I am SO PROUD of my kids!!!!

[goColt]

I have a daughter (5 years old) and a son (3 1/2) that I have been speaking to about what to do if they find a gun. I've used the Eddie Eagle program from the NRA and must say, it is really a great program. It simply teaches: "Stop, don't touch. Leave the area. Tell and adult."

Well, today I took my P3AT (because it is the smallest, most toy-like gun I own) and emptied it. I checked no less than 5 times that it had no mag and no round in the chamber and put it in the middle of the living room floor. My 3 year old was the first to find it and said, "Uh daddy, why is there is a gun here?" Although he didn't leave the area; he didn't touch it and he told me about it. I praised him for not touching and for telling me and then asked him what he should do if he ever finds a gun again. My 5 year old chimed in and, as if reading from the Eddie Eagle coloring book, she said almost verbatim: "Stop, don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult like daddy or mommy."

I am so proud of my kids. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. I praised them over and over again for doing the right thing.

I plan on doing the test several more times with different guns over the next few days and periodically afterward to make sure they don't forget.

This is what each of us who are gun-owners and parents, need to do.

I don't want my kids or the kids of anyone else to be the next story in the news, where a kid is shot and injured/killed because they found a gun and didn't know what to do. So, the next step is to offer to teach the Eddie Eagle program to churches and schools. I will try to work with police department's when possible and/or necessary.

I hope I can keep at least one but hopefully many more kids from being hurt of killed by a firearm.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I have a daughter (5 years old) and a son (3 1/2) that I have been speaking to about what to do if they find a gun. I've used the Eddie Eagle program from the NRA and must say, it is really a great program. It simply teaches: "Stop, don't touch. Leave the area. Tell and adult."

Well, today I took my P3AT (because it is the smallest, most toy-like gun I own) and emptied it. I checked no less than 5 times that it had no mag and no round in the chamber and put it in the middle of the living room floor. My 3 year old was the first to find it and said, "Uh daddy, why is there is a gun here?" Although he didn't leave the area; he didn't touch it and he told me about it. I praised him for not touching and for telling me and then asked him what he should do if he ever finds a gun again. My 5 year old chimed in and, as if reading from the Eddie Eagle coloring book, she said almost verbatim: "Stop, don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult like daddy or mommy."

I am so proud of my kids. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it. I praised them over and over again for doing the right thing.

I plan on doing the test several more times with different guns over the next few days and periodically afterward to make sure they don't forget.

This is what each of us who are gun-owners and parents, need to do.

I don't want my kids or the kids of anyone else to be the next story in the news, where a kid is shot and injured/killed because they found a gun and didn't know what to do. So, the next step is to offer to teach the Eddie Eagle program to churches and schools. I will try to work with police department's when possible and/or necessary.

I hope I can keep at least one but hopefully many more kids from being hurt of killed by a firearm.

I am not the go getter type to go out and educate people. I commend you for what you are talking about doing, that is fabulous. I hope you follow thru and make a difference. Would rep ya but I am all out.

 

[Goober135]

to you and your kids! That's awesome to hear! I don't have kids yet as i'm still a youngin' myself (23), but i plan to do something exactly like this and hope my kids pick it up as quickly as yours do. Why does positive stuff like this never make the news? Oh yeah, because no one wants to hear stories about responsible gun owners teaching their kids to be the same. It's a lot more enjoyable to read about the young child who accidentally shoots them self or someone else.

Keep up the great work!

 

[Bunnykid68]

yep, amazing what a little education can do with kids, 17 years and my kids have not shot any of their friends yet. Damn, I'm getting old aint I?

 

[hoosierdoc]

You didn't have a 1911? I think they all
Look like toys since my
Ones as a kid were mainly 1911s I think. Also the ones in arcade games seem to be 1911s to hold and shoot

Good job for your kids, but they're going to tell everyone you leave guns laying around the house

 

[ws98ta]

+1 aswell. I can only hope once I have kids I can teach them as well as you did.

 

[goColt]

Thanks. Funny you should mention that. A buddy of mine told me once that his daughter who was in Kindergarten or 1st grade once told her teacher, "My daddy likes guns and beer." I'd love to have heard what was said at the next parent-teacher conference.

My Glock 26 is next since it is also toy-like in appearance. Uh-oh...did I say that out loud? Here comes inbound fire.

You didn't have a 1911? I think they all
Look like toys since my
Ones as a kid were mainly 1911s I think. Also the ones in arcade games seem to be 1911s to hold and shoot

Good job for your kids, but they're going to tell everyone you leave guns laying around the house

 

[Darral27]

That is great. I have a 2 1/2 year old little boy and need to find that book for him. The other kids are old enough to know the rules but I need a good way to teach him. Thanks for the good story and info.

 

[Shive.Justin]

awesome! good to see parents doing the right thing. i'll be starting the eddie eagle when my daughter is old enough to start to understand it a little better(she's only 11 months right now).

 

[cobber]

Isn't it usually the kids from non-gun-owning families that find guns and "accidentally" shoot themselves or someone else?

This training ought to be incorporated into the public skool curriculum. Even the anti-gunners should like the message.

 

[goColt]

That is definitely part of it. Ignorance of firearms definitely is a contributor to this. There have been instances of kids just finding a gun laying in an empty lot or parking lot and pick it up because they have never been taught what to do.

Unfortunately however, there are a lot of gun owners who just never make time/effort to teach their kids about what to do when they find a gun and this can have catastrophic results. This could be the experienced shooter as well as people who just have a gun in the house and don't take ownership very seriously.

I want to teach ALL kids what to do should they find a gun, regardless of if their parents are gun owners or not. It's up to the parents to keep reinforcing this afterward.

As I indicated, I do plan on reaching out to schools and churches to teach this simple, potentially life-saving topic. Whether they are receptive or not remains to be seen. I just hope they will be. Wish me luck.

Isn't it usually the kids from non-gun-owning families that find guns and "accidentally" shoot themselves or someone else?

This training ought to be incorporated into the public skool curriculum. Even the anti-gunners should like the message.

 

[goColt]

That is great. I have a 2 1/2 year old little boy and need to find that book for him. The other kids are old enough to know the rules but I need a good way to teach him. Thanks for the good story and info.

Follow the link above and you can order the material. Also, they have a at least two different curriculum. One for pre-school and one for elementary school. After that, then regular firearms instruction could/should be taken for the pre-teen and teenagers. Good luck!!

 

[95wrangler]

You might also get a real toy gun and put it outside (driveway, yard, somewhere they play) to check the leave the area part too. Just an idea.

 

[thompal]

My 5 year old chimed in and, as if reading from the Eddie Eagle coloring book, she said almost verbatim: "Stop, don't touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult like daddy or mommy."

. . . .

So, the next step is to offer to teach the Eddie Eagle program to churches and schools. I will try to work with police department's when possible and/or necessary.

I hope I can keep at least one but hopefully many more kids from being hurt of killed by a firearm.

My now 7 year old can still recite it verbatum. When he was in kindergarden 2 years ago, they taught the Eddie Eagle thing at his school.

The only way I found out was that sometime after that, I mentioned "Eddie Eagle," and he recited the rules. The program works.


I was impressed.

 

[Mosinowner]

I remember taking a gun saftey course. Good job man thanks for helping the next generation learn about guns.

 

[MrSmitty]

+1 rep'd...for me and AJG357.....ok from me