I think my 3 year old understands now

[Pro2A]

My 3 year old daughter impressed me tonight. I have instilled in her gun responsibility. I’ve been doing it as long as I can remember and could explain it to her. I always say in a stern voice and drill her anytime I have them out I ask her “What are these (as I hold up any gun I have)” and she responds correctly every time "That’s a no-no, we don’t touch those”.

Well tonight we took it a step further and I was rather proud of her. Today we had the same “No-no” drill I do with her. I told her today for the first time (now that she can speak better and understand more) that these can badly hurt her, and asked her what they could do if she touches them. “She said that they can hurt me or mommy and daddy”. I feel she is learning more and more. She is only 3, but I feel she can grasp the idea they can be dangerous if she plays with them. I also feel that she knows what dangerous means… like playing by the road.

I set my Glock next to her unloaded and the action open and said “You are only allowed to touch this when daddy says you can and when you get older”. She looked at it sitting there but that was it. She did not touch it and said it’s a “No-no”

Well later on in the afternoon after I came home with my new Taurus, I showed my wife the new addition and showed our 3 year old. I explained to her again and asked her “Do we touch this”? She said it’s a “no-no and I can only touch them when I get older and daddy says I can, because they can hurt me".

My wife and I gleamed with smiles ear to ear. Our 3 year old understands what a gun is, and what it can do. I felt so proud knowing that I have taught her gun responsibility at such a young age. I still keep them locked up in the safe except for one I keep loaded out of her reach or on my person for home defense. I am 100% confident now she knows she can see them or touch them, and all she has to do is ask daddy. Otherwise she will not touch them.

As a further test I took my BB handgun, cleared it and took out the CO2 and set it at the table she was playing at tonight. I did the “no-no” drill with her again and walked out of the room with the BB gun on the table next to her. She was in view the whole time as I watched from behind her in the other room. She did not touch it the whole 15 minutes she sat there.

It’s all about education.

[TheBuckslayer]

Great job. My daughter is 7 and got her a .22 rifle to shoot last year. We went out Saturday and she put about 150 rounds through it.

When we were @ the range and left she was smiling ear to ear.

[fingers80002]

Good Job both of you!!!!!

Nothing beats GOOD PARENTING!!!!!!!!!!

[Whiskey Delta]

As my two sons got older, I would periodically test them on their gun-safety.

A good idea, even though everything in my house is under lock and key..but you never know where or when they will come in contact with an unsecured firearm. Perhaps you will have a brain fade, or they will encounter one at a friends home, but I digress.

When the oldest was about 8 or so, and the youngest was about 5, I was cleaning my Smith 686 stainless .357.

Shiny guns attract kids, and I always use their undivided, rapt attention to sneak in a little education.

So, the gun is out and the little magpies are hovering around the table.

I say to the older one "Now, what would you do if Daddy and Mommy were not around and you saw this gun just laying on the table, what would you do?"

He answers, " I would not touch it. I would leave it there and tell mom or you. (and I said to myself quietly "and prepare for a lot of shrieking at me by mom, lol".)

I say, would you pick it up? Would you check it to see if it were loaded?

He says "NO, I would not touch it".

I say "great job".

Then I turn to the younger son and say "Ok, same situation. You come in here, mom and dad are not around and you see this gun sitting here. What do you do?"

His reply (in a very excited tone)

"I'd grab that gun and go kill me some zombies".


Sez I "Ok, bud. You still need work."

[buster]

Great job, guys. I love to go over the parts of firearms with my three year old boy. He does quite well with the revolver, but when we get to the 9mm he often calls a certain part the "clip." I have to confess he's heard that from me but we're trying to get through this together.

[rady8um]

He does quite well with the revolver, but when we get to the 9mm he often calls a certain part the "clip." I have to confess he's heard that from me but we're trying to get through this together.

Shameful...Is Dr. Emptymag gonna have you on his tv show to talk about where you've gone wrong?

[4XLT]

fantastic. i am a firm believer in teaching awareness and safety with children when there are guns in the home...

i started with my step girl when she was about 3 or 4 when i got my first pistol. and my son from birth basically.

[FromMyColdDeadHands]

GASP!!! Parenting?? NOOOOOOO....don't tell a liberal, you will take away their jobs (you know creating psychological profiles about human behavior and believing that passing laws is better than education...)

GREAT WORK!!!

[CoyoteJack]

As both a parent and firearm owner I've long known that the responsibility of instilling a safety mindset towards firearms in my children falls on myself.

Kudos to all those who also see the importance of this. Nothing is more harmful to the image of responsible firearm ownership than news of a tragedy involving a child.

[fingers80002]

Great job, guys. I love to go over the parts of firearms with my three year old boy. He does quite well with the revolver, but when we get to the 9mm he often calls a certain part the "clip." I have to confess he's heard that from me but we're trying to get through this together.

Invite EM over for dinner. That should fix that!