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Training your kids...
- Thread starter Lynne
- Start date
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
TonyD
One Shot One Maggie's Drawers
Yes, back on topic...Like all things, there is cause and effect. I grew up around firearms and owned my first at age 9. We had no safe and I knew where all the guns were at throughout the house. However, I never touched them. Why? Because I knew what would happen to my back-side if I did.
I believe that the diffence in discipline strategies of today makes all the difference.
I believe that the diffence in discipline strategies of today makes all the difference.
Yup, no safes or locks for us. I spent a LOT of my youth in the Gun Shop, helping make ammo, and waiting on customers. In retrospect, that MUST have been hilarious for some folks to be talking to a 12 year old (or younger) sales person, discussing the merits of their intended purchases, both guns and ammo. I'm not bragging, but I did know the business.
We too had guns around the house, without any safes or locks. Of course, my mother pointed out that she also had a lot of glass and porcelain things easily within reach when we were toddlers. Nobody believed in "child-proofing" homes in those days. The only difference was that we all learned very early what the word "no" meant, something that almost no kids and frightlingly few adults seem to have learned today.
My kids started handling guns and shooting when they were about 7 or 8. Started them both with aa .22 rilfe. My son got really interested in handguns and started with my 1911 at 9 or 10. My daughter never really got the handgun bug (though she did shoot my 686 and now has her own LS65), but pretty much stuck with long guns, her favorites being a .308 on I build on a Mauser action (but no longer seem to have in my safe since she moved out [roll] ) or any good 12 guage trap gun.
Whenever they wanted to look or or handle any of my guns, then just asked. They never even thought of touching anything (even though there might have been locks on it) when I wasn't there. Never the slightest problem, except that neither one is quite as interested as they once were.
Ken
My kids started handling guns and shooting when they were about 7 or 8. Started them both with aa .22 rilfe. My son got really interested in handguns and started with my 1911 at 9 or 10. My daughter never really got the handgun bug (though she did shoot my 686 and now has her own LS65), but pretty much stuck with long guns, her favorites being a .308 on I build on a Mauser action (but no longer seem to have in my safe since she moved out [roll] ) or any good 12 guage trap gun.
Whenever they wanted to look or or handle any of my guns, then just asked. They never even thought of touching anything (even though there might have been locks on it) when I wasn't there. Never the slightest problem, except that neither one is quite as interested as they once were.
Ken
KMaurer said:
You know, that's funny because I refused to do that to our home with our daughter. Everyone was strapping on things all over the place. We never did. Now, we can take her just about anywhere and if we tell her not to touch things, she's pretty good about it.
It was just a matter of keeping with it, it wasn't easy. I guess that it would have been easier to just give up and move everything. But I think that it was better in the long run.
I believe in the, "They'll do it once and never do it again," ideal of rasing a child. People don't think that they learn, but they do. It they do something and it hurt, they will remember it.
C-pher said:
"Auntie Lynne" never had to put things away or tie things down. All it took was one look from me and a single "No." and that was it. Ed always said I had the kind of look that would turn knees weak. Guess I do. [lol] [lol] [lol]
Alan always knew the word No, and I also have a certain look. Alan grew up with them in the house, it was never a mystery. He knew they were not toys and we taught him to respect them at an early age. From the time he was little he would always copy Glenn, so if he was cleaning a gun we would let him clean one of his toy wooden ones, etc. As I have said Alan has been hunting since he was 5 with either Dad or Grandpa when he was around. My father-in-law alot of times would pick him up from school and off they would go. It has never been an issue with him and 99% of the time Alan's friends never knew we had guns either.
I took the MRA Basic Safety Course and it educated me very well...I got a 92% on the exam (a couple of the questions are pretty vague) with ease. I would recommend it to any other kid. It's fun and you learn quite a bit.
I too grew up with guns in the house. Most of the long guns and revolvers were stored in an unlocked chest with ammo and relics. Then there was the mandatory sock drawer pistol, ours was a .32 Ortgies Pocket Automatic. This gun for some reason fascinated me as a boy. Perhaps it was because the small gun fit my hand well or that I romanticized that it had been captured from a German officer, whatever the reason, I handled that gun a lot. On many occasions I slid the clip in and released it out. The mechanics and operation of that little pistol became second nature to me, but fascinations could have become dangerous. You se, although my Dad had instructed me never to touch the gun without his supervision, guns have a special allure to boys. When my nephew turned 3 or 4, I instructed Dad to lock and store the pistol properly. Dad did so with pleasure and we never had a problem. Today in my home, my guns are all locked up and the ammo is locked separately. I live across the street from a Police department and have no reason to keep a loaded firearm in my sock drawer. My kids are aware of my guns, but I don’t make them an issue. When I go to the range, all weapons are in cases or a range bag. When I clean my guns, I’m in the shop by myself. Keep in mind that my kids are only 4 and 6 and therefore it’s not an issue now. They have been instructed to find an adult fast if the locate a gun outside and absolutely never to touch it. Soon, I will introduce my boy to archery. This will teach proper handling skills for a weapon, etiquette at the range and exposure to members who follow rules. Then once I see appreciation for time with Dad at the archery area, air rifles will make the scene. Then if we are all lucky, perhaps one of our properly trained kids will become The Attorney General of Massachusetts and lighten up the restrictions!
