Early education

[Ruger_Ronin]

Folks can say whatever they like, but my opinion will not be swayed. (Mods, please delete post of found to be out of line, no hard feelings)

All that being said, I have a strong conviction about teaching children the importance of firearm safety. Whether or not the child grows up with them in the home, the likely hood of them coming across one in their young life is a high probability especially in rural communities. Protocols for things like: what to do if one is found, the understanding of their purpose, and the consequences of their use.

To build further, we (my family and I) have established a "triangle of ideals". 3 points to consider the overall inclusion of them in our lives.
1. SAFETY (by far the most important). This includes the "commandments" of handling/use, and responsibilities of owning/operating.
2. Maintenance and care. This is part of a larger "take care of your stuff" mantra I sear in them.
3. Operations. Safe handling, form, accuracy, etc.

It doesn't have to be such a direct approach. We may bring up points in every day life as things occur. (Things seen on TV for example). Including them in my own processes as seen in pic became fun and educational. I tend to simplify the terminology, but stay close to the original as best I can do they comprehend what I'm saying.

Whether you are a hunter, target shooter, or competitor the fact remains that no one, and I mean NO ONE, is going to teach them this but you. Disagree about age, but the sooner the better. Start slow, and work your way up. Because if they are going to grow up around them, I'd just as soon make sure they are not left in the dark.

Opinions and comments welcome, but keep it civil.

 

[d.kaufman]

Most definitely. Teach them young. Should be taught in schools. Even something as simple as the NRAs Eddie the Eagle program.

Started my daughter at 4. Pic on the left. She's 10 now. Pic on right. She likes to help me reload as well. She helps out at our annual NWI Ingo youth shoot as well.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Most definitely. Teach them young. Should be taught in schools. Even something as simple as the NRAs Eddie the Eagle program.

Started my daughter at 4. Pic on the left. She's 10 now. Pic on right. She likes to help me reload as well. She helps out at our annual NWI Ingo youth shoot as well.

Fantastic! A pink Crickett rifle is standard 4y/o gift from me. Our local 4H program isn't quite as broad stroke as I'd like, it focuses mostly on farming/animal husbandry.
It's sad that Eddie the Eagle isn't standard fare such as the D.A.R.E. program. It certainly won't hurt them. Better than learning it from COD or some new Marvel movie.
Our local HS has reinstated their archery program of yore, and to great success. I hope this draws a positive parallel, and a youth shooting program is considered. Air rifle competition at these levels would be amazing.
Tip-of-the-hat to your young lady. No better feeling than daddy's girl hanging tough.

 

[Bigtanker]

My son was three at the time of this picture. He took his first shots at 5. He's 9 now and learning to run a 9mm.

Yeah. Start them early.

Last month. 4" XDs at 25 yards on a 10x16" plate.

[video=youtube_share;p4j-ox1oUI0]http://youtu.be/p4j-ox1oUI0[/video]

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

#2 got her first trip in the woods this year. #1 has been going for a couple years now.
Age 4: hunting with no rifle to learn how to behave in the woods. Age 6: hunting with unloaded rifle to learn how to handle it safely. Shots to be taken with assistance. Things can proceed provided they prove worthy of the responsibility.

 

[d.kaufman]

Fantastic! A pink Crickett rifle is standard 4y/o gift from me. Our local 4H program isn't quite as broad stroke as I'd like, it focuses mostly on farming/animal husbandry.
It's sad that Eddie the Eagle isn't standard fare such as the D.A.R.E. program. It certainly won't hurt them. Better than learning it from COD or some new Marvel movie.
Our local HS has reinstated their archery program of yore, and to great success. I hope this draws a positive parallel, and a youth shooting program is considered. Air rifle competition at these levels would be amazing.
Tip-of-the-hat to your young lady. No better feeling than daddy's girl hanging tough.

Thanks. She's also into archery as well. She has a recurve and compound bow. While she shoots the recurve really well due to it being lighter than her compound bow, she's getting much better with practice on the compound bow.

 

[WebSnyper]

I would have liked to start with mine on handling when they were young, but it took some time for their mom to come around and get comfortable with me having things around and then carrying all the time, etc.

