Child Safety

[Bman505]

I have a three year old now. The other day she saw my pistol on me and started asking a ton of questions. I of coarse did my best answering them all. I explained to her that if she ever saw one laying around, to NOT touch it and run and get an adult asap. Well this leads to my question for all you who might have grown children who were raised around guns.

A guy that works next door from me, his son got a hold of his gun at the age of four and fired off a shot. Shrapnel from the bullet penetrated his eye and now he is blind in that one eye. He claims that the gun did not have a bullet in the chamber and that he had taught his son about gun safety. But obviously that didn't work. My question is how did you teach your children about gun safety and at what age were they. I know kids can be mischievous and like to get in trouble. I do have a gun safe that requires and code to enter. I still wonder if that is enough. Thanks in advance on the thought here.

[MrReady]

I think thats more than enough. Dont leave your gun around the house. Also, teach them that guns are serious and dangerous. You can take them to the range as well and that can be there time to understand how it works. Three is youung but things to try in the future. My oldest knows I have guns but I dont clean them until after bed time. There are tons of things to prevent an incedent and each kid is different. I cant wait to shoot with my kids. If you are concerned then that means you think about safety and you seem to be on top of things.

[PPK]

When my grandson was born, we used to joke that he'd have the only stroller around with a gun rack mounted on it. You might be a redneck if...

He had a BB gun at 5 or 6 and was taught that it wasn't a toy. Had a .22 rifle at 9 or 10. He's 11 now and killed a 10 point buck last fall using his aunt's 20 guage. I couldn't be more proud.

[Scooter]

I started teaching my son at age 4. Started him with an Air Soft gun that we would shoot together. Taught him as if it was an "actual gun" (IMO they are all actual guns but I think you know what I am getting at). At age 5 I bought him his first 22 rifle, a Cricket that is built for his size. Now he is 6, could probably out shoot me with that rifle out to about 20 yards. My defensive pistol is always loaded and ready in the house or on my side and he knows that dad's guns are not toys and that he does not touch them under any circumstance without me present. He knows that if he wants to see or handle one of the guns that all he has to do is ask and I sit down with him and go over the safety, operation, etc before he handles it. It's pretty much the same way I was raised with guns and worked great for me. I was probably the only 10 year old on the block who knew how to field strip a 1911 and shoot one as well.

By some standards I probably haven't "raised" him right around guns...but the way I feel is that raising him with guns is the right way. He knows that if he sees one anywhere but at home that he is to get away and tell an adult, and never handle one without me there.

[Scooter]

Something else I just remebered is a friend of my dad's once told me that it's better if a child who has been raised around guns and "finds" one then a child who has never been exposed to them. The child who was raised around them knows that they aren't toys and will likely know how to react whereas the child who is naive to what they are or how dangerous they can be may not react in the safest manner for themselves or others.

Again, just my opinion.

[Bman505]

Something else I just remebered is a friend of my dad's once told me that it's better if a child who has been raised around guns and "finds" one then a child who has never been exposed to them. The child who was raised around them knows that they aren't toys and will likely know how to react whereas the child who is naive to what they are or how dangerous they can be may not react in the safest manner for themselves or others.

Again, just my opinion.
I couldn't agree more Scooter. Nicely said.

[Descreet38]

My son (now 23, today in fact - Happy Birthday Jon) began shooting my Urge MK II when he was three (supervised of course. Put him through the NRA safety program at 12. He was one of the most knowledgeable in the class including the adults. Seriously, if you own guns then safety with children is the utmost.

Some pointers to begin at the earliest age!

- First we do not speak about guns in front of others. Reasoning - if you teach them that now they will not go to school or have friends who now no where to go and get guns when they want the in later years. Yes I mean theft!
- Second, there is no better way for a child to FULLY understand what happens to something on the receiving end of a bullet than by taking them out and showing and explaining to them.
- Third, they will develop habits of safety now and they will carry forward into adulthood. For instance, as stated my son is 23. He is still at home attending college. Since early teens he developed a habit of closing and locking the master bedroom door anytime he had company. Why - because it contains the only loaded quickly accessible firearm in our home.

Just my 2 cents.