Guns and Kids

[squintz22]

And I'm not trying to start a big fight here...

Are you the only one in your house with a LTCH? Or the only one interested?

Right now, I am...and am wondering what age is best for the kids to become more aware. So far, they don't really know. They're young enough that it hasn't been a big deal, but I think once I start to carry on a regular basis, they'll start to ask.

How have any of you started introducing your children to guns? Any extreme measures for protection FROM the kids? How do you keep it nearby for protection...but out of their reach? How old were they when they began to show interest? I would like to get them interested...safely.

 

[Tula47]

I started shooting with my father at 10 and at 18 I started carrying everyday. It all depends on how comfortable you are with showing kids how to use a firearm. For good quick and safe accesses to a pistol I would recommend a finger pad single pistol case. The door springs opens and there is your gun locked, loaded and ready to go.

 

[OkieGirl]

Geez...how is that NOT a loaded question? You are a parent, the safest way to keep them safe while keeping it away from them is to keep it on your person at all times. Kids are curious so they will know WAY more than you think they do on everything in life. My boys can call out most firearms by sight from video games, but they know the difference between reality and video because we teach them.

I want them to know gun safety for the times I'm not around...like when they are at a friends house, etc... Get a good safe for your home before they know you have a firearm. My kids seem to start to "get it" about 6th grade but were taught much earlier. It's important that you set the example for them...they are more likely to do as you do rather than do as you say.

 

[squintz22]

I wasn't intending it to be a loaded question...I have a lot of kids...one of their favorite times to come 'chat' with me is while I'm in the shower! There are simply going to be times I do not have it ON me. Which is when it will be in a locked safe. I need to find a way to handle all these situations without necessarily having the support/gun knowledge in my spouse.

I understand it is my responsibility. That's why I was asking. That's why it is not a topic of conversation in our home yet. And that's why they don't know yet. I'm still trying to learn myself, and I cannot, will not, learn this at the same time I'm trying to teach them.

When I have a comfort level with it, then I will begin the discussion. I'm simply asking how other people have done that. Guns were not around when I was growing up. My children are not used to seeing them at this point. It seems like most people here have been around them most of their lives, so they and their children have a higher comfort level.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

It's like the birds and the bees.... if they are old enough to ask, they are old enough to know. Take the mystery out of them early. Teach the Eddie Eagle Rules as soon as they can understand. Hopefully you have a GunVault or similar safe.

 

[tetsujin79]

I started my 5 year old with a BB gun last Christmas. When he opened it, I explained that we would follow the 4 rules about it, and I told him the 4 rules were to keep everyone safe.

Every time we shoot, he has to repeat the 4 rules and his mom's "5th rule", which is we only use the BB gun with mom or dad because it's not a toy. I keep it locked up and BB's locked up and separate from the gun too.

I also have a 3 year old who asked if he could shoot it. I told him when he got older, and that seemed to satisfy him, but we've been telling him that for certain things since the get go.

How do your kids handle rules about other things like power tools, seat belts, crossing streets? I'd start there.


As for explaining the LTCH, just use police as the example? Keep it simple and boring, too.

 

[OkieGirl]

I wasn't intending it to be a loaded question...I have a lot of kids...one of their favorite times to come 'chat' with me is while I'm in the shower!

Ok. I get it. I've got four of my own and gave up any hope of privacy after the first one arrived. I like my little push button safe for my EDC when it's not on my hip (inexpensive and keeps it out of reach from the kiddos). My conversations started with the arrival of mommy's LTCH in the mail. We went over how much mommy loves them and my responsibility to keep them safe. It's mommy's tool for their safety and they are not to touch. I do not leave it where they have any chance to break that rule. Your first focus should be personal training so that you will be proficient with use and function. There are a lot of good folks on this forum who can help with that (Coach, ACT,etc...). You also need range time and lots of it on a regular basis. Find time to build your skill and it will become a natural thing to share with your kids. Mine hug me before we leave the house to be sure I'm carrying then debate what I'm carrying while we drive...

 

[squidvt]

Disarming kid's curiosity.

Cornered Cat does a very good job of explaining how to teach young children how to be around firearms. I introduced my son to the rules of firearms about a year ago when I knew I was going to get a firearm. I found it easier to teach him the rules of guns before one was around, it made it a lot easier for me to disarm his curiosity by letting him hold my XDs and examine when ever he wants to. He's asked to see it several times and Every time I show it to him and he has stopped asking about it a while ago.

Don't make it a forbidden object, just let him know there are rules that go alone with owning a firearm.

 

[mrjarrell]

I taught my kids from the time they could understand the word NO. Then we progressed to other fundamentals as they got older. I used the G. Gordon Liddy method with mine and it worked like a charm. When they're little they aren't even allowed to look at the firearms, no matter where they are. As they get older they can look, but not touch. Then comes a day when they can touch, with guidance. Teach them this way and then teach them the 4 rules, in time, and you'll do OK.

 

[eldirector]

I have a 3-year old. If my EDC isn't on me, it is locked up. Nothing in between. Ever. Every other firearm is also secured.

