Training with the young'uns

[unshelledpilot]

Hello All

My wife has just recently gotten pregnant, and this got me thinking. I have been of the view that women should train more than men because, statistically, they are more likely to be victims of crime. A thought occurred that a mother should incorporate her children into training. What I mean is that during an emergency children are likely to clamp on to a parent, so would it be a good to include a child in this role during range practice or even training. You know, carrying a child while drawing, shooting, reloading etc? Or would your practice time be better served doing all this one handed without the kid?

 

[Bullet Proof]

I think a more effective way to keep your children safe would be to teach your children to go to a designated safe place within the home and call police. I would think that the first priority would be to get the children away from the threat as quickly as possible and not have them anywhere near where bullets might be. I would think that practicing drawing and shooting while carrying a child would put them in harms way if a perpetrator decided to shoot back, and it also reduces how effective you will be. It would be better to have a family emergency action plan where they go to a locked closet or bedroom, lay on the floor and call police. This would put them in the safest possible area and allow you to focus on dealing with the threat. I think this would be the most effective way to train.

 

[unshelledpilot]

Of course it would reduce my effectiveness, I was thinking more if something happened in public, where you would need to pick up the child and get out of the danger area. I definitely would not want to endanger a child during training. Would this even be necessary, or would I be better off tying a hand behind my back instead?

 

[Slawburger]

Finish every range session with 10 rounds strong hand only and 10 rounds weak hand only.

If the child is at an age where they are likely to clamp onto a leg then I probably wouldn't take them to the range. IMHO, YMMV,

 

[88GT]

I think a more effective way to keep your children safe would be to teach your children to go to a designated safe place within the home and call police. I would think that the first priority would be to get the children away from the threat as quickly as possible and not have them anywhere near where bullets might be. I would think that practicing drawing and shooting while carrying a child would put them in harms way if a perpetrator decided to shoot back, and it also reduces how effective you will be. It would be better to have a family emergency action plan where they go to a locked closet or bedroom, lay on the floor and call police. This would put them in the safest possible area and allow you to focus on dealing with the threat. I think this would be the most effective way to train.

That's great....if the threat only comes when mom is home with the children. Trust me, even as a SAHM I am out and about often with my boys. That being said, there's some wisdom to preparing to do battle, so to speak, with the children in tow, whether it's out and about or within one's home.

My house layout makes it impossible to get the boys to a safe place unless we are upstairs in the bedrooms already. And even at that we have to pass in front of the stairs to get to the "safe" bedroom if not already in it. There is no point in my house where someone can change room locations without exposing himself to view. This makes movement risky for us, but it also gives me a huge tactical advantage over the intruder as I know these areas of my home and he does not. So part of our getting to the (or 'a') safe room means some "tactical" training for the boys in following (and following directions). There's no other way around it.

OP, I wouldn't necessarily recommend having the children be involved in life-fire training drills. But your wife could practice hold a sack of potatoes and shooting one handed (with both strong and off hand) if you two felt it was worthwhile to have that skill set. More importantly probably, is to instill in them an automatic response of obedience to your commands. And if your wife isn't tactically minded already, some training (after the baby is born) to help with defense choices.

 

[unshelledpilot]

Thank you 88gt. You articulated exactly what I was thinking.

If we're both home, I'm the one taking point, so to speak. I'm in front of her with the gun in a secure room. She can carry whoever needs to be carried. The same applies in a public place. I was worried about when she's alone with the kids. The potatoes sound like a good idea. She does have a problem with following orders when we do home defense drills, I'm thinking working on that would be time better spent.

Thanks Guys and Gals!
Pilot