Hello everyone, it has been a while since I posted on this forum, and I just have a question I have been thinking about that I would like some advice on. So my fiance and I are recently pregnant, and we have been living together for a few months in our own apartment. Upon getting ready for a new child, as I am sure everyone is away of, there are quite a few things that need to be done. With all the excitement and work that needs to be done, I recently thought about something I am concerned with. How do I introduce firearms around children? Both my fiance and I are comfortable around firearms, she supports my desires and reasons to have them in the house. We are going to be purchasing a gun safe in a few months to keep them in once the child arrives and obviously store the ammo in a separate lock-box type safe. We have discussed it, and we do not want to hide firearms from our children. However, we are a little unsure how to introduce them. Should we introduce guns to our child from a young age? or wait until they are older to introduce them? Or wait until an opportunity presents itself to allow us to introduce guns to our child, (i.e. a movie, or casual conversations). WHat we are concerned with is that we do not want to keep such items (guns) secret from our child in the event they somehow come across them for some reason at some point in their life and are unfamiliar with them and start fiddling with guns. Of course, we also do not want to introduce them and create an interest that was not there before, or to get our child into guns and get them interested either. If any one had a child AFTER having guns, could you please offer some help? W are basically asking when we should start talking to our child about guns and telling them they are in the house, etc. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you!

I'm no expert, but I think that maybe an activity such as Boy Scouts would help quite a bit. Not only would he be participating in a good program, but he'd also have responsible instructors, along with (this is the important part) other peers participating in the same activity in a responsible manner. Just a thought.

What I've done is when spending time with the child comment on any errant gun handling you may see in the media. Instill the "Eddie Eagle" values. And at about 5yo I've got my daughter and grandson shooting a bb gun then later a 22. CLOSE supervision and gun locks are not only necessary but gun locks/inaccessability are the law. At 11yo my grandson shoots occasionally still under close supervision and my daughter is a firearms instructor. As a side note, at the time you start rolling back supervision be sure they know the finality of firearms discharge. Get the gun safe and be a responsible parent.

I bought him a couple toy guns and started giving him some rules. Then I had my boy recite the eddie eagle rules before he was able to handle a real firearm.

When my children were about 5-6 years old I took out a rifle and pistol and showed them the guns. they were unloaded of course and I let them hold them, explained basic operation of them and that took away most of the curiosity. I told them if they ever saw a gun around while playing that they should not touch it and get an adult. You have to judge their maturity level, but by not making it a big deal it became another tool, like a hammer in my workshop.

My kids were around my guns since they can remember. When they would ask to see one we went to the safe and pulled out what they wanted. They started shooting BB guns around 4/5 and now the 8 yr old shoots 22's regularly and the 10 yr old has his own 223. My premise was to take the mystery out of guns, but not force them to shoot. We started safety rules early on.

my daughter called me a few weeks back with this question but for a friend, husband and wife the problem is both are pro gun.the husbands family displayed them as a source of pride the wifes family locked guns in closets out of sight so they asked what she thoughtand the answer was ask eddie eagle I was happy she paid attention to the coloring books.5 or 6 y/o if they are mature with an air gun or .22 at a table/bench later if you have any doubt .when you take them its for them leave your stuff home you cant shoot and watch them properly. i never let my kids think guns were a mysterious thing more like my tools if you want to see them you need to ask and you can under supervision and if you want to shoot just ask and we would make time

I second the Boy Scouts idea. My parents were very anti-gun so my first time actually shooting a gun was in Boy Scouts. Was a great place to learn and they made sure you learned it properly. Of course I have no idea how it is nowadays and if they're more paranoid/restrictive about it then 2 decades ago. Then my high school had a skeet club and that was another level of fun.

 

My personal opinion is that anything you restrict or deny or make taboo to your kids they will want it that much more. You need to present them as just another tool, a dangerous tool but just another tool like a nail gun or power saw etc. Teach them the safety rules early on and just repeat them over and over at every occasion. Start with toy guns then bb guns etc and take the opportunity to correct them of any safety mistakes. At some point you will need to show them what damage a gun can do to truly instill respect of it. A friend of mine was telling me how his dad was an avid hunter and he'd hang the deer up in the shed while he cleaned them and there was no better lesson for him about the power of the gun then seeing those dead deer with the wounds that killed them.

Eddie Eagle Safety Program

http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/

if kids are exposed to guns very early on, and are encouraged to use them, they lose the mystery and mystique associated with them. they wont be tempted to play with them when no one else is around.

Age 9 that's his mossberg. Sent him to an introduction to sporting clays class

 

 

 

 

 

Age 8 at NRA day at the club I belong to. (NRA instructors work with the kids

 

 

 

Age 8 his .22 bolt action

 

Christmas morning

 

 

Age 8 1st place in archery league

 

 

One thing to know is since you like guns and shooting your kid is going to be curious. Do nit hide it from them! If they are familure with guns then guns arent a mystery to them. Get em shooting young. The way I did it was at 5-6 I got em a daisy bb gun. When my father inlaw would run his dogs in the off season he would bring josh just to be around the hunting enviroment. I thought it was important to have an instructor besides a parent. Kids won't goof around and listen better to a 3rd party. I did an NRA day for rifle and pistol and mm for shotgun. I took it over from there. If you kid wants to shoot take him. Kids will try and sneak stuff when parents say no. We all did that stuff. Even if you trust your kid still lock up the fire arms because they are still kids. Any questions on what I did ask away

Man, that's the childhood I could only have ever dreamt about having.

I tell him all the time he has no idea how good he has it. He's 9 and already on his 2nd 4 wheeler. I would have killed to have that stuff when I was young.

Good job Shawn, you want o adopt someone, house broken and all??

Good on the trigger finger...... except 1 pic

I've now fixed the trigger finger issue. It's looking like in June I'm buying him a .17hmr though. He's bringing home honor role and that's the deal I made

From my personal experience,I started when my son when he first showed an interest in toy guns,guns ect. I en stilled safety rules apply to all guns(including toys) never aim at anything that you do not intend to kill or destroy(not those exact words)off target ,off trigger ect.

 

eddy eagle rules.

 

let him know anytime he wants to see or handle our firearms (I'll stop what ever I'm doing) We would go over the eddy eagle rules first.

I would demonstrate proper handling verify the firearm is unloaded

and ask him to varify the firearm is unloaded upon his acceptance of it.(always assume a gun is loaded,until you have verified it yourself)

 

now he is 8 the curiosity is gone. he is interested in shooting but understands and demonstrates more competence that some adults I have seen.

 

Hope this helps, Congratulations On the fatherhood Gig.