TonyD said:
You mean the strategie of "no discipline"! Too true.
I just got my first gun home a couple of days ago and already started with my 4 year old, showing her the gun and telling her she's never to handle it. Developmentaly she's at about the 2.5 yo level, so I'll just be enforcing that concept for a while. I can't wait 'till she's old enough to get to the range!
Regarding storage, my wife and I are trying to adopt through DSS. They have VERY stringent storage requirements: Gun must be in a locked box with trigger/cable lock. Ammo must be stored in a seperate locked container. No exactly ammenable to rapid home defense...
I have been teaching my son, Wyatt, slowly as I work on my guns downstairs. He is nine and already has a good grasp of gun safety. Here he is firing his first shots at last year's Westfield Machine Gun Shoot (this year he wants to try an actual MG!):
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matt said:
I hate DSS, DYS, DMR, etc. with a passion but realistically unless a gun is on your person their requirements (that you noted above) aren't much different from MGLs. You are NOT supposed to be able to defend yourself in MA, regardless of the "home is your castle law"!
![[sad]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/004.gif "Sad [sad]")
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FPrice, with the name Wyatt, your boy will undoubtedly be a good shot! Little boys are such magnets to all things "gun". My boy's name is Henry and he already has spied the "Henry" rifle and is happy to tell his mother it's the gun he wants someday. Yikes! I believe that it's not "if" you will teach your kids gun safety, but "when" you will teach them. My son is already interested at age 6, my daughter could care less. I also believe that guns should be stored properly. There are many who will write in this forum about the dilemma we face in Massachusetts regarding the protection of home and property. I agree that we should all have the option to protect without regulation, but when you add curious children to the equation, priorities shift. Those of you with either grown children or no children should be able to defend your castle without regard. Criminals should quite clearly understand the potential dangers of B&E’s. Those of us with young children need to first of all protect our kids and statistics do speak for themselves. For me, I’ll keep all guns locked away, keep my doors locked and stick to my Louisville slugger for protection.
Joe G
NES Member
Training your kids
My childhood sounds like many of yours. Guns hanging on a rack in the living room, ammo in the basement where we reloaded. Never had an issue with "inappropriate touching."
My wife's not as comfortable around guns (she's a mostly-converted anti). So they were locked up before we had kids and the state came out with its nonsense. When my daughter was 4 I went to Wal-mart and bought a toy revolver. I explained that this was a gun and that if she found one she should not touch it - she should get an adult. For a while I left it in different places - like the kitchen table, the couch, on my bed. She got the idea quickly, and so did my son when he was old enough. And even though I don't leave things laying around, I feel comfortable that they'd do the right thing if ever presented with the situation.
In fact we recently came across that toy pistol. My wife didn't even realize I had trained them, but they recognized it, told her they weren't supposed to pick it up and rattled off the 3 rules of safety. She was suitably impressed.
These days they're 10 and 7. In my basement I built an oversize pellet trap so I can shoot air pistol. I also have an air rifle that the kids can shoot, and I make it available whenever they want. My daughter does alright with it. My son still needs to prop the forestock on a rest. But he loves shooting those McDonalds happy meal toys. They really hop around if you hit them square on!
I'm sad to say they don't have the interest level that I'd like to see. Right now they're far more into dolls and baseball. We'll shoot once every couple of months. At some point I'd like to take them to the range and try out the .22 rifle I've restored for just this event. But for now I'm biding my time with some subtle encouragement.
My childhood sounds like many of yours. Guns hanging on a rack in the living room, ammo in the basement where we reloaded. Never had an issue with "inappropriate touching."
My wife's not as comfortable around guns (she's a mostly-converted anti). So they were locked up before we had kids and the state came out with its nonsense. When my daughter was 4 I went to Wal-mart and bought a toy revolver. I explained that this was a gun and that if she found one she should not touch it - she should get an adult. For a while I left it in different places - like the kitchen table, the couch, on my bed. She got the idea quickly, and so did my son when he was old enough. And even though I don't leave things laying around, I feel comfortable that they'd do the right thing if ever presented with the situation.
In fact we recently came across that toy pistol. My wife didn't even realize I had trained them, but they recognized it, told her they weren't supposed to pick it up and rattled off the 3 rules of safety. She was suitably impressed.