Both of mine are in their very early 20's now and have gone to the range with me etc but not tons of times. They know the basics, etc, but would have liked them to have more handling time in overall so that it was second nature to them to be comfortable handling, but with the proper respect, etc. They both have the proper respect of firearms, but would need to be immersed more to be comfortably competent on the handling side to my satisfaction.

 

[traderjoe]

No matter what their age, they need to learn safety, respect and get proper instruction

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

No matter what their age, they need to learn safety, respect and get proper instruction

Couldn't agree more.

 

[7.62]

Definitely agree starting them early. I started safety talks with my kids very early, before 3 yo. They actually started shooting at 5 once I felt they had a good grasp on safety and after training with airsoft guns.

 

[LarryC]

Can't disagree with your ideas. Just wonder how my generation survived (I'm 79). In the 1940's and 50's, I was raised in a small town in northern Indiana. In that era and location, at least 90% of all the rural homes had at least one firearm exposed usually by the back door. These were used to protect the chickens etc. on the farm. Almost all were loaded, a few weren't but the ammo was usually on a shelf nearby! Many people kept them on the floor beside the door, (moved them up higher when they had toddlers).

My Uncle and Aunt had a hanger in their log cabin with a 22 and a shotgun hung in easy reach. All children knew the rules about touching guns and NO children bothered the firearms that I ever knew of, and no "accidents" were ever known by me.

All of my generation of boys usually had rifles or shotguns in our vehicles during hunting season when we were in High School. Several of the teachers also had firearms in their vehicles and school unofficially let out early on the first day of Squirrel, Rabbit and Duck season. Very few if any carried a handgun for personal protection but as I remember, almost all service members had a 45 given to them upon discharge from WW-2.

There was no formal training, although some scout and 4-H leaders did have informal shooting matches. My father passed when I was 10, and I received my firearm / hunter education (as it were) from my older BIL as he was a sergeant in WW-2, and taught me to shoot a 45, 22, and a few other firearms. I was hunting on my own when I was about 13 or 14, money was VERY tight so searched for pop bottles along the town roads (got 2 cents apiece for deposit). The local Co-op elevator sold 22LR ammo for 1 cent each, I got a lot of squirrels, great meals.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Can't disagree with your ideas. Just wonder how my generation survived (I'm 79). In the 1940's and 50's, I was raised in a small town in northern Indiana. In that era and location, at least 90% of all the rural homes had at least one firearm exposed usually by the back door. These were used to protect the chickens etc. on the farm. Almost all were loaded, a few weren't but the ammo was usually on a shelf nearby! Many people kept them on the floor beside the door, (moved them up higher when they had toddlers).

My Uncle and Aunt had a hanger in their log cabin with a 22 and a shotgun hung in easy reach. All children knew the rules about touching guns and NO children bothered the firearms that I ever knew of, and no "accidents" were ever known by me.

All of my generation of boys usually had rifles or shotguns in our vehicles during hunting season when we were in High School. Several of the teachers also had firearms in their vehicles and school unofficially let out early on the first day of Squirrel, Rabbit and Duck season. Very few if any carried a handgun for personal protection but as I remember, almost all service members had a 45 given to them upon discharge from WW-2.

There was no formal training, although some scout and 4-H leaders did have informal shooting matches. My father passed when I was 10, and I received my firearm / hunter education (as it were) from my older BIL as he was a sergeant in WW-2, and taught me to shoot a 45, 22, and a few other firearms. I was hunting on my own when I was about 13 or 14, money was VERY tight so searched for pop bottles along the town roads (got 2 cents apiece for deposit). The local Co-op elevator sold 22LR ammo for 1 cent each, I got a lot of squirrels, great meals.

Sad we have strayed so far from such values.

 

[worddoer]

I think that most here would agree with train children on firearms and train them young. I also would believe that many here agree that it would be wise if all schools offered the Eddie the Eagle program young and frequently.

I have told many people "You can never make a gun child safe, but you CAN make a child gun safe".

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

I think that most here would agree with train children on firearms and train them young. I also would believe that many here agree that it would be wise if all schools offered the Eddie the Eagle program young and frequently.

I have told many people "You can never make a gun child safe, but you CAN make a child gun safe".

Never heard that. I'll be plagiarizing that, thanks.

I saw this a couple years ago. Both disturbing and enlightening.

https://youtu.be/1MP1Y7F1zmM