She knows it is "daddy's gun", and that she is not to bother it. That has worked well enough for now. Since it is pretty much always on me, she is just used to it being there. We'll start the Eddie Eagle routine as soon as I feel she is ready. If she is interested beyond that, we'll get a BB gun (daddy wants one anyway) and learn the 4 Rules.

Even if she does enjoy shooting, I want to take the "magic" out of it and make sure she understands safety, safe handling, and the mechanics of shooting. No different than learning about my tools, knives, kitchen appliances, etc...

 

[RedneckReject]

In our house the kids see guns like they would see a piece of furniture. Not that I have various weapons sitting around all over the place or anything. What I mean is that the kids see them every day. They're not anything new or neat or cool. They're just there. My kids know very well that guns are not toys and they are not to be touched (until they're older). They do very well with it. Obviously we have all firearms kept in a safe place when we aren't carrying, but we're doing our best to teach the children as well. It's been my experience that keeping your child sheltered from something often makes them dangerously curious about it. Teach them about it and they don't care.

 

[kludge]

I have a 3-year old. If my EDC isn't on me, it is locked up. Nothing in between. Ever. Every other firearm is also secured.

This^

She knows it is "daddy's gun", and that she is not to bother it. That has worked well enough for now. Since it is pretty much always on me, she is just used to it being there. We'll start the Eddie Eagle routine as soon as I feel she is ready. If she is interested beyond that, we'll get a BB gun (daddy wants one anyway) and learn the 4 Rules.

Even if she does enjoy shooting, I want to take the "magic" out of it and make sure she understands safety, safe handling, and the mechanics of shooting. No different than learning about my tools, knives, kitchen appliances, etc...

There is no sense in "hiding" the guns from the kids. And whenever they ask to see something, we satisfy the curiosity, and after going over the rules, and finding a safe direction I hand over the gun. It's pretty boring for a 4-6 year old to sit there with his/her finger off the trigger holding it in a safe direction. They ask questions, they push the buttons, and then hand it back and run off and do something else.

In my experience... and I have a little more than most... they become "aware" of guns about age four... but my youngest son, having much older brothers said the word "gun" at age two. I said, "What did you say?" and he repeated, "Gun."

Eddie Eagle started early with that one. "Stop. Don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult." He's 7 now and I think he shot his first target at age 3 or 4 with Colibri's out of a single shot.

 

[JasonB]

Introduce them when you are comfortable... Rule I was given that has worked so far was allow them to start interacting with guns when they are old enough to sit through and pass the DNR Hunter's Education class which is about 8 hours long.

My 8 year old passed and got a Cricket .22lr for his birthday this year... My 10 year old likes to make a habit out of having young eyes and trying to out shoot me as often as possible.

As for Guns in the house you answered your own question nearly... Seem too young so guns stay on your person or safely out of sight and under lock and key... Even once you introduce them to guns they should know only safe to handle or touch at the range with you there helping them...

You can't be too safe or over protective.

 

[88GT]

There are about a dozen different threads started on this subject in the last few weeks too. I mention it because there are a lot more men on this site than women and you'll find more variability in the other threads.

I have two boys, ages 4 and 7. We've had firearms in the house long before they came along. They have never known a world without firearms. And because they were taught from Day 1, before they could walk and talk, the rules in this house regarding firearms, they don't have the slightest interest in "finding" the "hidden" firearms.

In our house the kids see guns like they would see a piece of furniture. Not that I have various weapons sitting around all over the place or anything. What I mean is that the kids see them every day. They're not anything new or neat or cool. They're just there. My kids know very well that guns are not toys and they are not to be touched (until they're older). They do very well with it. Obviously we have all firearms kept in a safe place when we aren't carrying, but we're doing our best to teach the children as well. It's been my experience that keeping your child sheltered from something often makes them dangerously curious about it. Teach them about it and they don't care.

No mystery, no curiosity.

Both of my boys have been allowed to touch and hold since they were 3 or 4. The older one has been shooting for the last 2 years, and the 4y/o has been behind the trigger twice (at age 3!!!).

Neither of them bat an eye at seeing a firearm. And when tested, they have always passed.

I am not of the "always locked up mindset." I don't think children in the home is synonymous with some big risk of an accident. After one of the big threads on this, I did some digging. The number of children actually injured or killed from firearms (excluding murders and suicide) is ridiculously low. No, I don't make life choices based solely on statistics, but I also don't base them on emotional paranoias either. You know your kids. If you think they all need to be locked up always, then do it.

I ask this questions every time this topic comes up and no one has given me an answer yet: what did families do before there were safes and vaults and trigger locks? Why weren't there massive casualties then? And why do we think we'll have them now if we don't use those things?

 

[codydugger]

I bought a Daisy BB gun for my son on his fourth birthday. I also sat down with him and explained the rules of handling a gun safely. With that being said, I think it is up to the parents on when it is a good time to get their kids into guns.

