to the range, I took him along, and I bought him his own hearing protectors and shooting glasses. I let him staple up targets, cover bullet holes with tape etc.

Hehe the old "your own glasses and ears" teaching technique, that's how I got my girlfriend to come to the range AND set my targets for me

In all seriousness this is one of the things that scares me most about having kids, not how I will teach my own, but how someone else (their friends parents) won't train them.