These days they're 10 and 7. In my basement I built an oversize pellet trap so I can shoot air pistol. I also have an air rifle that the kids can shoot, and I make it available whenever they want. My daughter does alright with it. My son still needs to prop the forestock on a rest. But he loves shooting those McDonalds happy meal toys. They really hop around if you hit them square on!
I'm sad to say they don't have the interest level that I'd like to see. Right now they're far more into dolls and baseball. We'll shoot once every couple of months. At some point I'd like to take them to the range and try out the .22 rifle I've restored for just this event. But for now I'm biding my time with some subtle encouragement.
home gun safety
I started when my daughters were 5 years old, telling them the rules of gun safety for kids(don't touch, leave the room, tell a responsible adult). Then I would partially disasemble a semi- auto pistol, leave it on the coffee table when they were out of the room, and wait for them to wander in, come looking for me, and while shaking a finger in my face telling me that I had left a gun out un-attended.
We started with range and handling safety rulles before I took them into the woods with a BB gun, and worked up from there.
They were also told to never tell anyone that there were guns in the house, but anytime they wanted to look at or handle one, all they had to do was ask me. It never became an issue or any kind of "secret knowledge" to them, just another fact of life living with dad.
I started when my daughters were 5 years old, telling them the rules of gun safety for kids(don't touch, leave the room, tell a responsible adult). Then I would partially disasemble a semi- auto pistol, leave it on the coffee table when they were out of the room, and wait for them to wander in, come looking for me, and while shaking a finger in my face telling me that I had left a gun out un-attended.
We started with range and handling safety rulles before I took them into the woods with a BB gun, and worked up from there.
They were also told to never tell anyone that there were guns in the house, but anytime they wanted to look at or handle one, all they had to do was ask me. It never became an issue or any kind of "secret knowledge" to them, just another fact of life living with dad.
I also started when my first two daughters were at a young age, also showing them a large collection of different caliber case size's, from .22 to 3" USN round (inert). They asked questions about the range safety and firearm safety. They both have gone to the ranges with me, and before we started I asked them what is first, the reply was PPE then we started the basics.
About a month ago my oldest said that the PD was in school showing the class a demo on firearm safety, she raised her hand after the officer had broke down a firearm, she said that he did not check to see if the firearm was loaded before he started. :
roud father look::
They both know not to say that the household has firearms secured in a safe, and not to brag to other kid's that they shoot at ranges.
About a month ago my oldest said that the PD was in school showing the class a demo on firearm safety, she raised her hand after the officer had broke down a firearm, she said that he did not check to see if the firearm was loaded before he started. :
roud father look::They both know not to say that the household has firearms secured in a safe, and not to brag to other kid's that they shoot at ranges.
My Son's are four and two, I keep all of my guns locked so safety discussions haven't come up yet with them. My plan was to start them on the subject at around six to eight yrs old. I was however trilled recently when my not so gun loving wife inquired what she would have to do to keep said guns in the event something happened to me, so that she could eventualy pass my firearms onto my children.
We also started out at a very young age. He was always wanting to do what Dad was doing, so we got him some toy guns and if Dad was cleaning guns he was sitting at the table with him cleaning his toy guns. It was also a good way to instill the good habits and safety into him. We also were of the no need to tell anyone we had guns.
As a Hunter Safety Instructor, We would be attacked by the Anti s with comments like, "I don't want my kids near guns" etc.
My response was simple, "You may not want your kids near guns, but what IF, just what if your child was at another friends home and another kid came into the room with a Firearm, wouldn't it be a comforting feeling to know, someone in that room would have the knowledge to know what to do to turn DOWN the level of the possible volitle situation?
We had kids in our courses that their parents had no intentions of giving them guns, but were in the course to learn about SAFE Handling and above all what to do in the above example to ensure everyone lives without gettng hurt.
My response was simple, "You may not want your kids near guns, but what IF, just what if your child was at another friends home and another kid came into the room with a Firearm, wouldn't it be a comforting feeling to know, someone in that room would have the knowledge to know what to do to turn DOWN the level of the possible volitle situation?
We had kids in our courses that their parents had no intentions of giving them guns, but were in the course to learn about SAFE Handling and above all what to do in the above example to ensure everyone lives without gettng hurt.
That's what I use as a topic of discussion of people that wander into my area of the store. When they are talking about airsoft, then make the comment that they don't want their kids around "Real" guns. I use that argument. Stating that teaching gun safety early will keep the likelihood of an "accidental" shooting down. Being that they would know to not have the other kids play with it. Or if young enough to tell them to put it down and get an adult.
If you are in a state that requires licenses, make sure she gets one - one that covers ALL your guns.
In other words, if you have handguns or "large capacity" long arms in MA, she needs an LTC; not a mere FID card. She will then be fully legal to own guns if YOU cannot, due to death, incapacity or loss of license.
i started shooting 22 rifles when i was 5 and i shot pistols when i was 10.