 

[MordecuS]

I don't remember the first time my dad took me shooting but I do know that guns were always around and accessible. I got my first gun, a 20 gauge Winchester, when I was in about 5th grade, so what.... 10-11? Well before that though, I was shooting .22 rifles with my dad in the woods. It was just something that was always around for me growing up.

I was taught early on to respect firearms and never assume they are unloaded. I tend to agree with what 88GT has said. Teach an early respect and hope that with safe keeping of your guns, the kids will grow up with that same respect they have been shown.

 

[BuckCreek]

I have a lifetime LTCH. My wife has not gone through the process yet, but plans to. Both my wife and I grew up around firearms.

I have a 5 year old and a 7 year old. We have introduced them to the Eddie Eagle program, and taught them the 4 rules, along with a 5th, which I saw mentioned in a previous reply ( That guns are not toys and they are only to use / touch them when their parents or grandparents are around and say it is ok.) It is basically like any other tool. Any time they have questions or interest they know they can come to one of us.

We keep our guns locked up including BB guns when not being used.

I have started teaching them to shoot with my dad and father-in-law. This 4th of July my in-laws were out to visit, so my father-in-law and I took them over to my parent's farm. My dad had the BB gun he used as a kid, and both my brother and I used as kids. It is a Daisy lever action spring powered BB gun, and is the perfect size for the two of them. My father-in-law has a small .22 that we use when at his place in PA. It brought back some great memories, and we had a great time teaching the two kids. My father-in-law is a very patient person and an excellent teacher. Both he and my dad love being able to pass things like this on to their grandchildren.

I want my 2 children to respect firearms, be able to handle them safely, and know what they should do around them in any given situation. I can control the environment in my own home, but eventually they will come across a firearm when their parents or grandparents are not present. Them knowing the rules, having respect, and having knowledge is what will keep them safe at that point. As soon as they are old enough we plan to enroll them in the 4-H shooting sports program.

I hope you find this helpful.

 

[the1kidd03]

It's NEVER "too early." Age is completely arbitrary. It's up to you as the parent(s) to determine their individual maturity, mental capacity, etc. to guide you in how far to take their firearms education at a given point.

Start EARLY. The earlier you start getting them to understand safety, the better. It's important to note that they must be disciplined children to really learn and be trusted with firearms. In this day and age of a million different philosophies of parenting it's imperative to realize that a younger child will not adhere to the importance of safety if they do not believe there will be any repercussions for doing so.

If that is a given, then again it is NEVER too early. Remove their curiosity about firearms by teaching them safety, letting them handle your UNLOADED firearm in your presence and simply answering their questions as best you can.

I started shooting about 5 years old and my nephew shot his first gun at 4. He knew the safety rules at the age of 2 and could recite them word for word by 3 as well as demonstrating perfect safe handling. Age means nothing. It's all about the lessons they've had.

 

[WyldeShot]

My kids are young, 5 (son) and 19 months (daughter). I started talking to my son about guns when he started to ask about them. He sees me carrying one most of the time. He has been asking when he will be able to shoot with me. I personally think he is to immature right now. I do take him to turkey shoots and he has been to the range with me. He also helps to sort brass for reloading.
From the beginning I have been telling that if he sees a gun he needs to find an adult fast and tell them. I also tell him that if he sees a gun and wants to touch it that he needs to find an adult and ask. I have been telling him that all guns have bullets in them This year I started to test him. Every time he has came to get either me or my wife. I don't think a child can truly understand the concept of a gun until they understand death.
Teaching of my son has coincided with teaching my wife since 2 years ago she did not want a gun in the house and this year she purchased her first gun. I tell her, all guns are loaded until you check it. Don't ever take anyone's word that a gun is unloaded. He is not familiar with a lot of firearms.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Disarming kid's curiosity.

Cornered Cat does a very good job of explaining how to teach young children how to be around firearms. I introduced my son to the rules of firearms about a year ago when I knew I was going to get a firearm. I found it easier to teach him the rules of guns before one was around, it made it a lot easier for me to disarm his curiosity by letting him hold my XDs and examine when ever he wants to. He's asked to see it several times and Every time I show it to him and he has stopped asking about it a while ago.

Don't make it a forbidden object, just let him know there are rules that go alone with owning a firearm.

^^This!

Cornered Cat was one of the first sites I read when I was getting into guns. Why? Because I had very little knowledge and I figured (naively) that a page written primarily for women would be written for someone who was embarrassed to ask a man this or that question for fear of being thought dumb. Well, I was right, but not for the reason I thought. Kathy does a great job of explaining things to the novice, who many times MAY be a woman but could as easily be a man, as in my case. She's down to earth and has a great attitude and I was fortunate to find the site I did. It was right after she started it, so it had a couple of rough edges that allowed me to write her and ask questions, which she answered in email and then in articles.

She also is a member here, although she's not logged in in a couple of years.

Kathy, if you read this, thanks.

For the OP, I saw that squidvt included a link... here's one that's a little more general: Contents | Cornered Cat

Blessings,
Bill